Badminton Asia Championships 2026 Recap: Champions, Upsets & Surprises
An Se Young and Shi Yu Qi Conquer Asia in Ningbo
Ayush Shetty’s Historic Run Ends with Silver
Indian badminton has found a new star in Ayush Shetty. At just 20 years old, he delivered a sensational performance to reach the final of the Badminton Asia Championships 2026, showcasing his immense potential on the big stage. T he BANK OF NINGBO Badminton Asia Championships 2026 concluded on April 12th at the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center, marking the end of a high-stakes week for Asia’s elite shuttlers. With a prize pool of $550,000, the tournament delivered a mix of clinical dominance and unexpected fairy tales, serving as a definitive statement of continental supremacy.
South Korea and China emerged as the primary victors, with An Se Young finally capturing the one major title that had eluded her, while India celebrated a breakthrough performance from a rising young star.
Men’s Singles: Shi Yu Qi Reclaims the Throne
The Men’s Singles final saw the experience of World No. 2 Shi Yu Qi pitted against the tournament’s biggest surprise, India’s Ayush Shetty. While Shetty had stunned the world by reaching the final, Shi Yu Qi proved to be a mountain too high to climb. The Chinese veteran controlled the tempo from the start, using explosive bursts of pace to wrap up his first-ever Asian title in straight games.
Result: Shi Yu Qi (1) [CHN] def. Ayush Shetty [IND]
Score: 21-8, 21-10
Women’s Singles: An Se Young’s Final Piece of the Puzzle
In a rematch of the All England final, world champion An Se Young outlasted China’s Wang Zhi Yi in a grueling three-game marathon. An, who has dominated the world circuit, finally added the Asian crown to her trophy cabinet. Despite a spirited second-game comeback from Wang, An’s legendary defensive resilience secured the gold.
Result: An Se Young (1) [KOR] def. Wang Zhi Yi (2) [CHN]
Score: 21-12, 17-21, 21-18
Men’s Doubles: A Korean Masterclass
The Men’s Doubles final was an all-Korean affair between the world champions and their rising compatriots. Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae continued their reign at the top, showing superior tactical movement to defeat Kang and Ki. This victory marks their first Badminton Asia title as a pair.
Result: Kim Won Ho / Seo Seung Jae [KOR] def. Kang Min Hyuk / Ki Dong Ju [KOR]
Score: 21-13, 21-17
Women’s Doubles: Li and Luo Crowned in Abrupt Final
The home crowd witnessed an all-Chinese final that ended unexpectedly. The pair of Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min were crowned champions after their opponents, Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, were forced to retire while trailing in the first game due to injury.
Result: Li Yi Jing / Luo Xu Min [CHN] def. Liu Sheng Shu / Tan Ning [CHN]
Score: 8-5 (Retired)
Mixed Doubles: Qualifiers’ Golden Moment
In a historic turn of events, the Korean qualifying pair Kim Jae Hyeon and Jang Ha Jeong claimed the Mixed Doubles title. Their opponents, the Thai duo of Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran, were unable to take the court for the final due to injury, handing the Koreans a memorable walkover victory.
Result: Kim Jae Hyeon / Jang Ha Jeong [KOR] def. D. Puavaranukroh / S. Paewsampran [THA]
Score: Walkover
Indian Contingent: Ayush Shetty Lights Up Ningbo
It was a historic week for Indian badminton, primarily fueled by the meteoric rise of Ayush Shetty. While the senior veterans faced early exits, the 20-year-old Shetty proved that the future of Indian Men’s Singles is in safe hands.
The Rise of Ayush Shetty Ranked World No. 25, Ayush Shetty produced one of the greatest runs by an Indian in BAC history. He defeated a gauntlet of world-class players:
Round of 32: Defeated Li Shi Feng (WR7) 21-13, 21-16.
Quarter Final: Defeated Jonatan Christie (WR3) 23-21, 21-17.
Semi Final: Defeated Kunlavut Vitidsarn (WR1) 10-21, 21-19, 21-17. His silver medal makes him only the third Indian Men’s Singles player to reach the final after Dinesh Khanna.
Other Notable Performances:
Unnati Hooda: The youngster showed immense grit, upsetting WR11 Supanida Katethong (25-23, 8-21, 18-21) before falling to Tomoka Miyazaki in the Round of 16.
P.V. Sindhu: Won her opening round but was outclassed by eventual finalist Wang Zhi Yi (21-18, 21-8).
H.S. Prannoy: Reached the Round of 16 but lost to China’s Weng Hong Yang in a tight two-game match.
Early Exits:
Lakshya Sen and Kidambi Srikanth both bowed out in the opening round against Lee Cheuk Yiu and Loh Kean Yew respectively.
Tanvi Sharma (17) and Malvika Bansod also fell in the first round after hard-fought battles.
In doubles, the pairs of Kapila/Crasto, Bhat/Gautam, and Kapoor/Gadde were unable to progress past the early stages against top-seeded Asian opposition.
Ningbo 2026 will be remembered for An Se Young’s completion of her trophy set and Shi Yu Qi’s return to the pinnacle of Asia. For India, Ayush Shetty’s silver medal stands as a defining moment, signaling a changing of the guard in Indian badminton.
Quick Summary: Dominant Force: South Korea (3 Golds)
Star of the Tournament: Ayush Shetty (IND) for his giant-killing run.
Historic Feat: An Se Young winning her first BAC title.
