India’s double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu heaped praise on Ayush Shetty as he stormed into the men’s singles final at the 2026 Badminton Asia Championships, beating world No 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn on Saturday.
“I have consistently maintained that he is a generational talent,” wrote Sindhu in a social media post. “In terms of pure natural ability, he stands right up there with the very best young players I have come across.
“There is a prodigious level of talent in him, and it is something you immediately recognize when you see him on court,” she added.
Shetty beat four higher-ranked players, dropping only a single game enroute to the final. He’ll now face either Chou Tien Chen or Shi Yu Qi in the what will the biggest match of his career on Sunday.
The 20-year-old from Karkala has been training alongside Sindhu under coach Irwansyah, who has been a constant feature in the coaching chair in Ningbo, China, for the last three weeks.
“He has been training in my training group for the past three weeks along with coach Irwan, and this period has only reinforced my belief in his potential,” wrote Sindhu. “Physically he has a strong presence on court.
“His height gives him excellent reach, and he already possesses a very deep, heavy smash that can put opponents under serious pressure. What also stands out is his defensive instinct. He stays very low, reads the shuttle well, and shows a natural ability to absorb pressure in rallies,” she noted.
Sindhu also commended his attitude in training sessions.
“What has been particularly encouraging over these last three weeks is his attitude. He has trained with great seriousness alongside me, Coach Irwan, and the extended team, and the early signs of progress are already beginning to show,” she said.
