Ayush Shetty and Kiran George Shine as India Enjoys a Stellar Day at Hylo Open Super 500

India enjoyed a memorable day at the Hylo Open Super 500 badminton tournament on Thursday, with young shuttlers Ayush Shetty and Kiran George pulling off remarkable upsets to storm into the men’s singles quarterfinals. Their victories over higher-ranked opponents highlighted a new wave of Indian badminton talent making its mark on the international stage.

For Ayush Shetty, it was a statement performance. The US Open champion dismantled Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew, the 2021 world champion, in commanding fashion, winning 21-11, 21-11 in just 31 minutes. The young Indian’s precision in attack, sharp movement, and control at the net left Loh visibly frustrated as Ayush dictated the tempo throughout the match. His dominance from the very first rally reflected not only confidence but also maturity well beyond his years.

Earlier in the day, Kiran George produced one of the most gripping matches of the tournament so far. The world No.38 fought back from a game down to defeat world No.13 Toma Junior Popov of France 18-21, 21-18, 21-19 in a thrilling 69-minute contest. The 25-year-old, son of former national champion George Thomas, showcased incredible resilience and tactical awareness to secure his place in the last eight.

Kiran, who trains at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, last featured in a Super 750 quarterfinal at the India Open in January. A two-time Super 100 champion — with titles at the 2022 Odisha Open and 2023 Indonesia Masters — Kiran’s latest victory reaffirms his comeback after battling injuries and inconsistent form. He will next face either second seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia or Chi Yu Jen of Chinese Taipei in what promises to be another stern test.

India’s success did not stop there. Lakshya Sen, the 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, cruised into the quarterfinals with a clinical 21-14, 21-11 win over compatriot S. Subramanian. Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, Rakshitha Ramesh fought back from a set down to beat Shriyanshi Valishetty 19-21, 21-8, 21-13, sealing her spot in the last eight after a 58-minute battle.

Lakshya now faces France’s fourth seed Alex Lanier, while Rakshitha will meet Denmark’s sixth seed Line Christophersen in the next round.

With Ayush’s emphatic dismantling of a former world champion and Kiran’s spirited triumph against a top-15 opponent, Thursday’s action showed India’s growing strength and depth in men’s singles badminton and offered a glimpse of a bright future for the nation’s next generation of shuttlers.