The first Super 1000-level event of 2025, the Malaysia Open Badminton Championships, has entered the fourth day of the main draw competition, with the top eight in all five events already determined. In the women's singles arena, Wang Zhiyi and Han Yue have advanced together. On this matchday, the second-seeded Wang Zhiyi took the lead, facing off against Singapore's seventh-seeded Yang Jiayin. Despite Yang Jiayin's excellent form throughout the game, she was unable to avoid a 0-2 defeat.
Yang Jiayin is currently ranked 12th in the world and advanced by eliminating another Chinese female player, Gao Fangjie, in the previous round. However, compared to top female singles players, Yang Jiayin still has some gaps in terms of strength. She has faced Wang Zhiyi five times in the past, all ending in defeat. This was also the reason why fans favored Wang Zhiyi to avenge Gao Fangjie's loss before the match.
In the first game, Wang Zhiyi started slowly, making several judgment errors at the beginning, allowing Yang Jiayin to seize the opportunity and establish a 4-2 lead in the opening stages. Although Wang Zhiyi quickly leveled the score through her signature drop-shot and smash combination, continuous judgment errors on Yang Jiayin's out-of-bounds shots allowed her opponent to take an 8-5 lead. Fortunately, Wang Zhiyi improved her state again, playing more patiently on the court, using high-quality net control and retreating in time, then launching attacks from midfield, slashing back and forth on both sides, leaving Yang Jiayin helpless. After exerting her offensive threat, Wang Zhiyi also overtook the score 11-10 and entered the mid-game break.
Returning to the court, Wang Zhiyi continued her fiery offensive form, especially with repeated landing points, catching Yang Jiayin off guard on defense. After scoring two consecutive points, Wang Zhiyi had expanded her lead to 13-10. However, the passive Yang Jiayin did not give up, gradually turning around the passive situation with tenacious defense, and with tricky net kills, she scored four points in a row to achieve a reversal. But Wang Zhiyi did not let her reverse the situation, steadying herself and regaining the initiative, winning the first game 22-20.
After winning the first game, Wang Zhiyi, who held the lead in the big score, played more actively and proactively in the second game. Changes in rhythm and feints at the net repeatedly caused her opponent to lose balance and had to start again to save the ball. Wang Zhiyi started by grabbing opportunities from her opponent's inadequate returns, establishing a 3-0 lead. Although Yang Jiayin fought hard to level the score, Wang Zhiyi, firmly in control, unleashed another wave of attacks, leading 11-6 to end the first half of the game.
Facing a desperate situation, Yang Jiayin launched a desperate fight upon returning to the court, starting to speed up and engage in aggressive play to quickly reduce the gap. However, Wang Zhiyi, with rich experience in major competitions, did not follow her opponent's rhythm, maintaining patience and keeping the lead until the end, sealing the victory with a 21-16 score.
After completing a six-match winning streak against Yang Jiayin in world championships, Wang Zhiyi secured a ticket to the women's singles semifinals. Her opponent in the semifinals will be the winner between Han Yue and Thai player Ratchanok Intanon. We look forward to Han Yue's subsequent appearance, hoping she can perform well and strive to meet Wang Zhiyi, helping the national team secure a spot in the final in advance.