New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan defeated India star Ayush Shetty in the round of 16 at the BWF World Championships here by 21-19, 21-11 in 45 minutes to extend his lead over his old friend and rival to 5-3. Farhan got the better of Shetty despite the Indian having tested him in the first game. But the Indonesian dominated him completely in the second one to enter the quarterfinals.
Speaking to the media after the win, Farhan detailed the pressure of playing in home conditions. On being asked whether Shetty’s loss was due to the pressure and expectations from the home fans, Farhan told reporters, “Yeah, of course.”
He had to battle it out against a rampant Indian crowd and an impressive Shetty, who had defeated World No.1 Shi Yuqi in the first round. “First of all, I want to thank God because today it was not an easy game against all the Indians (fans). But I took that because I know when you play on home soil, that makes you feel more pressure, so that’s why I mean I won it because I’ve been feeling that when I’m playing Indonesia, so I mean that’s the main point and today’s lesson,” Farhan added.
The first game was a proper battle as there was not much to separate the two players, but the Indonesian, the junior world champion of 2023, blew the Indian shuttler apart in the second game. However, while he was leading at 11-6 in the second game, he was seen having a self-talk on the court. He said that he looked to stay patient and not to get carried away by the lead. “Yeah, I’m just gonna be patient. I just don’t want to think that the game was over because I’ve been leading by like five points, but I’m just gonna be patient. That’s the only thing that matters (at such a time),” he said.
Farhan has been one of the fastest rising stars in the badminton circuit, having captured a gold at the 2025 SEA Games and the Indonesia Masters title in 2026. He also beat Shetty in the semifinal of the 2023 Junior Worlds en route to his gold medal and shares a strong relationship with him. “I’ve been meeting Ayush since we were juniors. I’ve been meeting him since 2021, so I mean we know each other a lot; we have a really good relationship, but yeah, when you enter the court, there is no friend. We give it all to our country,” he said.
–IANS
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