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KOMPAS.com – Kento Momota had time to talk about self-esteem as an athlete when responding to strange behavior Shi Yuqi who chose to withdraw at 20-5 when the two competed in the semifinals Thomas Cup 2020.
Kento Momota played against Shi Yuqi in the first match between Japan and China in the 2020 Thomas Cup semifinals which was held last October in Aarhus, Denmark.
In that match, China managed to beat Japan with a score of 3-1 to win the 3rd ticket 2020 Thomas Cup final.
Meanwhile, the only point missing from the Chinese squad was when Shi Yuqi lost to Japan’s number one men’s singles, Kento Momota, in the first match.
Read also: China Sentences Shi Yuqi to 1 Year for Weird Attitude Against Kento Momota
In the first game, Momota was able to win over Shi Yuqi with a score of 22-20. But in the second game, Shi Yuqi made a strange decision when he fell far behind Momota.
During the second game interval, Shi Yuqi trailed 2-11. After that he was barely defenseless so Momota was far ahead when match point in positions 5-20.
When Momota was on the verge of winning, Shi Yuqi told the referee that he wanted to retire due to paronychia or infection of the skin around the nail.
In a match, athletes request to withdraw due to injury is a normal sight. However, in Shi Yuqi’s case, it seemed odd because he retreated when the opponent had reached match point.
Read also: China Without Chen Long and Shi Yuqi in 2022 Thomas Cup
A number of badminton fans then criticized Shi Yuqi through social media. They judged the player to act unsportsmanlike.
Moreover, after the match, Shi Yuqi issued a statement as if not acknowledging Momota’s greatness.
“If he is still at 20 points, that means I didn’t lose,” Shi Yuqi said at that time.
Shi Yuqi Sentenced to a Year
In the aftermath of the attitude he showed against Kento Momota in the 2020 Thomas Cup semifinals, Shi Yuqi was sentenced to a one-year ban by the Badminton Association of China (CBA).
The president of the China Badminton Association, Zhang Jun, said that Shi Yuqi was banned from playing for the Chinese national team and could not participate in international tournaments.
It was the punishment that had Shi Yuqi absent from 2022 Thomas Cup which is currently taking place in Bangkok, Thailand.
Zhang Jun said the CBA internal committee issued the decision as a result of Shi Yuqi’s strange behavior during the match against Momota.
“About Shi Yuqi, something bad happened in last year’s Thomas Cup semi-final, he withdrew from the match on match point,” Zhang Jun said in a recent interview with Chinese media, quoted from Badminton Planet.
“After the match, he made irresponsible and immature comments. Therefore, after an internal review from our coaches, we decided to punish him for one year,” Zhang Jun added.
Read also: 2022 Thomas Cup – Red and White Player Adaptation to the Battlefield Wind
Momota’s Response After Shi Yuqi’s Resign
Meanwhile, Kento Momota briefly mentioned sportsmanship and self-respect as an athlete when responding to Shi Yuqi’s retirement decision when competing against him in the 2020 Thomas Cup semifinals.
“Speaking of this, I don’t mean to attack him (Shi Yuqi), but as an athlete, you must have sportsmanship,” Momota said in an interview with Badminton Europe after the fight.
“However, I think at the same time there will be a kind of self-respect, like ‘I don’t want to lose’,” added Momota.
On the other hand, Kento Momota could also understand Shi Yuqi’s decision.
“On the other hand, I can understand his feelings. I understand very well how an athlete’s pride can hurt when he loses. It’s a difficult situation, but I don’t worry about it,” said Momota at the time.
Despite the controversy involving Shi Yuqi when competing against Kento Momota in the semifinals, China managed to advance to the 2020 Thomas Cup final to challenge Indonesia.
Without Shi Yuqi absent, China lost 0-3 to Indonesia in the 2020 Thomas Cup final.
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