Fast-rising Indian youngster Ayush Shetty continued to make rapid strides in his nascent career as he beat world No.9 Kodai Naraoka to enter the quarterfinals of SATHIO GROUP Australian Open 2025.

A win for Naraoka would have guaranteed a qualifying spot to the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2025. While he is still very much in contention despite the defeat, he has to await the result of fellow-contender Lin Chun-Yi’s campaign this week.

Lin, who needs to win the title to qualify to Hangzhou ahead of Naraoka, prevailed in three games over another Indian, Tharun Mannepalli.

Shetty avenged his straight-games defeat to Naraoka last week at the Kumamoto Masters, which Naraoka went on to win. He now has a 2-1 record over the Japanese.

“It was a really tiring match and he (Naraoka) made it equal in the second. I had a good lead but he came back. I stayed in the game and worked really hard for every point. I’m really relieved,” said the world No.32.

“I managed to stay in the rallies. He has a very good defence, so it was important I wasn’t rushing for the points and managed to stay patient.

“We knew each other’s game; we were reading each other easily. It was a just a really tough match.”

Lin, who was also taken the distance in his second round, said he wasn’t stressed about making it to the World Tour Finals.

“The World Tour Finals are still far away. I want to try my best to just go step by step. If I don’t reach it, it’s fine, but I just have to do my best to make it there.”

Meanwhile, in men’s doubles, Chiu Hsiang Chieh/Wang Chi-Lin lost a thriller in the second round but still qualified to the World Tour Finals. Chiu/Wang clinched one of two remaining spots as fellow-contenders Lee Fang-Chih/Lee Fang-Jen and Lee Jhe-Huei/Yang Po-Hsuan lost in the second and first round respectively.

Chiu/Wang nearly pulled off a win from the brink of defeat against Japan’s Kakeru Kumagai/Hiroki Nishi, saving five match points in total and having a match point of their own in the third game. However the Japanese stayed on track despite the five missed opportunities and they converted their sixth for a 21-11 20-22 23-21 victory.

→ Results (Day 3)

→ Order of play (Quarterfinals)