Ichinomiya City, September 26 (Udaipur Kiran) : Indian badminton players Ayush Shetty and Unnati Hooda delivered remarkable performances on Saturday at the Asian Games 2026 in Ichinomiya City, successfully advancing to the Round of 16 in the singles competitions. Their victories have kept India’s medal hopes alive in these events.
Ayush faced Kazakhstan’s Maksut Tajibullayev, winning decisively with a score of 21-7, 21-7 in just 21 minutes. His commanding display ensured he conserved energy for his upcoming match later in the day. In contrast, Unnati had a tougher battle against Malaysia’s Wong Ling Ching, with the match extending to 79 minutes. Although she won the first game 21-14, Wong fought back to take the second game 22-20, pushing the match to a deciding game. Unnati ultimately triumphed 21-19 in the final game after a closely contested match.
Ayush’s next challenge will be against Taiwan’s experienced player Chou Tien-Chen in the pre-quarterfinals. Historically, Ayush has faced Chou three times, with one win and two losses. Meanwhile, Unnati will compete against Indonesia’s sixth-ranked player Putri Kusuma Wardani, who previously defeated her in their only encounter at the 2025 Hilo Open.
Both players’ advancement marks a significant moment for Indian badminton at this prestigious event, as they aim to bring home medals.
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