When the draw for this year's BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou pitted the 2018 men's singles champion Shi Yuqi against the world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen in the first round, a sense of pessimism began to seep in for the hosts.

China, no stranger to success at badminton's season finale, have consistently dominated the showpiece event, winning a staggering nine titles since its inception. However, the matchup between Shi and Axelsen carried an air of uncertainty.

As the reigning Olympic Champion and a mainstay at the top of the rankings for over 100 weeks, Axelsen was widely considered an unstoppable force. On the other hand, Shi had only managed to defeat Axelsen once before, during the World Superseries Finals in 2017. Since then, he had endured a hopeless eight-match losing streak against the Danish sensation.

With the odds were seemingly stacked against him, Shi stepped onto the court on Wednesday night with a burning desire to rewrite the script.

Contrary to expectations, Shi pulled off a surprising change in tactics in the opening game. Right from the get-go, the 27-year-old launched a full-blown offensive assault, demonstrating an exceptional level of composure in handling crucial points. He didn't give Axelsen much breathing room.

Despite holding a commanding 19-15 lead, Shi faced a four-point comeback from the Dane, bringing the game to a tie. However, Shi swiftly adjusted his mindset and quickly regained two consecutive points, narrowly clinching the victory at 21-19. 

Moving on to the second game, both players found themselves locked in a deadlock during the initial stages. They constantly exchanged leads, eventually reaching a 14-14 tie. It was at this point that Shi surged ahead with a five-point streak, forcing Axelsen to launch a counterattack.

Although Axelsen, who aims for an unprecedented fifth season finale title, managed to save two match points when Shi held a 20-17 lead, he ultimately failed to halt Shi's momentum as the latter closed it out at another 21-19.

"I believe the key to this victory was giving my all in every single point and staying resilient in such a high-intensity battle," observed Shi after the morale-boosting win. "I got off to a solid start, having prepared diligently before the match. It brings me great joy to finally overcome Axelsen; it's a validation of my relentless efforts."

While Shi appeared eager to share his thoughts in the post-match briefing, Axelsen was clearly not in the mood to analyze his defeat, simply stating, "I'm not happy with my performance today," before hastily leaving the court. If he fails to regain his top form in due time, Axelsen's dream of becoming the first-ever male singles player to win the season finale for three consecutive years may be shattered.

Meanwhile, Shi cannot afford to underestimate the challenges ahead as he is set to take on Japan's Kodai Naraoka and Indonesia's top contender Anthony Ginting. 

Naraoka claimed the men's singles title at this year's China Masters, while Ginting triumphed at the 2023 Singapore Open. To outclass these indomitable foes, Shi must muster every ounce of his prowess and push himself to the limit. Only then will he seize another chance to demolish all preconceived notions, defying expectations once again.