Hong Kong Open: Ayush Shetty Springs Surprise Against Kodai Naraoka

Last Updated:September 11, 2025, 14:51 IST

The 20-year-old Shetty posted an emphatic 21-19, 12-21, 21-14 victory over the Japanese shuttler to move into the quarterfinal of the event.

Indian badminton player Ayush Shetty. (Picture Credit: X/BAI_Media)

Rising Indian badminton star Ayush Shetty registered a win over Kodai Naraoka of Japan in the Round of 16 clash between the two at the Hong Kong Open on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Shetty posted an emphatic 21-19, 12-21, 21-14 victory over the Japanese shuttler to move into the quarterfinal of the event.

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Earlier in the day, Lakshya Sen triumphed over compatriot HS Prannoy in the Round of 16. The 24-year-old Sen staged a comeback to secure a 15-21, 21-18, 21-10 victory over the 33-year-old Prannoy, advancing to the quarterfinals in Hong Kong.

Veteran Prannoy began the match strongly, winning the opening game. However, Sen, nine years his junior, rallied to take the next two games, thereby clinching the match and progressing to the next round.

Top-rated Indian badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also advanced to the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open 2025, defeating Thailand’s Peeratchai Sukphun and Pakkapon Teeraratsakul on Thursday.

Rankireddy and Shetty came from a game down to outclass the unseeded Thai pair 18-21, 21-15, 21-11 in just over an hour.

World number 9 Satwik and Chirag, fresh from winning their second World Championships bronze in Paris, will next face Malaysia’s Junaidi Arif and Roy King Yap.

The Indian pair started slowly, trailing 8-11 in the opening game, as Sukphun and Teeraratsakul took control. Despite fighting back to 18-18, the Thai duo clinched the final three points to win the first game.

Motivated by the setback, the Indians played with renewed intensity in the second game. After a close struggle from 2-2 to 7-7, they secured an 11-10 lead at the mid-game break and gradually advanced to force a decider.

The third game was one-sided, with Satwik and Chirag quickly establishing a 7-2 lead and maintaining their dominance as the Thai pair faltered.

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