Source: REUTERS/Ann Wang
[Saba Sports News] The Korea Open Badminton Championships are in full swing, and Chinese badminton player Shi Yuqi easily defeated former world No. 1 Son Wan-ho 2-0 in the first round. In a post-match interview, Shi Yuqi spoke about his recent form, saying that he hasn’t been in good condition lately. He jokingly said, “Every day hasn’t been particularly good, quite tiring, and physically uncomfortable. Today, against the former world No. 1, as the ‘weakest world No. 1,’ I challenged him and succeeded.” The editor believes that Shi Yuqi’s self-deprecation may be due to injuries, and his self-mockery as the “weakest world No. 1” shows that his confidence has been greatly affected after consecutive losses at the Paris Olympics. As a leading figure in China’s men’s singles, he bears many expectations, but failing to achieve satisfactory results in major events like the Olympics might have left him feeling dissatisfied and disappointed with his performance.