Chinese Taipei's Li Jiahao, ranked 22nd in the world, defeated last week's Orleans Masters champion Alex Lanier (Alex Lanier) of France at the Super 1000 Series 2025 All England Open Badminton Championships on the 15th local time 19:21, 21:14, 21:17 and reached the final. Li Jiahao's varied style of play on the court made Ranier even more blunt that he couldn't crack it.
Chinese Taipei's Li Jiahao, ranked 22nd in the world
Li Jiahao admitted after the game that he couldn't digest the victory of this game, and he didn't expect to play so well, "I was very surprised by the result, I was still adapting to the game in the first game, the speed could not keep up with the opponent, and the overall was relatively passive, until the end I was slowly able to play the pre-game strategy." I was so focused on the game that I didn't think about winning or losing, I just wanted to enjoy the stage. ”
Li noted that he became a little impatient in the latter stages of the game and was less than ideal in terms of hitting points and organising attacks. "The coach reminded me to go back to my original game plan and I made adjustments. I was a little nervous because the race was very close. ”
Ranier said he couldn't find a way to deal with Li Jiahao, "It's hard to stay focused on the court, and I'm not in good shape. But I have to admit that he did play well, showing high tension and using the tactics well. I couldn't keep up at all today and that's the only thing I'm disappointed that I couldn't find a way to crack it. ”
"He's got a unique style of play, he's got a lot of skill, he's really different. The ball is also hit quickly, with a lot of deceptive variations. I couldn't keep up with my pace and my body was very tired, so it was even more difficult to deal with this kind of feint, and the intensity of his hitting was the biggest challenge today. Ranier said.
Li Jiahao, ranked 22nd in the world, will challenge the world champion Shi Yuqi of China in the final on the 16th, and he can score at least 11,500 points in the final, and the world ranking will be squeezed into the top 20 next week, setting a career best.