I personally think he is a good player with a lot of potential, but my opinion is that of an ordinary badminton fan. GC called him the right-handed version of ZJH. This assessment of his ability is more telling.
Surprised he lost to KS as he has beaten him before. He has problems playing with strong smashers. He hasn't learnt how to change tactics when he meets such players. He is playing the same style as CL. Its a good style but he needs to have penetration with sudden changes of speed and powerful placement smashes ala LCW. Exciting to watch but not consistent. Whenever he meets a good player, like SWH or the indian players, one feels less confident of him progressing.
He is a good player. I don't know why you compared his style to Chen Long. Chen Long has different style. Shi Yuqi is trying to emulate Lee hyun ill . He said in an interview that he is big fan of Lee hyun ill and taufik hidayat. And he is trying to play as effortless as korean. According to me he is more or less towards veteran korean's style than indonesian's.
A strong defence like CL and good strokes. A patient game waiting for his moment just like CL. Doesn't attack as often. LHI has lovely footwork which allows him to glide on court. SY is not bad but not nearly as good. To go beyond LYI and Cl, Shi has to develop some special shots which will break his opponents defence.
Atm, I doubt Shi Yuqi has the physicality to play like Chen Long, I'd rather he emulate Lee Hyun Il's style of stroke play. But, biologically speaking, I hope he can still grow bigger and stronger a bit more, by then iot'll be great if he can combine the best of both CL and LHI as much as possible. Just saying.
Shi Yuqi lost when he should've won with one game up and leading comfortably in the second set against Kenta Nishimoto. Though he wasn't outplayed, his inexperience in handling team pressure and wanting in mental strength are even more concerning. I'd like to say every cloud has a silver lining. For a relatively young talented developing player like him, he should acquire the positive attitude to learn more from his setbacks, defeats and failures than from successes. Hopefully, the valuable albeit shocking experience stand him in good stead in future. Let's see whether he emerges stronger than ever going forward. That'll be the real challenge for him at the moment.
Just skimmed the match. Shi Yuqi is very talented. Just lost confidence. After every point lost, he turned back to his coach with the same apologetic look a child would have showing a poor school-grade to a parent. If you want a decisive, confident player then it makes sense to let them work themselves through tough passages in a game. Upbraiding them between every point with corrections and instructions from the sidelines simply takes their head out of the game and makes their goal of play, "How do I not disappoint coach," rather than, "I am gonna win this thing!".
Good observation,point well made. It seems to me both Shi Yuqi and Chen Yufei were playing 'not to lose' rather than 'I shall overcome'. During the course of the match, I wouldn't be surprised that going through their minds were thoughts like ' I mustn't lose,I mustn't lose, I have to win, I have to win' instead of getting into the thick of battle, immersed and concentrating on tactics and strategy point-by-point; on the contrary, they suffered attacks of nerves when things didn't go their way, lost their touch and clouded their judgement, and as a result committed error after error, their game simply unravelled.
For Shi Yuqi to lose from a winning position,21-10 in G1 and 17-10 in G2, must be a painful lesson, one he will never forget throughout his career. But, it is precisely such horrible defeats that would temper him, proving he is made of sterner stuff, for what does not destroy him will strengthen him further, I believe. The same applies to Chen Yufei albeit to a lesser extent as she's not expected to hold any advantage over the more experienced and much higher ranked Akane Yamaguchi, the more so when CHN was, already 2-0 down,in a situation which entailed the greatest pressure on her young shoulders. Remember, even the GOAT Lin Dan had to go through a near career-ending terrible experience in his early years , suffering a shocking, humiliating defeat to exit the Athens Olympics in the very first round. But, it didn't finished him for good, the rest, as they say, is history. Personally, I'm skeptical Shi Yuqi can come out of it unscathed, his confidence and inner belief will certainly take a big hit. I believe it would take a coluple of months before he starts to pick up the pieces, at best. Psychologically, CHN players tend to take team tournaments, esp major championships, where national glory and honour are involved very seriously, too seriously, in fact. So, naturally, when you feel you are responsible for letting the team down, and by extension the nation as well, it is difficult to get over it without leaving a scar, even when you make amends and successfully redeem yourself subsequently. Nevertheless, I shouldn't underestimate the resilience of youth, esp with so much support and valuable resources second to none behind them all the way. We'll see.
First round exit in Major Individual Tournaments earlier in their career is a common thing for Great Chinese MS(Ex : Lin Dan-Athens Olympics, Chen Long -London WC). I will be very worried if Shi Yuqi does not lose in the first round of Glasgow 2017 World Championship. However, Team Championships are different matter altogether.
Chen Long also lost in two Thomas Cups and one Asian Games Team event, not only the London Individual WC. Maybe, just maybe, after this Asia Mixed Team fiasco, he went on to great achievements a la Lin Dan and Chen Long. Let's hope this bitter experience serves as Shi Yuqi's baptism of fire to sterling accomplishments in future. Similarly for Chen Yufei.
I'm more interested in Xue Song's development. Shi Yuqi is too feminine for a great Alpha shuttler. He needs to be like this
I understand what you mean except that I prefer not to judge a book by its cover. Chen Long is not an alpha male but that didn't stop him from winning two WC and one OG plus a host of prestigious titles and records to entitle himself as one of the Super Trio, in the same league as Lin Dan and Lee CW. I'm hoping to see Shi Yuqi and, if possible, Xue Song attaining similar accomplishments in their own special way, that is be themselves with their unique characteristics, not necessarily becoming another Lin Dan or Chen Long in style and image.
I am beginning to feel he is trying to play his badminton like Chen Long - The Perfect Accurate Badminton. We really don't need another of that type. Hope he can develop his own style.
To tell you the truth,I admire Lin Dan not so much for his Alpha Male characteristics, his imperiousness on court exuding supreme confidence and all-conquering spirit but more for his being true to himself, having the courage of his conviction, true humility born of greatness despite his long list of enviable achievements second to none, but more for his transformation from a brash young man who wears his heart on his sleeve and occasionally getting into scrapes into one who is a more mature, staid, gentlemanly, unselfish character, free and natural, who doesn't hide his feelings but speaks his mind appropriately - sort of what you see is what you get, still a maverick nonetheless, just a bit more restrained than before.
It seems to me he is more like a younger version of Lee Hyun Il, possibly surpassing the maestro in future. The way I see it, he doesn't yet have the physical attributes to be another Chen Long even if he's inclined to play like him. Somehow I'm of the opinion that his stroke play is akin to the great Lee Hyun Il. As Shi Yuqi is still only 20 years old, he will continue to grow and develop as a player, currently his style is not completely mature and firm yet. I read that Sun Jun and Dong Jiong transformed into a different kind of player midway through their career ( I forgot who was what and changed into what, defensive into offensive and vice versa). Let's wait and see what kind of player he eventually becomes. I remember Xue Song in his younger days was very aggressive but nowadays he's more balanced, closer to an all-rounder. Sadly, injury struck, not once but twice, and stymied his progress just when he was about to make a breakthrough at the All England 2016.
I hope you're proven right, but really it's too early to say. Let me put it this way, if Shi Yuqi had played well but his opponent played even better then the coaches would've to study where SYQ has fallen short and identify his areas for improvement, instead from a substantial winning position with one game to the good and leading by much in G2, 17-10, for him to suddenly crumble inexplicably is even more disconcerting as it pointed to a deep-seated problem, a mentality issue which is much harder to address, psychologically. That's why, as Nine-Tailed Fox has posted elsewhere, SYQ is not selected by Li Yongbo for the upcoming Sudirman Cup, as I expected.
