High-Stakes Matches at Indonesia Open Shake Up the Badminton World

In a thrilling day of matches at the Indonesia Open, world number two and top seed Shi Yuqi comfortably advanced to the quarter-finals, dispatching Japan's Yushi Tanaka in straight games on Thursday. The defending champion, who has won the Malaysia and All-England Opens this year, took just 36 minutes to secure a 21-14, 21-7 victory. Shi will next face his compatriot Wang Zhengxing in the next round.

The competition also saw world number one, Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn, secure a decisive victory over Lee Chia-hao, winning in straight games 21-10, 21-17. Meanwhile, in the women's draw, top-seeded An Se-Young continued her dominance, overcoming fellow South Korean Kim Ga-Eun, 21-7, 21-11, while India's P.V. Sindhu was defeated by Thai player Pornpawee Chochuwong.

Local hopes were dashed as Jonatan Christie and Alwi Farhan both faced defeats, leaving Indonesia without a representative in the men's quarter-finals. Christie, who recently won a Super 1000 title, succumbed to Hong Kong's Lee Cheuk Yiu after a thrilling three-game match. Lee expressed his excitement over the victory amidst an intense environment, describing the experience as akin to playing at home in Hong Kong.

(With inputs from agencies.)