World No 2, Shi Yuqi, a pivotal cog in Team China's Thomas Cup win, celebrates after his rout of 7th-ranked Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia 21-17, 21-6 in 43 hugely impressive minutes during the tournament final on Sunday in Chengdu, Sichuan province.WEI XIAOHAO/CHINA DAILY
Hitting cross-court drops to dictate the play before smashing his point home, Shi Yuqi looked like his fierce younger self again, as he propelled Team China to its 11th Thomas Cup win in Chengdu on Sunday.
Watched by a group of badminton legends, including two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan, Shi made a statement at the world men's team championship final on Sunday, punctuating his revival with a rout of world No 7 Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in straight sets, giving the host a head start in its best-of-five showdown against Indonesia. Fans were reminded of the fearless youngster who, in his early years, drew comparisons with the mighty "Super" Dan.
A series of setbacks, including three surgeries and a suspension, had threatened to derail Shi's career before it really took off, but they simply proved to be bitter, character-building steps on the path to something great, as highlighted by his newfound momentum at the Thomas Cup.
Now healthy again, with his injured ankle and elbow fully healed, Shi picked up his scintillating pace on the court, winning all six singles rubbers and, in doing so, made a massive contribution to China's first Thomas Cup win in six years.
And it all came at the right time, with under three months to go before Shi embarks on his second Olympic journey in Paris.
"It's always a tough battle for every athlete to try and stay at the top level consistently. Ups and downs are just part of the business as pro athletes, and I am not exempt from that," Shi said of his struggles over the past few years, following his comprehensive 43-minute, 21-17,21-6 win over Ginting at the High-Tech Zone Sports Center.
"Mentally, I've become more mature and I'm much more motivated again with the Olympics approaching. I will cherish the opportunity (to compete at another Olympics) and go all out," said the 28-year-old Jiangsu province native.
Unfulfilled potential
Emerging on the international stage about a decade ago, Shi instantly raised high hopes, following his Youth Olympics and junior Asian championships title runs in 2014, that the sport's future was in good hands as the golden generation, led by Lin and doubles stars Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng, approached the twilight of their careers.
Standing 1.84 meters tall with long limbs and a quick footwork, Shi wields power, variety and finesse in his shots, enhancing his ability to exert pressure on opponents, while using deceptive serves or fakes to throw them off balance for a killer smash.
This aggressive and entertaining style quickly helped him get a foothold at the top of the BWF World Tour in 2016, with four singles titles secured in his first full year on the pro circuit as a proof of his talent.
Among his many early-career highlights, Shi stunned two Olympic champion compatriots — Chen Long (Rio 2016) and Lin (Beijing 2008, London 2021) — en route to lifting his first All England Championship title in March 2018, before taking down then world No 1, Japan's Kento Momota, nine months later to snatch his first World Tour Finals crown at 22 years old.
With fans stoked about what seemed to be the rise of a legitimate heir to Lin, Shi's spell of misfortune caught up with him in 2019, beginning with a serious left ankle injury sustained at the Indonesia Open, followed by two more injuries to his right ankle and elbow, all of which required multiple surgeries to get him back in shape. It took a heavy toll on his progression, both mentally and physically.
Shi's comeback attempt was dealt a blow in 2021, when the Chinese Badminton Association slapped him with an internal 10-month ban from competing internationally due to his "unsportsmanlike" behavior, according to CBA president Zhang Jun, of choosing to retire early and abruptly in his 2020 Thomas Cup semifinal match against Momota, when he trailed the Japanese star 5-20 in the second set after losing the first. His heated feud with fans on social media afterward triggered the governing body to impose the ban.
"Everyone has their own obstacles to overcome, not just as an athlete, but as a person. As long as you stick to what you are passionate about, keep believing and pushing, they eventually become building blocks for achieving something great," said Shi.
His self-belief and relentless effort paid off with back-to-back World Tour titles at the India Open in January and French Open in March, following 14 months without lifting a trophy. All that was capped by his invincible display at the Thomas Cup last week.
With his fellow seniors Lin and Chen long retired, and Momota announcing last week in Chengdu that he was set to quit international competitions for good, it's time for Shi to live up to his full potential on the world stage.
"Shi has become a consistently reliable athlete, as proven by his performances this week," Zhang said at the tournament's closing news conference on Sunday.
"Hopefully, he will keep improving and have a great Olympic campaign in Paris this summer," he said.
With Chinese men and women winning both titles at the Thomas and Uber Cup finals, repeating the same double delight as 2012, Zhang is bullish that, after a few lean Olympics medal-wise, Team China will bounce back strongly in Paris Olympics to regain its supremacy in the game.
"Sweeping both titles on home soil will, for sure, boost the whole team's morale for the Olympics," Zhang said.
