44 Facts About Shi Yuqi

Shi Yuqi is a Chinese badminton player who is currently the world number one in the men's singles.

Shi Yuqi won a silver medal at the 2018 World Championships.

Shi Yuqi was born on 28 February 1996, in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, to parents Shi Yuqi Lei and Fang Fang.

Shi Yuqi started playing badminton at age six when he entered a junior sports school in the city to practice badminton.

In 2007, Shi Yuqi went to Singapore to study as well as play badminton.

Shi Yuqi enrolled in Yu Neng Primary School and trained at the Singapore Badminton School under ex-SBA chief coach Zhang Qing Song.

In 2011, Shi Yuqi won first place in the Jiangsu Province youth badminton competition.

Shi Yuqi competed at the Asian Youth Games, winning the bronze medals in the boys' singles and mixed doubles, partnered with Chen Yufei.

Later that year, Shi Yuqi made his senior international debut at the Korea Grand Prix Gold where he would lose in the first round to South Korea's Hong Ji-hoon in two straight games after advancing from the qualifiers.

In 2014, Shi Yuqi had the first breakthrough of his fledgling career.

Shi Yuqi won the mixed team and boys' singles titles at the Asian Junior Badminton Championships.

Shi Yuqi won a silver medal in the boys' singles event after losing to his compatriot Lin Guipu in the final.

Shi Yuqi did not have a good year in 2015; his best showing was at the China Open, where he reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, losing to Son Wan-ho of South Korea in three games.

In 2016, Shi Yuqi became a first-line player on the Chinese badminton team.

Shi Yuqi started the season poorly though, reaching only the semi-finals of the Syed Modi International in his first eight on tour.

Shi Yuqi followed up from his success by winning the French Open next, beating Lee Hyun-il in two straight games.

Shi Yuqi then continued his rich veins of form by winning the Bitburger Open, beating India's Sourabh Varma in the final.

Shi Yuqi reached another final at the Swiss Open, but lost tamely to Lin Dan in the final this time around.

Shi Yuqi then competed at the All England and won the crown, defeating Lin Dan in the final.

Shi Yuqi then bounced back quickly from his disappointment by winning the next tournament, the Swiss Open.

Shi Yuqi then participated in the Asian Championships held in Wuhan, China, where he finished with a silver medal, after losing to Kento Momota in the final.

Shi Yuqi only reached the final of the Macau Open, where he lost to Thailand's Sitthikom Thammasin.

Shi Yuqi had a hectic start to the 2020 season, where he participated in three straight tournaments in January to begin the season.

Shi Yuqi reached the quarter-finals of both the Malaysia Masters and Indonesia Masters, where he lost to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia and Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu, respectively.

In 2021, Shi Yuqi competed in only four tournaments, namely the delayed Tokyo Olympics in July, the Chinese National Championships, the Sudirman Cup in September, and the delayed Thomas Cup in October.

Shi Yuqi played as the first men's singles against Kento Momota of Japan at the 2020 Thomas Cup semi-finals in Aarhus, Denmark.

Shi Yuqi later cited injuries and tiredness for his withdrawal in a social media post, citing that since he withdrew when the opponent was at 20 points, he has not recorded a loss because it was not at 21.

At the 2022 BWF World Championships held in Tokyo, Japan, Shi Yuqi returned to action for the first time in 10 months, after serving a ban, and beat Azerbaijan's Ade Resky Dwicahyo and Denmark's Rasmus Gemke in the first two rounds but lost out for a place in the quarter-finals after losing to Indonesia's Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in the third round.

Shi Yuqi then finished the season strongly by winning the Australian Open title after defeating his fellow countryman Lu Guangzu.

Shi Yuqi is the only men's singles player, besides Viktor Axelsen and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, who had won 2 or more BWF Tour titles in 2022 despite participating in only 6 competitions that year.

Shi Yuqi began his season at the Malaysia Open but lost to Chou Tien-Chen in the first round in a closely-contested rubber game.

At the Indonesia Masters, Shi Yuqi made it to the semi-finals, but lost to Jonatan Christie in the process.

Shi Yuqi continued his busy start to the season by competing in his fourth consecutive tournament at the Thailand Masters.

Shi Yuqi made it to the semi-finals but was defeated by Chinese Taipei's rising star, Lin Chun-yi, in straight sets.

At the postponed 2022 Asian Games, Shi Yuqi was a member of China's team that secured victory in the team event.

Shi Yuqi then participated in the European leg of the tour, competing in Denmark and France, where he reached the semi-finals and quarter-finals, respectively.

Shi Yuqi's consistency continued at the Kumamoto Japan Masters, where he reached the final, losing to Viktor Axelsen.

Shi Yuqi eventually reached the final but could not replicate his group stage win over Axelsen, losing in straight games.

Shi Yuqi then ended his 14-month title drought by winning the India Open.

Shi Yuqi participated in the All England Open, until he retired in the quarter-finals due to a fever, against Jonatan Christie.

Shi Yuqi made his second appearance at the Olympics in Paris as 1st seed, but was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Kunlavut Vitidsarn.

Shi Yuqi then competed at the China Masters, where he made it to the semi-finals but was ousted by Jonatan Christie.

Shi Yuqi opened the 2025 season as a champion in the Malaysia Open.

Shi Yuqi decided to withdrawn from the India Open, and later competed in the 2025 Indonesia Masters, where he finished as a semi-finalist.