Shi Yuqi advances to quarterfinals at Badminton Asia Championships

Home top seed Shi Yuqi beat Yushi Tanaka of Japan 21-16, 21-12 at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, in east China's Zhejiang Province, on Thursday, advancing to the men's singles quarterfinals at the tournament.

Last year's encounter with Tanaka proved to be a tough battle that required three games. This time around, Shi faced some difficulties in the opening stages but didn't need to go the distance. He proved to be too strong for Tanaka and the World No. 1 prevailed 21-16, 21-12. Singapore's Loh Kean Yew awaits next.

"I had only faced Tanaka once before," Shi said after the win. "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 took on Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan. After a cautious beginning, Chen found her rhythm midway through the first game, launching an impressive 7-0 run that helped her secure the opener 21-16. The second game proved to be a tougher contest, with Chen trailing by two points at the interval. Yet, she fought back to level the score at 13-13. Chen then capitalized on a series of errors from Ongbamrungphan, ultimately sealing the deal 21-17 to reach the quarterfinals.

World No. 2 Wang Zhiyi faced South Korea's Sim Yu-jin. This matchup marked the fifth meeting between the two, with each player previously winning two matches. Sim shocked Wang in 2022 by taking the Uber Cup final, and this latest encounter proved equally dramatic. After splitting the first two games, Wang found herself in a strong position in the deciding game, but she failed to capitalize on her advantage, allowing World No. 16 Sim to gain momentum. With increasing confidence, Sim surged ahead to seal the match 21,13, 10-21, 21-13, delivering a significant upset in the women's singles draw.