In the end Li Xuerui received the loudest cheer of the night. After crushing Polish player Miksza Olga at the Wuhan University Student Sports Center, there was a roar from the stands that became a thundering ovation as the home crowd rose to clap and worship, reveling in the last hurrah of the Chinese badminton legend.

The London Olympic champion, who has been the subject of much fanfare after announcing her retirement from international events last week, made her first women's singles' appearance at the 7th Military World Games in Wuhan on Thursday.

Sadness hung in the air as the 28-year-old signed off her first-round clash with a stunning mix of speed and agility. "This is my last international competition," Li reconfirmed after the game. "I have no regrets about it. I am very happy."

As one of the most dominant players of her peak time, Li bowed out with a glittering CV, having won 14 Superseries titles and held the world No. 1 spot for 124 weeks. Her dazzling career was also defined by high emotion and drama.

Li made her name at the Asian Championships in 2010, when she was only a 19-year-old. At that tender age, she showed a confident display that gifted her a first major title. Then she became a genuine phenomenon, an attacking shuttler with a fearsome cutting edge, winning trophies with unbridled joy and brio.

She achieved the pinnacle of fame by overwhelming her compatriot Wang Yihan in the women's singles final in the London Olympics, in 2012. Yet, when it comes to assessing her place in the pantheon her horror ordeal at the Rio Olympics in 2016 seems against her. 

As one of the favorites to bring home the biggest prize, Li stormed into the semifinal with relative ease but her otherwise flawless campaign was cruelly cut short by a sudden injury, later diagnosed as an anterior cruciate ligament tear.

The Chongqing-born star was consigned to the treatment table with more than a year on the sideline. Since then, she has been struggling to recapture her best form. The retirement announcement last week seems like a premature end to her sensational career which spanned more than a decade and elicited countless jubilation and glee among badminton fans.  

However, these Military World Games offer the veteran Li the final chance to end her stint on the global stage on a high note. "I will treat the competition with normal mentality. I won't let my feelings and emotions get the better of me," said Li, betraying superb composure and equanimity. 

"She deserves our admiration and applause. I think she is the best," observed Huang Kunlun, who paid homage to Li with a colorful display of flags and banners in the stands.

"It doesn't matter if she wins or not. I just hope she enjoys her last performance and shows her capabilities in front of an international audience. She will be sorely missed."