Badminton tournament delivers nonstop thrills

Video and photos by Liu Xudong

The Li-Ning China Masters 2025 heated up yesterday at the Shenzhen Sports Center, with three courts hosting simultaneous matches to decide the coveted quarterfinal spots. A total of 37 matches were played throughout the day.

Players face off in a high-intensity match during the Li-Ning China Masters 2025 at the Shenzhen Sports Center yesterday. 

In the women's singles, China's Chen Yufei secured a 2-0 victory over Denmark's Line Christophersen while China's Han Yue battled through a tense three-game match to defeat Singapore's Yeo Jia Min 2-1.

“I felt much better than yesterday in terms of my movement on court and my overall physical and technical condition,” said Chen. “My main goal is to avoid aggravating my leg injury.”

“The fatigue from the previous two days is starting to build up, and my legs felt quite heavy today,” said Han. “However, I believe persistence is always the solution. Hanging in there for one more shot can help me find my rhythm.”

Chinese player Han Yue swings her racquet during a match yesterday. 

The China Masters, a prestigious BWF World Tour Super 750 event, has drawn over 200 badminton players from 17 countries and regions to the six-day event.

The quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday and the semifinals for Saturday. The grand finale will be held Sunday, when the champions will be crowned in matches starting at 1 p.m. The total prize pool for the 2025 edition is US$1.25 million.

The tournament is more than just a competition — it's a celebration of a sport that brings together fans and players from across the globe. Kavindu Shelum, a Sri Lankan student from the Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, made special time in his schedule to attend. He was particularly captivated by the competitive and thrilling women's singles match between Han Yue and Yeo Jia Min.

“The matches were so amazing,” said Shelum. “The score between the two was so close. I thought the Singapore player was about to win, but after a few seconds the game was changed.”

Sri Lankan student Kavindu Shelum (L) watches a badminton match at Shenzhen Sports Center yesterday. 

An avid badminton enthusiast who plays almost daily and once represented his school team in tournaments back home, Shelum was excited to watch high-level play in such a spacious venue.

“Watching the games was a very good opportunity,“ said Shelum. “This is the best badminton stadium I have ever seen. With three courts in one arena, we could watch every match perfectly in a clear view,” he said.

Originally built in 1985 as part of the Shenzhen Sports Center, the old facility was closed and demolished in 2018 and a modern complex was constructed on the same site. Reopened in 2024, the new sports center boasts a capacity of 16,000 seats. 

The BWF World Tour is an annual tournament series that offers ranking points and prize money. The China Masters, inaugurated in 2005, has a rich history that reflects the evolution of professional badminton. It became part of the BWF Super Series in 2007. The tournament had been held in Beijing, Chengdu, Changzhou, and Fuzhou before relocating to Shenzhen in 2023.