Li Shifeng
Chinese badminton player
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Li Shifeng (Chinese: 李诗沣; pinyin: Lǐ Shīfēng; born 9 January 2000) is a Chinese badminton player.[1] He is a gold medallist in the men's singles at the 2022 Asian Games and won 1 All England title. He was part of the winning Chinese team at the 2021, 2023 Sudirman Cup, 2025 Sudirman Cup; 2022 Asian Games, and also at the 2024 Thomas Cup. Li reached a career high as world number 3 in the BWF World rankings on 31 October 2023. Li is the 2018 Olympic Youth boys' singles gold medallist competing at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina.[2]
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Li with his gold medal of the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 9 January 2000 Nanchang, Jiangxi, China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Badminton | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handedness | Right | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Men's singles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career record | 218 wins, 84 losses | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | 3 (31 October 2023) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current ranking | 7 (10 March 2026) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BWF profile | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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He was part of the Chinese junior team that won the gold medals at the 2017, 2018 World Junior Championships, and 2018 Asian Junior Championships.[3][4]
Early life
Li began playing badminton at the age of 6 with support from his father. Li then practiced in the Jiangxi team when he was in the elementary school. When Li was 12, he visited Fuzhou's Bayi team, eventually joining and training with them. He subsequently finished as a runner up at a national competition.[5] At the age of 14, he participated in the National youth team training centre in Shenyang and entered the National second team in 2017.[3]
From a young age, he was noted to display exceptional skill and determination on court, quickly rising through the ranks in China's competitive youth badminton scene, emerging as one of China's brightest badminton talents at the time.[6] Whilst growing up and training, he stated that both Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei were his idols whilst expressing deep admiration for Japan's Kento Momota. Li said that he had a desire to incorporate their playing styles into his gameplay.[7][5]
Career
2024
Li started off the 2024 season poorly, he participated in the 2024 Malaysia Open, beating Lee Chia-Hao and Weng Hongyang in three sets. However, he lost in the quarter finals to Lin Chun-Yi. He subsequently suffered multiple first and second round exits to Koki Watanabe at the 2024 India Open, Brian Yang at the 2024 Indonesia Masters, Lakshya Sen at the 2024 French Open and Toma Junior Popov at the 2024 All England Open.
Li found more success during the 2024 Badminton Asian Championships, reaching the final, but losing to Indonesia's Jonatan Christie in straight sets, marking Li's first medal in this competition. He would go on to participate in the 2024 edition of the Thomas Cup, as China's second men's singles choice. He found some more success during the Thomas Cup, however, he lost to Lakshya Sen during the quarter finals and Jonatan Christie during the finals. China would still eventually win the Thomas cup that year, marking Li's first Thomas Cup gold medal.
Li participated in the 2024 Malaysia Masters, avenging his defeat by Toma Junior Popov but ultimately losing in the quarter finals to Ng Ka Long Angus. At the 2024 Singapore Open, he reached his first final of 2024 beating Lei Lanxi, Lee Cheuk Yiu and Loh Kean Yew along with a semi finals walkover from Viktor Axelsen. He lost the final to his compatriot Shi Yuqi. He would lose again to Shi Yuqi in the semi finals of the 2024 Indonesia Open, who eventually won the tournament.
At the 2024 Olympic Games, Li was eliminated by Loh Kean Yew in the knockout stages.[8] What followed this was a string of first, second and quarter final round exits, losing at the 2024 Korea Open to Lee Chia Hao, 2024 China Open to Chou Tien Chen, 2024 Arctic Open to Lee Cheuk Yiu, 2024 Denmark Open to Anders Antonsen. His title drought of 2024 came to an end, winning the 2024 Kumamoto Masters, comfortably beating 1st seed and reigning Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen in the semi finals and Lee Chia Hao in the finals. He lost to Lin Chun Yi at the 2024 China Masters in the first round.
Li qualified for the 2024 World Tour Finals, where he would lose to Anders Antonsen in his first group stage match, but go on to beat Chou Tien Chen in three sets and Lee Zii Jia by retirement. Ultimately this was not enough to advance into the knockout stages, thus ending the 2024 season for Li.
