Ayush Shetty achieves sensational victory over reigning world champion Shi Yuqi in BWF World Championships 2026 debut match

During the press conference on Monday preceding the first match of the greatest rivalry in rugby, Rassie Erasmus took center stage alongside rules advisor Jacques Pepper. This marked the beginning of a psychological battle between Erasmus, his All Blacks colleague Dave Rennie, and referee Matteo Carling, who will officiate the game on Saturday.

The greatest rivalry in rugby

Typically, the Monday press conference during match week involves the Springboks assistant coach and one of the players, but this Monday was different. Erasmus himself addressed the press, initiating the verbal sparring.

Erasmus openly stated that it is now 'almost impossible' to speak with the referee before the match due to a new World Rugby directive. This directive requires both coaches to coordinate a meeting with the match official and attend it together; individual discussions with referees are no longer permitted.

Acknowledging that issues he could previously raise confidentially must now be voiced publicly, Erasmus did just that. He responded to the narrative coming from New Zealand that the Springboks are slowing down the pace of the game.

He countered by noting: 'In five games this season, we have not received a single comment that we are slowing down the game.' He suggested that the All Blacks might be playing against teams in pre-season preparation mode, comparing it to Super Rugby training matches in January.

Erasmus also pointed out that the inability to meet with the referee privately hinders warning the official about tactical matters. He explained that in usual meetings, one can inform the referee: 'Listen, we can do a midfield maul, just keep that in mind, know the rules about it.' However, this is now impossible because another coach's presence is required.

He added that one cannot say: 'Listen, we can do a front-pile in the out line, maybe don't stand there when we do a front-pile, because you might not see if it's an obstruction.' Thus, preparing the referees for the team's actions becomes very difficult, and he understands the All Blacks' concerns. He concluded that if they truly believe the team is slowing down the game, they cannot state this at a meeting involving his team, and then they will contest that assertion.

Therefore, in his view, appealing to the media is a natural way to express an opinion. Erasmus expressed incomprehension regarding the reasons for this change, noting that many international coaches share his view. He admitted that there is a gap between coaches, scrum coaches, and referees regarding minor tactical details, and the media is becoming the only option for expressing opinions.

Furthermore, Erasmus highlighted the tackle area as an area that could be decisive in Saturday's match. He emphasized that the 'hard breakdowns' will be the most challenging part for them, noting that the players have already faced this at the franchise level.

Langelihle Phili demonstrated an impressive start to his career at Kaizer Chiefs by scoring a goal during the Betway Premier League match between Mamelodi Sundowns and the team at FNB Stadium.

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Young winger Langelihle Phili has quickly established himself at Kaizer Chiefs. He admitted that scoring against Mamelodi Sundowns was one of the most significant moments since joining Naturena. The 21-year-old player joined Amakhosi at the beginning of this month from Stellenbosch FC, but he has already made a substantial contribution to the team's uncompromising start in the Betway Premiership season.

Before the match against Sundowns, Phili was named Man of the Match after a brilliant performance in Chiefs' victory over Sekhukhune United. He then again played a decisive role in the game against Sundowns at FNB Stadium. The winger opened the scoring in the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw against the African champions, scoring from close range following good work by Siphesihle Ndlovu.

Although Chiefs could only secure a point, this result allowed them to maintain second place in the league table, accumulating seven points in the first three games, which puts them on par with title contenders Orlando Pirates.

For Phili himself, this quick start gave him an idea of what he expected when moving to one of the country's biggest clubs. He stated: 'Obviously, being in such a great football institution as Kaizer Chiefs, you want to play in big matches, so the opportunity to play and score against Mamelodi Sundowns, the African champions, was huge for me, as seen in my celebration.'

The former Stellenbosch player has already won the support of Chiefs fans, which he called an important part of adapting to the new environment. However, despite the early attention, Phili emphasizes that his main focus is on self-improvement, not on getting distracted by the impressive start.

He added: 'Nevertheless, my main goal is to help the team in any possible way. To keep my form stable, I just have to continue listening to the coach and technical team, learn from teammates, and simply try to be the best version of myself day by day.'

His performances have also strengthened the growing belief in young talents within Da Cruz's squad. Phili arrived along with another 21-year-old player, Faiz Abrahams, as Chiefs aim to strengthen the squad with players like Luke Baartman, Mfundo Vilakazi, and Mduduzi Shabalala. The early signs are encouraging, as the young players have already contributed to a strong team start.

For Phili, gaining the affection of Chiefs fans was as valuable as his playing achievements. He noted: 'It is the best feeling in life to be loved by fans. When I came to the club, my priority was to earn the fans' love. I will continue to try to delight them with maximum effort, which they appreciate.'

Ayush Shetty achieved an impressive victory over Shi Yuqi, the world number one, in a tense three-set match at the BWF World Championships. In the deciding set, Shetty demonstrated outstanding composure, winning with a score of 21-14, 13-21, 21-19, which drew enthusiastic applause from the Indian audience.

This triumph marks one of the most significant moments in Shetty's young career. In the first round against the top-ranked Chinese player, the 21-year-old Shetty displayed confident play, winning the first set 21-14. The Indian showed assurance during prolonged rallies and repeatedly forced Shi into errors.

Shi appeared frustrated as the game progressed, often showing displeasure after losing points. Meanwhile, Shetty continued to attack aggressively, effectively utilizing his overhead smashes, especially when put in uncomfortable positions. Although the Chinese star also executed spectacular attacking shots, finding gaps on Shetty's left side—which even the jumping Indian struggled to cover—Shetty maintained his cool during the intense exchange of shots at the end of the set to secure the first game.

Shi Yuqi Responds

The world number one demonstrated why he holds the top ranking in the second set, starting quickly and gaining a two-point advantage. His skillful use of drop shots disrupted Shetty's rhythm and helped him regain control of the rallies. Shetty continued to fight in long exchanges and showed several impressive winners from difficult positions. However, Shi went to the break with a slight lead and maintained it after the break, appearing much more composed than in the first set, ultimately winning the second set 21-13.

Shetty Maintains Nerves in Deciding Set

The third set began with signs of fatigue in both athletes, but Shetty landed an impressive overhead smash at 2-2, electrifying the home crowd and seemingly changing the momentum of the match in his favor. The Indian quickly secured a five-point lead by capitalizing on several errors from Shi at the net. Shetty also continued to dominate long rallies and went to the break with a convincing 11-5 lead. He then increased the gap with a brilliant run of five consecutive points. However, at 17-9, Shetty required medical attention on court, giving Shi a chance to fight back. The Chinese player capitalized on Shetty's growing fatigue, narrowing the gap to 18-14. Shetty regained serve at 19-15 and reached match point, but Shi refused to give up and reduced the deficit to 20-16. The drama intensified as Shetty looked increasingly tired and gifted Shi three consecutive points, bringing the score to 20-19. But the Indian remained calm at the most critical moment. He won the decisive final point, sealing a stunning victory 21-19 in the third set and knocking the world number one out of the BWF World Championships. For Shetty, this was a victory highlighting his emergence as one of India's brightest promising badminton players.