China's top-seeded badminton star Shi Yuqi secured a decisive victory over Japan's Yushi Tanaka at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, advancing to the men's singles quarterfinals on Thursday. The World No. 1 dominated the match 21-16, 21-12, avoiding the three-game battle that marked their 2023 encounter.
Shi credited meticulous preparation for his success: "We analyzed Tanaka's recent five-match winning streak and adjusted our tactics. Starting cautiously helped me avoid early errors, but once I relaxed, my true game emerged." He faces Singapore's Loh Kean Yew next in a highly anticipated showdown.
In women's singles action, Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Chen Yufei overcame Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan in a tense 21-16, 21-17 match. Chen rallied from a second-game deficit, capitalizing on her opponent's late errors to secure her quarterfinal berth.
The tournament saw a major upset as World No. 2 Wang Zhiyi fell to South Korea's Sim Yu-jin in a 21-13, 10-21, 21-13 thriller. Sim reversed a 2-2 head-to-head record against Wang, marking her third career victory over the Chinese star since their dramatic 2022 Uber Cup clash.
