Source:REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
[Saba Sports News] The All England Open Badminton Championships, classified as a Super 1000 event, kicked off this week. On the first day of the main tournament, defending men’s singles champion Shi Yuqi faced India’s star player, Lakshya Sen, in his debut match. In this match, Shi Yuqi’s performance was subpar; he struggled to control his unforced errors and ultimately lost in a surprising upset with a score of 1-2, eliminating him in the first round. With Shi Yuqi’s exit, his 83-week reign as world number one may come to an end. Currently, Shi Yuqi and Kunlavut Vitidsarn are competing for the men’s singles world number one title. According to the points, for Kunlavut to surpass Shi Yuqi, he needs to progress three more rounds than Shi Yuqi in the All England Open Badminton Championships.
In a post-match interview, Shi Yuqi analyzed the reasons for his defeat. He candidly stated that his back injury had not fully healed and that a long absence from competition had negatively impacted his performance. Although he is gradually adjusting, his opponent’s ability to seize opportunities was too strong.
The author believes that the All England Open Badminton Championships is prone to upsets mainly due to the venue’s wind conditions and shuttlecock speed. These objective factors are consistent for all players, but clearly, those who are better prepared, can adapt more quickly, and can elevate their performance earlier will have an advantage.