US Open-winner Ayush has potential to break into world top-10, feels coach
The Karnataka shuttler, who trains at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) here, has it in him to break into the world top-10, PPBA head coach Sagar Chopda said.
'Ayush's initial target was to be a top-25 player by the end of the year. With this kind of performance, this is definitely within his reach. In the long term, Ayush is a world top-10 player for sure. He has a very bright future,' Sagar told Sportstar on Monday.
Sagar explained that Ayush's self-belief has built steadily in recent months, after semifinal appearances in the Taipei Open and Orleans Masters.
ALSO READ: Ayush Shetty wins maiden title, Tanvi Sharma finishes as runner-up
Ayush's fine net game and fearless approach count as his strengths, Sagar said. 'He has a good net game and a solid smash. With a good net game, he creates a lot of openings with a good tumble. And post that, his smashes are really sound. While a lot of players have to develop this, Ayush always had it in him. And he's not scared to hit. Even if he loses a point, it's okay with him,' Sagar said.
Sagar added that Ayush must continue to work on his defensive game - a key element in combating the world's best.
Born in Karkala, Ayush moved to Bengaluru as a pre-teen to pursue the sport seriously. He initially trained at i-SPORTS, before joining PPBA in 2021. 'A lot of credit goes to (i-SPORTS Founder and Head Coach) Krishna Kumar for shaping Ayush into what he is today,' Sagar said.
The task ahead for Sagar and other coaches is to mould Ayush into a consistent world-beater. 'All of us just have to keep working with him. This win is a good confidence booster for him going forward,' Sagar said.
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