Liu Yuchen / Ou Xuan Yi: Tried Their Best but Fell Short in Skills

Jayce September 6, 2024 4 0

On the afternoon of July 31st local time, the men’s doubles badminton event at the Paris Olympics witnessed the final two matches in Group D, where Liu Yuchen / Ou Xuan Yi faced a turnaround, losing 1-2 to a pair from Chinese Taipei in a “life-or-death battle” lasting 66 minutes, failing to advance from the “Group of Death”.

The situation for advancing from the “Group of Death” was intricate. Concurrently with Liu Yuchen / Ou Xuan Yi’s match, the adjacent court featured Denmark’s pair Astrup / Rasmussen against Japan’s Hoki / Kobayashi. For Liu Yuchen / Ou Xuan Yi, only a 2-0 victory could ensure their survival without relying on others’ outcomes.

In the first game, Liu Yuchen / Ou Xuan Yi displayed strong determination to win, taking an early lead and securing a 21-17 victory. However, the match’s momentum shifted thereafter. In the second game, the situation reversed, with their opponents clawing back to win 21-17.

In the decisive third game, the Danish duo’s 2-0 victory over the Japanese duo mid-match meant Liu Yuchen / Ou Xuan Yi were out of contention for the quarterfinals. Their performance on court was affected, and they ultimately lost 22-24 in a regrettable outcome.

Even though their journey in the Paris Olympics came to an end, Liu Yuchen / Ou Xuan Yi fought to the last minute. “Denmark winning had a huge impact on us; we vaguely knew we couldn’t advance. At that moment, we still hoped to give our best effort, but my mind was a bit chaotic,” Liu Yuchen admitted in the mixed interview area post-match.

The atmosphere in the mixed interview area was quite somber. As usual, Liu Yuchen was the more talkative one, while Ou Xuan Yi stood quietly, seeming like a child who had made a mistake. Reflecting on their elimination in the group stage at this year’s Olympics, Liu Yuchen expressed no regrets, stating, “We gave our best effort; there’s nothing to regret. It’s reassuring; we won’t have to think about badminton anymore.”

When asked to summarize their performance at the Paris Olympics, Liu Yuchen turned to Ou Xuan Yi and said, “It’s your turn.” After a few seconds of contemplation, Ou Xuan Yi replied, “We tried our best.”

Starting their partnership in 2022 and securing their Olympic berth until the last moment, Liu Yuchen and Ou Xuan Yi’s journey included the adrenaline of saving four match points at the Sudirman Cup and the lingering uncertainty of Olympic qualification. With their Olympic journey abruptly halted, Liu Yuchen acknowledged they are unlikely to continue their partnership. “Everyone made their utmost effort, and I feel I’ve achieved the desired results by persevering even when not in good form, but ultimately fell short in skills.”