China's badminton star Shi Yuqi delivered a masterclass 🌟 at the All England Open on Thursday, overcoming veteran Chou Tien-chen from the Taiwan region in two thrilling games (21-11, 21-19). The world No. 1 dominated early but faced a nail-biting finish as Chou rallied to 20-19 in the second game—only for Shi to seal victory with a roaring forehand smash. ⚡
'I stayed calm under pressure,' Shi said post-match. Next up: a quarterfinal clash with Singapore's Loh Kean Yew!
🗞️ Other highlights:
Defending champion Jonatan Christie (Indonesia) crashed out 🚨 to India's Lakshya Sen in just 36 minutes!
China's Li Shifeng avenged last year's loss 🎯 by defeating France's Toma Junior Popov in a 3-game thriller.
