Nantong badminton player advances to men's singles quarterfinals at Olympics

Snapshot from the live broadcast of the match between Shi Yuqi (L) and Giovanni Toti at the 2024 Paris Olympics. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Nantong badminton star Shi Yuqi secured the top spot in Group A and was the sole qualifying athlete from the group after defeating Italian player Giovanni Toti 2-0 on July 31 at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Shi and Giovanni had no previous encounters. Shi, as the top seed in the men's singles world rankings and at the Paris Olympics, dominated the match, winning the first game 21-9. Giovanni, who is ranked 79th in the world, was unable to gain a foothold. Shi won the second game 21-10, effortlessly securing a spot in the knockout stage.

At the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, Shi was defeated in the quarterfinals by the eventual champion, Danish star Viktor Axelsen. Thirty-two years ago, Nantong legend Zhao Jianhua also fell in the men's singles quarterfinals. If Shi can make it past the quarterfinals, he will become the first Nantong badminton player in the men's singles event to achieve the feat at the Olympics.

Aged 28, Shi's most notable achievements in his national team career include finishing second at the 2018 World Badminton Championships as well as winning the 2018 All England Open Badminton Championships and the BWF World Tour Finals.