India’s impressive run in men’s singles at the Badminton Asia Championships fell short in the final, but Sagar Chopda, head coach at the Centre for Badminton Excellence, believes silver-medallist Ayush Shetty has the potential to reach the very top of the sport.

The Indian shuttler went down in straight games against World No. 2 Chinese Shi Yu Qi in Ningbo on Sunday.

“I believe Ayush has the potential to be a top-five player in the world. We’ve always believed he can become a true champion,” Chopda told PTI after the 20-year-old won silver at the continental meet.

“We just need to be patient, but he definitely has the potential to reach that level,” he added.

Shetty’s campaign ended against home favourite Shi, with Chopda pointing to a key area that could have made a difference.

“He probably needed to be a little more patient. At times, he went for outright winners a bit too early, and many of those shots either went out or ended up in Shi’s hitting zone.

“Shi didn’t give him many opportunities, and at this level you have to make the most of whatever chances you get,” he said.

Despite the loss, the unseeded Shetty’s run, which included victories over Li Shi Feng, Jonatan Christie and Kunlavut Vitidsarn, marked a significant breakthrough after a string of early exits earlier in the season.

Chopda revealed that a back injury had disrupted Shetty’s preparation at the start of the year, forcing him into rehabilitation instead of building fitness. The turnaround, he said, came down to belief.

“At the start of the season, Ayush had a slight back injury, so he had to focus on rehab for about four to five weeks. That affected his preparation.

“The biggest plus this week was belief. He felt fitter, stronger and didn’t check himself. He showed great patience in long rallies, which is crucial at this level,” he said.

The coach, who trains Shetty in Bengaluru, also credited work behind the scenes, including sessions with a sports psychologist, for the player’s improved mental strength during the tournament.

While the results underline his rapid rise, Chopda was quick to point out areas that still need refinement.

“Endurance is still a work in progress. Ayush needs to get much fitter, although he is improving. He has been doing a lot of off-court sessions with the trainers and physios.

“Being a tall player, his movement has improved, especially side-to-side and in defence, but there is still room for improvement,” Chopda said.

Shetty has also begun working with Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, a move Chopda believes will benefit him in the long run.

“He has been the national coach of the Indonesian side when players like Jonatan Christie and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting were at their peak, so having someone like him on board is going to be helpful for Ayush,” Chopda noted.

Given his height and playing style, comparisons with two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen have already begun, something Chopda acknowledged.

“Because he’s so tall, he’s always been compared to Viktor Axelsen. In fact, he’s gone and trained with him a couple of times,” Chopda said.

“Viktor has mentioned that he sees similarities and that Ayush reminds him of his younger days.” However, Chopda was quick to add that there is still ground to cover.

“He has a strong net game and a big hit, but he needs to develop more variation, half-smashes, softer drops to become even more dangerous at this level.” Looking ahead with the World Championships and Asian Games in sight, consistency remains the key focus.

“Consistency is key. He has a lot of expectations from himself, and that probably added pressure in previous tournaments,” he said.

“He needs to consistently reach the later stages of tournaments and aim for podium finishes. Winning a big title and doing well at events like the World Championships and Asian Games should be his targets.”

“He has a big smash and a strong net game, but he needs to add more control, half-smashes, softer drops and better variation to consistently win at this level.

Chopda also pointed out that while Shetty had shown promise earlier, including during a title run at the U.S. Open, sustaining that level will be the real challenge.

“This tournament will give him a lot of confidence, but he needs to keep delivering so that people continue to notice him,” he added.

Published on Apr 13, 2026