Shi Yuqi: Time will make you forget many things. Life always needs to look forward.

Jayce September 6, 2024 3 0

Four years ago, Shi Yuqi, who had not yet recovered from injury, reluctantly stepped onto the court of the China Open due to Olympic points. He couldn’t jump, couldn’t catch the ball, feeling despondent. Over the four years, he experienced repeated injuries, a comeback from suspension, and media pressure. Four years later, Shi Yuqi returned here, easily defeating his first opponent, restarting his journey in the China Open.

“Four years ago, I actually can’t recall those memories anymore, but if you mention them to me, I can remember.”

It was not a good memory: due to an injury at the Indonesia Open, Shi Yuqi underwent surgery for a torn ligament, missing two months of competition. Still recovering, he intended to skip the China Open. However, due to the World Badminton Federation rules, facing his teammate Lu Guangzu in the first round, they chose to withdraw to avoid scoring, forcing Shi Yuqi to reluctantly appear.

The result of this reluctant appearance was that Shi Yuqi, who had only recovered to less than sixty percent, struggled immensely on the court. He couldn’t even move normally, let alone make effective shots. The referee asked him to withdraw, but he persisted. Although he only lasted 15 minutes, he lost the match, which he described as “very ugly.”

Reflecting on that scene four years ago, Shi Yuqi smiled bitterly: “There’s nothing heroic about it. Time will make you forget many things.” Time may fade memories but cannot replace them, dilute the past but cannot substitute for it. Once at a peak, Shi Yuqi, after surgeries and injuries, is now slowly regaining, but hasn’t yet reached his former abilities and position.

But to him, none of this matters much because this is experience, this is life: “You always have to look forward.” Looking forward, he sees the China Open reigniting before him. Against Danish player Jonatan Christie, Shi Yuqi, unlike previous first-round matches, played aggressively and decisively, winning 21-8, 21-11.

After the match, Shi Yuqi admitted it took some time to adapt to previous matches and hoped to focus more quickly on the court this time. Being at home and hearing the audience’s cheers encouraged him greatly, allowing him to play freely.

In fact, at the World Championships before the China Open, Shi Yuqi’s performance was described as mediocre because he lost again in the quarter-finals, this time to Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto. After the defeat, Shi Yuqi has been reviewing and summarizing, hoping for a better state at the China Open.

However, performance isn’t just about talking; it’s about playing: “Indeed, there are ups and downs. Maybe I didn’t perform well in these two events, but hopefully, I can be more stable in the next two.” Giving himself a nine out of ten for his debut in Changzhou, Shi Yuqi hopes to maintain this positive momentum starting from the second round and deliver a more satisfying performance in Changzhou.”