[transcript]
In this video we will cover the newly crowned world number one, Shi Yu Qi. Winning 5 titles in 5 months is remarkable and sets him up as the number one seed for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
If you want to play like the world number one, stay tuned, as this video will help you play like Shi Yu Qi.
—
The first thing to cover about Shi Yu Qi’s gameplay is his consistency. It’s easy for us to say – just play consistent, however, the real question is how does one play consistent? Shi Yu Qi gives us the answer to this, and it all lies within where he is playing his shots.
Watch these rallies and pay attention to where Shi Yu Qi places most of his shots.
Did you notice that most of his shots are around these lines?
There are a few reasons for this.
One, by playing his shots more towards the middle of the court, he can reduce the amount of errors that occur from hitting out the side. In pro play, where matches are usually played in large arenas, there tends to be lots of drift that influences how the shuttle flies.
Two, it will minimize the angle of the next shot from the opponent. If you guys have watched our block middle video, we talked about how the block middle will reduce the angle of the next shot. This is true for all shots. If your lift is towards the sidelines, you must be prepared for a shot that will pin the line.
A lift toward the middle, however, will generally have angles that are easier to defend. This is part of the reason why Shi Yu Qi’s defense is so good.
That being said, this doesn’t mean you should always hit in the middle. You do need to ultimately move your opponent around and open up the court to play winners. This leads us into our next point.
—
Shi Yu Qi’s strategy is very similar to that of Lin Dan’s. He mainly controls and plays neutral shots on his forehand corner, and changes the pace on his around the head corner.
Notice the similarities?
When there is a strategy behind your gameplay, it is easier to stay focused. However, this doesn’t mean you should absolutely force it. If you can kill on your forehand side, you should kill. If you can’t change pace on your around the head, then you shouldn’t. Strategy is just something to keep in the back of your mind.
Most of the time, Shi Yu Qi generally uses his around the head to open up the court by pinning the lines with his straight and cross smashes.
—
Watch these 4 clips of Shi Yu Qi’s late forehand, can you guys guess what shot he will play next?
This is one of Shi Yu Qi’s biggest strengths. Having a multitude of different shots makes it extremely difficult for opponents to guess where his next shot will be and specifically in the case of Shi Yu Qi, his small holds and pace changes amplifies the power of his shot variation.
While it’s not easy to completely copy Shi Yu Qi’s technique and magically gain the ability to play these shots, you can still try to implement this into your own game.
For example, look at this clip where Shi Yu Qi is playing his late forehand. From a position down here it is extremely likely that the next shot coming will be straight. That is why you often see players waiting at the net when their opponents are in their late backcourts.
Knowing this, Shi Yu Qi will opt to play the cross clear. While it is more difficult to play than a straight shot, it is the right shot. Especially because it is an unexpected shot. This will give you the chance to counter attack.
You can see examples of this in his late backhand as well.
As well as his front court and defense.
It’s also extremely important to have variety in your shots. Look at how many shots Shi Yu Qi has, and how he can catch his opponent by surprise.
—
If you guys want to play like the world number one, you should first adjust where you are hitting most of your shots. Try to play more towards the middle 90% of the time, and aim for the lines when you want to finish the rally.
Secondly, try to play with a strategy in mind. It could be Shi Yu Qi and Lin Dan’s strategy, or Kodai Naraoka’s. The point is to have a strategy in the back of your mind so you can focus better.
Finally, try playing the unexpected shots. When you have more shot variety, this will prevent your opponent from moving smoothly on the court and lead them to make more errors.
What are the chances of Shi Yu Qi winning in Paris? Let us know in the comments.