China's Shi Yuqi celebrates during day two of the Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2024 at Chengdu High-tech Sports Center in Chengdu, China, April 28, 2024. /CFP
What was truly awe-inspiring about China's performance at the 2024 Thomas and Uber Cup was how routine it felt.
The badminton behemoth cruised into the men's and women's quarterfinals with back-to-back 5-0 victories in Chengdu on Sunday. However, these wins hardly reflected the extent of the gap between China and their opponents. The teams that were subjected to a thrashing should have felt a mix of humility from the magnitude of their defeat and a sense of relief for escaping with just a 5-0 margin.
As anticipated, China encountered little difficulty against Canada in the men's Thomas Cup. Shi Yuqi set the tone with a confident display, claiming a convincing 21-9, 21-14 victory in the first singles match. The young pair of Wang Chang and Liang Weikeng then swiftly followed suit, doubling China's advantage with a solid 21-9, 21-18 win over Kevin Lee and Ty Lindeman.
China's Wang Chang (L) and Liang Weikeng during day two of the Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2024 at Chengdu High-tech Sports Center in Chengdu, China, April 28, 2024. /CFP
Li Shifeng further solidified China's position by securing a straightforward 21-6, 21-14 triumph over Victor Lai. He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu continued the team's dominance, defeating Imran Wadia and Nyl Yakura to extend the lead to an unassailable 4-0. The rout was completed by Weng Hongyang, who showcased his efficiency with an emphatic 21-5, 21-8 victory over Joshua Nguyen, concluding the match in less than half an hour.
In the women's Uber Cup, China made the strategic decision to rest their top-ranked women's singles player Chen Yufei. However, this choice did not diminish the team's overall dominance.
In the first singles match, He Bingjiao stepped up to the plate and engaged in a gripping battle against the Canadian standout Michelle Li. It was a closely fought contest, but He exhibited her exceptional composure in crucial moments, securing a richly deserved victory for the hosts with two consecutive 21-19 wins.
He Bingjiao of China celebrates a victory during day two of the Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2024 at Chengdu High-tech Sports Center in Chengdu, China, April 28, 2024. /CFP
Maintaining the momentum, the doubles pairs of Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan and Liu Shengshu/Zhang Shuxian effortlessly secured their respective victories. In addition, Han Yue and Wang Ziyi gracefully triumphed in their women's singles matches, ensuring a clean sweep for the flawless Chinese side.