New Delhi, Apr 13 (PTI) Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty, fresh from his runner-up finish at the Badminton Asia Championships, admitted he must embrace greater patience on court, engage opponents in longer rallies, and build stronger legs to truly challenge the top players.
The 20-year-old enjoyed a giant-killing run at the BAC in Ningbo, China, entering unseeded but pulling off a series of upsets against higher-ranked opponents.
His impressive campaign, however, ended in the final as he went down in straight games to world No. 2 Shi Yu Qi, prolonging India’s wait of over six decades for a men’s singles gold at the event.
“Yeah, I think in the final, he didn’t give me much chance to attack. He kept his lengths perfect. He was pushing the pace and really not giving me any chance at the net. So I couldn’t create a good attacking chance,” said Shetty in a media interaction on Monday.
“So, that is something I need to work upon…Be more patient and play longer rallies. I think I became a bit impatient and went for some quick, easy points,” said the tall shuttler who got the better of Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie in the quarterfinals and Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semifinal to script history.
The Mangalorean said he was desperate to win the title and remains driven by the ambition of “becoming the best in the world”, adding that his clash against Shi proved to be a valuable learning experience.
“It was a tough loss. Definitely I wanted to end on a high note. But, again, I think it’s a great learning for me; the way Shi played. He was really smart, he didn’t give me any chance. He didn’t allow me to come back in the game.
“But, looking back at this tournament, I think I’m proud of the way I played throughout. It’s (loss) a good lesson for me in the final,” said Shetty, who added that the BWF World Championships and the Asian Games later this year in Japan are his next priorities.
He said one key area he aims to improve is his physical conditioning, stressing the need to become stronger and better equipped for the demands of long, gruelling matches against top opponents.
“I think I have to be a lot stronger if I want to consistently be the best players in the world.” Standing at 6 feet 4 inches, his height can sometimes be a disadvantage when dealing with low smashes and tight drops, but Shetty said he picked up valuable lessons from two-time Olympic champion and former world No.1 Viktor Axelsen during a training stint in Dubai.
“When I’m playing on the right side of the court, I think I can get those angles and I can hit really steep. But again, there are some flaws as well…it’s not easy to be very low on the court. I have to be really strong on my legs.
“Viktor is really strong and he’s really low and he has a really great defence. I think it is really surprising, he can do all those things with that height. So, that is something I picked up from him. I have to be like that if I want to play at the very best.” Axelsen had recently remarked that Shetty reminded him of his younger days, and the young Indian player said such praise from a legend only boosts his confidence further.
“I saw that Viktor said these things about me. I think it really makes you feel great when your idol says good things about you.” Reflecting on his deep run in BAC, Shetty said it was more about “testing the process” and backing his self-belief, adding that adopting a far more aggressive approach than before paid rich dividends.
“I think, the process. I just kept testing the process, thinking that I’m doing the right things, believing in myself. I think that was the most important part. Also, I think I was more attacking this week. I didn’t want to go on the defensive much. That was a key point.
“Usually I’m not (that aggressive), but this week I was really aggressive, showing that how much I really wanted to win all the matches.” With the Asian Games on the horizon, expectations will be high from the youngster following his recent exploits and Shetty said the final taught him a “great lesson” in playing smarter, adding that he relishes the challenge of living up to the country’s expectations.
“I know that I have to be more smart…Shi was way smarter than me. I think for the expectations, I see it as a challenge and I am enjoying myself and looking forward to it (big competitions). PTI AM AM APA APA
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