Who is Ayush Shetty? India’s 6'4 badminton prodigy who won the US Open 2025

In the US Open, a Super 300 competition, Ayush Shetty's 39-shot comeback in the semi-final demonstrated his desire to succeed against well-known players. Chou Tien Chen, the sixth seed and one of the most seasoned players on the circuit, was standing across the net. Throughout, Ayush demonstrated his enhanced ability to retrieve from the front court and displayed his strong jump smashes.

The 20-year-old made a fantastic drop from the back court in the third game, but Chou sprang forward to catch it. Ayush tried a cross-court jab as he moved toward the net in an attempt to throw Chou off balance. But Chou's lightning-fast reactions allowed him to play a passing shot that almost sealed the victory. Ayush, however, wasn't prepared to quit. He somehow returned the shot after diving backwards from the front court, thus earning a spectacular point.

BREAKING:
AyushShetty clinches maiden BWF Super300 title, winning the US Open 2025

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He dismantled Brian Yang in straight games 21-13, 21-18 with commanding flair right from start to the end.

A breakthrough triumph that cements his arrival among badminton’s elite and marks… pic.twitter.com/AhhElENNKG

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) June 29, 2025

Over the past two years, Ayush has been making waves at the top level, but the US Open has really helped him make news. Ayush defeated Canada's Brian Yang in the final on Sunday to secure his first major trophy of 2025, following a grueling three-game victory over Chou in the semi-final. By winning this, he became the first Indian to win a senior tour title this year, indicating that he has a promising future.

In Iowa, where he received a lot of cheers from Indians, he became the talk of the town.

“It means a lot—it’s my first title on the senior circuit,” Shetty said. “So I’m really happy. There are a lot of positives to take away. I played some excellent badminton here, and I’m looking forward to the Canada Open next week.”

Semifinals action sees Chou Tien Chen and Ayush Shetty go the distance.#BWFWorldTour #USOpen2025 pic.twitter.com/3OLaBbv5dp

— BWF (@bwfmedia) June 29, 2025

2025 has been a milestone year for the Mangalore native, who is 20 years old. Shetty defeated Rasmus Gemke and former world champion Loh Kean Yew to advance to the semi-finals of the Orleans Masters Super 300 earlier this season. In May, he beat senior compatriot Kidambi Srikanth to reach the semi-finals of the Taipei Open.

At the age of eight, Ayush Shetty took up badminton after seeing his father play in their backyard. In Karkala and Mangalore, he first received training from local coaches Subhash and Chetan. His family moved to Bengaluru when he was twelve years old in order to provide him with better training. According to Scroll.in, while he pursued his degree, sports gradually took precedence.

In 2023, Shetty made his debut as the sixth Indian male singles player to win a medal at the BWF World Junior Championships in Spokane, USA, after taking home the bronze. He was then ranked first in India's junior singles, defeating Yudai Okimoto of Japan in the quarterfinals before falling to Alwi Farhan of Indonesia in the semifinals.

Shetty, who has been putting a lot of effort into strengthening his defense, is well-known for his power-hitting and court coverage. Training at Bengaluru's Prakash Padukone Academy has undoubtedly paid off, as seen by his considerable improvement in all-around skill.

Shetty is reportedly pursuing a BSc in Sports Science at Reva University in Bengaluru, despite spending most of his time playing badminton.

In the men's singles rankings as of June 2025, Shetty is the second-highest ranked Indian behind Lakshya Sen, at number 31 in the world. Ayush is regarded by experts and fans as a name to watch in the upcoming years after winning his first senior title in the US.