The defending champions have officially turned the tide in their opening 2026 Thomas Cup Group C encounter. After a rocky start that saw Lakshya Sen drop the opening match to Victor Lai (21-18, 19-21, 10-21), India has stormed back to take a 2-1 lead against Canada. The latest breakthrough came from young sensation Ayush Shetty, who dismantled Canada’s top-ranked Brian Yang in straight games.
Match 3 Debrief: Ayush Shetty vs. Brian Yang
Stepping onto the court with the tie poised at 1-1, Ayush Shetty faced a massive test against the experienced Brian Yang. However, the Indian youngster showed remarkable composure, wrapping up the match in a clinical 39 minutes.
In the opening game, Shetty’s aggressive court coverage and steep smashes caught Yang off guard. He maintained a consistent lead, utilizing high-intensity rallies to tire out the Canadian spearhead. Shetty secured the first set comfortably at 21-13, setting a dominant tone for the rest of the match.
The second game saw Brian Yang attempt a fightback, pushing the rallies longer and finding better angles. However, Shetty remained undeterred, showing defensive maturity well beyond his years. From a tense mid-game deadlock, the Indian pulled away with a series of decisive net winners to seal the game 21-17 and hand India the lead for the first time in the tie.
Match Scoreline
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Game 1: Ayush Shetty 21-13 Brian Yang
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Game 2: Ayush Shetty 21-17 Brian Yang
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Duration: 39 Minutes
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Overall Tie Score: India 2-1 Canada
Insights & Outlook
With India now leading 2-1 in this best-of-five series, the momentum is firmly with the “Men in Blue.” After the doubles pair of Satwik and Chirag leveled the scores earlier, Shetty’s victory puts India just one win away from clinching the entire tie.
The focus now shifts to the second doubles match. If the Indian pair can secure a victory in Match 4, the defending champions will start their campaign with a crucial win, overcoming the early shock of the opening singles defeat.