[Saba Sports News] The BWF World Tour Super 750 Daihatsu Japan Open officially kicked off in Tokyo recently. On the opening day, top Chinese men’s singles player Shi Yuqi went up against home shuttler Yudai Okimoto. Though Okimoto lacks the fame of Shi Yuqi, he gained huge support from local fans playing on home soil. Rhythmic cheers echoed through the stadium every time Okimoto launched an attack. Boosted by the crowd, Okimoto got off to a solid start and stayed neck-and-neck with Shi Yuqi until the score was tied at 4-all. Once Shi Yuqi found his rhythm, he unleashed his trademark overhead smash, forcing Okimoto onto the back foot. Shi Yuqi’s sharp attacking play doused the home crowd’s fervor for Okimoto, silencing the roaring Japanese crowd that had created an intimidating home atmosphere. He sealed a straight-sets 2-0 victory to advance to the next round. After over a month of rest, Shi Yuqi signaled his dominant comeback with this convincing win.
The editor believes that after Shi Yuqi claimed victory in this China-Japan clash against Yudai Okimoto, he will face Brian Yang in the subsequent round. Fans are looking forward to brilliant performances from China’s top men’s singles star.