2025
Li started off the 2025 season at the 2025 Malaysia Open. He reached the semi-finals before subsequently being beaten by the eventual champion Shi Yuqi in three sets. Li then suffered a first round defeat to Malaysia's Leong Jun Hao marking his first ever loss to Leong. Li subsequently suffered a quarter finals exit to Taiwan's Wang Tzu-Wei at the 2025 Indonesia Masters.
After taking a 2-month break, he entered the 2025 edition of the All England Open. Competing as the 2023 former champion he reached the semi finals, having beaten his youth rival Lakshya Sen in two sets, however he lost to his compatriot Shi Yuqi once again in three sets. Li lost in the semi finals at the 2025 Swiss Open to Christo Popov in two straight sets. Li won a bronze medal at the 2025 Asian Championships, losing to the finalist Lu Guangzu, marking his second medal at the Asia Championships. Li was the second men's singles pick for the Chinese badminton team, playing 1 match and defeating Thailand's Kantaphon Wangchaoren in three sets during the group stages.
Li won the 2025 Malaysia Masters, defeating all of his opponents in two sets, and dominating India's Srikanth Kidambi with scores of 21-11 and 21–9, marking his first title of the season, and subsequently becoming the first Chinese men's singles player to win a title in the Malaysia masters since its inception in 2009.[9]
Li claimed his second title of the year at the 2025 Hong Kong Open, comfortably defeating Lakshya Sen in two straight sets of 21-15 and 21-12.[10]
Achievements
Asian Games
Men's singles
Asian Championships
Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Ningbo, China |  Jonatan Christie |
15–21, 16–21 |  Silver |
| 2025 | Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Ningbo, China |  Lu Guangzu |
21–19, 10–21, 14–21 |  Bronze |
Youth Olympic Games
Boys' singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Tecnópolis, Buenos Aires, Argentina |  Lakshya Sen |
21–15, 21–19 |  Gold |
World Junior Championships
Boys' singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Markham Pan Am Centre, Markham, Canada |  Kodai Naraoka |
11–21, 21–19, 17–21 | Bronze |
World Tour (6 titles, 5 runners-up)
The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,[11] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300, and the BWF Tour Super 100.[12]
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Level | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Canada Open | Super 100 | Parupalli Kashyap |
20–22, 21–14, 21–17 |  Winner |
| 2022 | Thailand Open | Super 500 |  Lee Zii Jia |
21–17, 11–21, 21–23 |  Runner-up |
| 2023 | German Open | Super 300 |  Ng Ka Long |
22–20, 18–21, 18–21 | Runner-up |
| 2023 | All England Open | Super 1000 | Shi Yuqi |
26–24, 21–5 | Winner |
| 2023 | Canada Open | Super 500 | Lakshya Sen |
18–21, 20–22 | Runner-up |
| 2023 | U.S. Open | Super 300 |  Kunlavut Vitidsarn |
21–15, 21–18 | Winner |
| 2023 | French Open | Super 750 | Jonatan Christie |
21–16, 15–21, 14–21 | Runner-up |
| 2024 | Singapore Open | Super 750 | Shi Yuqi |
21–17, 19–21, 19–21 | Runner-up |
| 2024 | Japan Masters | Super 500 | Leong Jun Hao |
21–10, 21–13 | Winner |
| 2025 | Malaysia Masters | Super 500 | Srikanth Kidambi |
21–11, 21–9 | Winner |
| 2025 | Hong Kong Open | Super 500 | Lakshya Sen |
21–15, 21–12 | Winner |
International Challenge / Series (2 runners-up)
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Austrian Open |  Mark Caljouw |
21–8, 21–23, 9–21 | Runner-up |
| 2019 | Iran Fajr International | Kunlavut Vitidsarn |
18–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
- BWF International Challenge tournament
- BWF International Series tournament
- BWF Future Series tournament
Junior International (3 runners-up)
Boys' singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Korea Junior International | Bai Yupeng |
16–21, 13–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | Dutch Junior International | Kunlavut Vitidsarn |
18–21, 14–21 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | German Junior International | Kunlavut Vitidsarn |
15–21, 11–21 | Runner-up |
- BWF Junior International Grand Prix tournament
- BWF Junior International Challenge tournament
- BWF Junior International Series tournament
- BWF Junior Future Series tournament
Record against selected opponents
Record against Year-end Finals finalists, World Championships semi-finalists, and Olympic quarter-finalists. Accurate as of 3 March 2026.
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