Shi Yuqi Dominates to Reach Men’s Singles Quarterfinals
Top seed Shi Yuqi showcased his skill at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province, advancing to the men’s singles quarterfinals on Thursday. Shi defeated Japan’s Yushi Tanaka in straight games, 21-16, 21-12.
Reflecting on his victory, Shi noted that Tanaka had been in excellent form, winning five consecutive matches prior to their clash. “We were under significant pressure,” Shi admitted. “I was cautious in the first game, ensuring I didn’t give him any openings. As the match progressed, I loosened up and played at my true level.”
Shi had previously faced Tanaka only once, a challenging match that went to three games. This time, however, he asserted his dominance early on. Shi will next face Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew in the quarterfinals.
Chen Yufei Battles into Women’s Singles Quarterfinals
On the women’s side, Olympic champion Chen Yufei overcame Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan in a hard-fought match. After a cautious start, Chen found her rhythm midway through the first game, launching a 7-0 run to take the opener 21-16.
The second game saw Chen trailing by two points at the interval, but she fought back to level at 13-13. Capitalizing on a series of errors from Ongbamrungphan, Chen closed out the match 21-17 to secure her place in the quarterfinals.
Upset for Wang Zhiyi as Sim Yu-jin Triumphs
In a surprising turn of events, World No. 2 Wang Zhiyi was defeated by South Korea’s Sim Yu-jin. The match marked their fifth meeting, with both players having won twice before. After splitting the first two games, Wang appeared to have the upper hand in the decider. However, she was unable to maintain her lead, and Sim rallied to win 21-13, 10-21, 21-13, delivering a significant upset in the women’s singles draw.
