Ayush Shetty sees big leap forward at All England after going back to the drawing board | Badminton News – The Times of India

BENGALURU: It has been a testing phase for Ayush Shetty since he clinched his maiden international title at the US Open 300 in June last year. The Mangaluru shuttler has since set his sights on higher-level events (Super 500 and above), but consistency has eluded him, with nine first-round exits in that period.Yet morale-boosting victories over elite names – Japan’s Kodai Naraoka, Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, China’s Taipei’s Chou Tien-chen and Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia – have strengthened his belief that he belongs at the top level.

“The aim is to be in the top 10 by the end of the season,” said Ayush, who is currently ranked No. 22 in the world. “Consistency is key. I need to finish on the podium in bigger tournaments – Super 500s, 750s and even 1000s – if I want to achieve that.”His best results in the past eight months have come in quarterfinals at the Hong Kong Open, Hylo Open and Australian Open, all Super 500 events. Encouraging, certainly, but not yet the sustained deep runs needed to break into the elite class.The immediate test of his progress comes in his first appearance at the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships, which start in Birmingham on Tuesday. Ayush, who arrived just before unrest spread across parts of West Asia and threatened travel schedules, opens against Indonesian Alwi Farhan, ranked 14th in the world. Farhan had beaten him in back-to-back matches at the Indonesia Masters earlier this year, adding another layer of intrigue to their first-round clash.The 6-foot-1 Indian is known for his powerful punches, but he understands that brute force alone won’t cut it in a Super 1000 event packed with the world’s best. “In men’s singles, every opponent is equally strong. On any given day, anyone can beat anyone,” he said. “The intensity is extremely high at these tournaments, but if you have defeated top players before, it gives you confidence that you belong at that level. I just have to do it more consistently.”To prepare for the All England, Ayush skipped the German Open and instead opted for focused training at the Center for Badminton Excellence here. He logged more than five hours a day and worked intensively on his defense, movement and frontcourt play – areas he believes will make a difference in tight games.Training alongside India’s No. 1 Lakshya Sen has also provided valuable insights, as did last year’s sessions with two-time Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen. The exposure, Ayush says, has deepened his understanding of what it takes to compete consistently at the highest level.Now at the All England, Ayush has the stage – and the opportunity – to turn belief into breakthrough.