Orleans Masters 2025: Ayush Shetty stuns WR12 Loh Kean Yew in opener

The Orleans Masters 2025 badminton tournament witnessed round one action at the Palais des Sports in Orléans, France, on Wednesday.

With a host of Indians in the fray across the singles and doubles, action on all three courts was of interest.

All eyes were on HS Prannoy as he took to court 2 in his first-round fixture against Wang TW of Chinese Taipei. The Indian looked confident and was on course to close the match out in straight games. But a setback in the second game meant that he needed to go the distance.

Prannoy eventually prevailed 21-11, 20-22, and 21-9.

However, the biggest result of India on the opening day came on court one, where Ayush Shetty stunned former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in straight games.

Yew, who boasts of a world rank of 12 and was seeded 3 here, had no answers as the Indian romped home 21-17, 21-9.

🚨Upset alert🚨

Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty has defeated former world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore in the first round of the 2025 Orleans Masters.

Score: Ayush 21-17, 21-9 Loh#indianbadminton pic.twitter.com/CJoDvM9Xyt

— The Bridge (@the_bridge_in) March 5, 2025

Other Indian results from round one on Wednesday:

Unnati Hooda (IND) beaten by An Se Yuong (South Korea) 9-21, 15-21

Priyanshu Rajawat (IND) beaten by A Lanier (France) 17-21, 7-21

R Kapoor & Shivani Gadde (IND) beat Ye Hong Wei & Nicole Chan (Taipei) 20-22, 24-22, 21-16

Dhurv Kapila & Tanisha Crasto (IND) beaten by Lee JM & Chae YJ (South Korea) 16-21, 20-22

Kiran George (IND) beaten by Jason Teh (Singapore) 21-15, 16-21, 10-21

A Surya & A Pramuthesh (IND) beaten by Chen TJ & Toh E W (Malaysia) 10-21, 15-21

Malvika Bansod (IND) retired R Gunji (Japan) 6-21, 6-15

Sathish Karunakaran (IND) beaten by Nhat Nguyen (Ireland) 18-21, 11-21

Kidambi Srikanth (IND) beat K Takahashi (Japan) 21-19, 21-14

Isharani Baruah (IND) beaten by A Takahashi (Japan) 13-21, 13-21