Chao News client reporter Zhang Feng Gao Huasheng
On the evening of December 15, the third round of the group stage of the 2023 BWF World Year-end Finals continued, in which the most suspenseful men's singles Group A qualifying situation finally settled, Shi Yuqi staged a reversal after losing one game 18-21, defeating this year's World Championships runner-up Kodai Naraoka with two consecutive wins 23-21, 21-13. With this victory, Shi Yuqi beat Ginting by a small score and advanced to the semifinals with Viktor Axelsen.
Previously, the situation in Men's Singles Group A was the most complicated: in the previous two rounds, Ginting won two consecutive games with a goal difference of +2 and the situation was very good, while Shi Yuqi won one and lost one game with a goal difference of +1, Axelsen won one game and lost one game with a goal difference of 0, and Naraoka Kodai lost two consecutive games with a goal difference of -3. In the third round, Shi Yuqi vs. Naraoka Kodai, Ginting vs. Axelsen, the results of each game are different, and the line will be given to bring different endings, even if the bottom of Naraoka Kodai wins 2-0, he will have a chance to advance, so this round of the game can be described as suspenseful, and no one knows what the result will be until the last moment.
The two matches were played almost simultaneously, with the match on Court 1 a little later due to the late end of the previous game, but the score became stalemate in the middle of the match, and all four kept an eye on the score on the next court from time to time.
On the second court, Ginting scored six points in a row after falling behind 2-6 in the first game and maintained the advantage until the end, once taking a 17-10 lead and a 21-16 lead. In the second game, Axelsen won 21-7 to get one back.
In the decisive game, Axelsen was full of firepower, and none of them fell behind in the overall situation, once taking a 13-6 lead, and finally won the first victory with a score of 21-13.
Axelsen advanced to the semifinals Photo courtesy of the organizing committee
On the No. 1 field, in the first game, Kodai Naraoka played a wave of 8-0 offensive to take the lead and maintain the advantage until the end, Shi Yuqi made a force at the end of the game to save 3 game points in a row, and lost 18-21. In the second game, the two held each other five times to tie the battle to 10-9, during which the difference was only 2 points, Naraoka Kodai scored five points to take the lead and maintain the advantage to 18-13, Shi Yuqi had no way to retreat and survived to take the lead in a wave of 5-0 to get the game point, Naraoka Kodai failed to save two game points, and lost 21-23.
In the third game, Shi Yuqi took the lead globally, playing 3-0 in the opening game, and then once took a 16-9 lead, and scored four points at the end of the game to lock the victory in one fell swoop, and won the victory 21-13.
Shi Yuqi advanced to the semifinals Photo courtesy of the organizing committee
In the end, Shi Yuqi, Axelsen, and Ginting all won two games, but with the advantage of goal difference, Shi Yuqi and Axelsen won the promotion places.
After the game, Shi Yuqi couldn't hide his fatigue in an interview, and even leaned over to retch, he told reporters: "Today's consumption is really large, especially when the first two games are behind chasing points, I have been adjusting and persevering, and I am really happy to win in the end, the opponents in the finals are very strong, every game is a big challenge for me, and now I can advance, I don't want anything else, no matter who is in the next round, adjusting yourself is the most important thing." ”
Axelsen was very pleased with his performance today: "Ginting and I kept looking at the men's singles score on the next court, I didn't know who qualified for the semi-finals, anything was possible, but I'm very happy that I was in the semi-finals, it was very important and it was very exciting, especially in the third game we all played our own characteristics, although there could not be two winners on the court, but I think today we both played our level. ”
The draw for the semi-finals will take place later tonight, when the list of semi-finalists will be announced.
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