On July 27, Beijing time, the China Badminton Open commenced its championship battle. In the men's singles final, Shi Yuqi, about to reclaim the world number one title, faced the challenge from his junior teammate Wang Zhengxing. Wang, a promising young player, is 23 years old and ranks 23rd in the world. The first game was a rollercoaster, with both players showcasing their skills. Ultimately, Shi Yuqi struggled with consistency, losing 8 points in a row after leading 14-13, resulting in a first-game loss of 14-21. In the second game, Shi seized the opportunity as his opponent's stamina waned, winning 21-14 to force a decisive third game.
In the first game, Shi Yuqi made consecutive errors at the net, falling behind 0-2 at the start. However, he began to accelerate, scoring through continuous attacks and leveling the match at 3-3. As teammates in the national team, they were very familiar with each other. Shi's quality attacks and quick changes allowed him to quickly take the lead over the young player. Wang Zhengxing had previously defeated several top players in this tournament, including Andersson, Popov, and Narakawa Koda, showcasing his strong skills, which is a great advantage for the national team.
With continuous pressure at the net, Shi Yuqi's errors increased, and Wang Zhengxing's attack speed picked up, quickly leading to a score of 10-6. Shi adjusted slightly but entered the interval trailing 7-11. After the break, Shi read Wang's straight attacks and countered effectively, narrowing the gap to 9-11. As Wang made a mistake, the score leveled at 11-11, and Shi surged ahead, scoring 6 consecutive points. In the mid-game, Wang did not give up, scoring 6 points in a row to take a quick lead of 19-14, ultimately winning the first game 21-14.
In the second game, Shi Yuqi struggled at the start, trailing 3-7. However, as Wang's stamina began to wane, Shi scored continuously, turning the score around to lead 15-11, eventually managing to equalize the match at 1-1 with a hard-fought 21-14 victory.