Shi Yuqi Reaches Quarterfinals in Badminton Asia Championships
Home top seed Shi Yuqi triumphed over Japan’s Yushi Tanaka with scores of 21-16, 21-12 at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, located in east China's Zhejiang Province, on Thursday. This victory propelled him into the men’s singles...
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Home top seed Shi Yuqi triumphed over Japan’s Yushi Tanaka with scores of 21-16, 21-12 at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, located in east China's Zhejiang Province, on Thursday. This victory propelled him into the men’s singles quarterfinals of the tournament.
During their previous encounter, Shi faced a tough challenge from Tanaka that required three games to decide the winner. Although Shi experienced some difficulties in the early stages of this match, he managed to finish without needing to extend the play. Showing his superior strength, the World No. 1 emerged victorious with a straight-sets win. Next up for Shi is Singapore's Loh Kean Yew.
"I had only faced Tanaka once before," Shi remarked after his victory. "He recently won five matches in a row and was in excellent form, which added significant pressure on us. We were very eager to win this crucial match. Prior to the game, we prepared thoroughly for his playing style. Therefore, in the first game, I was very cautious with my shots, ensuring I didn't give him any opportunities to exploit my weaknesses. However, this also affected my mobility. As the match progressed, I loosened up and was finally able to perform at my true level."
On the women's side, 2020 Tokyo Olympics champion Chen Yufei squared off against Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan. After a careful start, Chen found her rhythm midway through the first game, executing an impressive 7-0 run that helped her secure the opening game 21-16. The second game proved to be more challenging, with Chen trailing by two points at the interval. Nevertheless, she rallied to level the score at 13-13, taking advantage of a series of errors from Ongbamrungphan to clinch the match 21-17 and advance to the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, World No. 2 Wang Zhiyi was pitted against South Korea’s Sim Yu-jin in their fifth encounter. With each player having won two matches previously, this matchup was anticipated to be tightly contested. Sim delivered an upset by defeating Wang in the 2022 Uber Cup final, and their recent match showcased similar intensity. After splitting the first two games, Wang initially held a strong position in the deciding game but failed to maintain her advantage. As Sim gained confidence, she surged ahead to secure the victory with scores of 21-13, 10-21, and 21-13, marking a significant upset in the women’s singles draw.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
During their previous encounter, Shi faced a tough challenge from Tanaka that required three games to decide the winner. Although Shi experienced some difficulties in the early stages of this match, he managed to finish without needing to extend the play. Showing his superior strength, the World No. 1 emerged victorious with a straight-sets win. Next up for Shi is Singapore's Loh Kean Yew.
"I had only faced Tanaka once before," Shi remarked after his victory. "He recently won five matches in a row and was in excellent form, which added significant pressure on us. We were very eager to win this crucial match. Prior to the game, we prepared thoroughly for his playing style. Therefore, in the first game, I was very cautious with my shots, ensuring I didn't give him any opportunities to exploit my weaknesses. However, this also affected my mobility. As the match progressed, I loosened up and was finally able to perform at my true level."
On the women's side, 2020 Tokyo Olympics champion Chen Yufei squared off against Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan. After a careful start, Chen found her rhythm midway through the first game, executing an impressive 7-0 run that helped her secure the opening game 21-16. The second game proved to be more challenging, with Chen trailing by two points at the interval. Nevertheless, she rallied to level the score at 13-13, taking advantage of a series of errors from Ongbamrungphan to clinch the match 21-17 and advance to the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, World No. 2 Wang Zhiyi was pitted against South Korea’s Sim Yu-jin in their fifth encounter. With each player having won two matches previously, this matchup was anticipated to be tightly contested. Sim delivered an upset by defeating Wang in the 2022 Uber Cup final, and their recent match showcased similar intensity. After splitting the first two games, Wang initially held a strong position in the deciding game but failed to maintain her advantage. As Sim gained confidence, she surged ahead to secure the victory with scores of 21-13, 10-21, and 21-13, marking a significant upset in the women’s singles draw.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
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