Source:REUTERS/Ana Beltran
[Saba Sports News] In the men’s singles semifinal of the 2025 BWF World Championships, world number one Shi Yuqi fought a bloody-minded battle, successfully reversing the challenge of giant-killer Victor Lai. After the match, Shi Yuqi was nearly exhausted and couldn’t speak at one point. Canadian player Victor Lai is only ranked 50th in the world, but his performance in this tournament was outstanding, successively eliminating notable players like Lu Guangzu and Loh Kean Yew. Facing Lai, Shi Yuqi fully experienced the threat posed by this dark horse. Shi Yuqi lost the first game 13-21. In the second game, Shi Yuqi found himself in a desperate situation, trailing 18-20 and giving his opponent 2 match points. At the critical moment, he scored 4 points in a row, narrowly winning the game 22-20. In the third game, Lai closed the gap to 15-17, but Shi Yuqi steadied himself and won the deciding game 21-16. Although he won the match, it cost Shi Yuqi immense physical and mental energy. The entire match lasted 80 minutes. For three consecutive days, Shi Yuqi endured tough battles, pushing his stamina to the limit. After defeating Lai, Shi Yuqi was extremely fatigued courtside. During the interview, he was breathing heavily and momentarily lost his voice. A volunteer quickly handed him a piece of bread, and Shi Yuqi continued the interview while eating.