SHI Yu Qi outplays Cristo POPOV

The fourth match of the day on court 1 sounds like a revenge between SHI Yu Qi and Chirsto POPOV clashing for a place in the round of 16. Indeed, last November the Frenchman succeeding in defeating the Chinese player at the 2023 China Masters in front of his own crowd. Is it time for the number 2 seed to do the same to his opponent ?  

On the first rallies, one can notice that the arena is already crowded by the noise made at every Christo POPOV’s winning point. On court, SHI Yu Qi seems to take control of the game. The 2024 French championship gold medalist using his combativity and the arena’s support to stay close at the scoreboard. Despite of his efforts, the winner of last week German Open has to concede to first set : 14/21. 

SHI Yu Qi hits hard on the very beginning of the second act. The 2024 India Open winner quickly take a 6 points advantage : 7/1. Even though he looks tired from a last exhausting week, POPOV did not give up. As it can be highlighted by two wonderful winning points at 9/12 and 10/13. But it was not enough to fill the gap, as the world number 2 always manages to keep his 3 to 4 points advantage. He finally takes his revenge from last November, beating the player from Fos-sur-Mer : 21/14 21/15.  

Cristo POPOV : “Hard is a good word to describe today. I was not really stiff but had a lot of muscle fatigue. The fact that he was fresher than me helped him especially in the middle of the games where the rallies were the longest. (…) It is not a victory, but I have a good level and that is what matters today. (…)”