Orleans Masters 2025: Ayush Shetty’s dream run continues; reaches semis

Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty is proving to be the surprise package at the Orleans Masters 2025, as he stormed into the semifinals with yet another impressive victory.

Shetty defeated Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke 21-16, 21-23, 21-17 in a thrilling quarterfinal clash on Friday night, extending his remarkable run in the tournament.

The 48th-ranked Shetty had already turned heads earlier in the competition, defeating Hong Kong’s world No. 38 Jason Gunawan 21-17, 21-17 to reach the quarterfinals. His biggest scalp, however, came in the opening round when he stunned former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in straight games.

While Shetty’s fairytale journey continues, it was an early exit for two of India's seasoned players.

Former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth fell to top seed Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia in a 30-minute clash (11-21, 17-21), while HS Prannoy was ousted by second seed Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei, losing 18-21, 9-21, on Thursday.

With a semifinal berth secured, Shetty will now aim to continue his giant-killing spree and push for his maiden Super 300 title.