Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty pulled off a stunning win in the Australian Open men's singles to roll into quarterfinal. Ayush shocked the World No.9 Kodai Naraoka in straight games at 21/17, 21-16 in the pre-quarterfinal clash which lasted for 68 minutes. It was 20-year-old's second success against Naraoka this year, following an earlier victory at the Hong Kong Open. Interestingly, Ayush will now face his own compatriot Lakshya Sen in the quarterfinal encounter.
Ayush Shetty thrashes World no.9 to enter Australian Open quarterfinal
Ayush displayed exemplary composure and dominant control during the critical final stages of both games. In the first game, he held his nerve by pulling away from a tight 18-17 scoreline to close it out at 21-17. He repeated this crucial clutch performance in the second game, breaking away from 14-all and sealing the match with a decisive five-point run. This ability to handle pressure against a top-ranked opponent was key to securing back-to-back victories over Naraoka within the same calendar year.
Sat-Chi roll into quarters in style
Ayush wasn't the only victor from India, as the dazzling duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also booked their spot in the quarterfinals. They delivered a comprehensive performance, defeating the pair of Su Ching Heng and Wu Guan Xun 21-18, 21-11. The Indian duo was in control throughout the match, particularly in the second game where they established a significant early lead and closed out the win efficiently. Their upcoming quarterfinal challenge will be against the Indonesian fifth-seeded pair, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri.
HS Prannoy knocked out
Meanwhile, in the men's singles draw, HS Prannoy's campaign came to a screeching halt after straight-games defeat to Indonesia’s Farhan Alwi, with scores of 19-21, 10-21. This loss continues a disappointing trend for Prannoy in 2024, as the experienced shuttler has yet to progress beyond the pre-quarterfinals in any tournament this season. His latest early exit further compounds what has been a difficult year of struggles on the tour. Prannoy’s tournament had initially started with a challenging victory in the previous round against Yohanes Saut Marcellyno. Despite dropping the opening game dramatically at 6-21, Prannoy showed resilience to fight back and win the next two games 21-12, 21-17. However, he was unable to carry this momentum into his subsequent match against Alwi, and his recurring struggle to find and maintain consistency proved to be a significant factor in his ultimate departure from the competition.