Source: REUTERS/Gintare Karpaviciute
[Saba Sports News] The second-ranked women’s doubles pair Matsuyama Nami and Shida Chiharu were eliminated in the first round of the 2025 China Super 1000 Badminton Tournament after a three-set loss to the Chinese pair Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian, failing to advance to the Round of 16. It is worth noting that their best result at the China Open had been reaching the semifinals. This early elimination disappointed fans greatly. In response to the cheers from the audience at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Shida Chiharu waved and bowed to the spectators. Before the match, the “Goat Pair” — ranked as the second seed — had already announced that they would split up after the Paris World Championships in August, making this match their final appearance on the BWF World Tour. After being eliminated in the semifinals at the Japan Open last week, Shida Chiharu stated that major competitions are still ongoing and that she would continue to work hard, urging fans to support the “Goat Pair” until the end. After the World Championships, Shida Chiharu will partner with two-time Olympic bronze medalist Arisa Higashino in mixed doubles. Her dream of becoming world No. 1 is far from over; while for Matsuyama Nami, her future has just begun, as badminton is only a part of life, not everything.