🏸 Fans were thrilled on Wednesday, December 17, as world No.1 Shi Yuqi, representing the Chinese mainland, smashed his way to a straight-game victory at the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. 🎉
The elite event, hosted in Hangzhou since 2023, brings together the top eight players from the year’s BWF World Tour standings—plus the reigning Olympic and world champions—with a maximum of two entries per member association.
Shi Yuqi began his title defense by outplaying fellow Chinese mainland star Li Shifeng 21-13, 23-21 in Group A. "Both of us are carrying some injuries, but we showed good form today, which is positive," said Shi, who suffered a foot injury during the National Games on the Chinese mainland last month.
Other men's singles highlights included:
- Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn toppled Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie 21-10, 21-14 🔥
- France’s Christo Popov edged Denmark’s Anders Antonsen 21-13, 12-21, 21-19 in a three-set thriller
- Japan’s Kodai Naraoka cruised past Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei 21-17, 21-18
On the women’s side, Olympic champion An Se-young of the Republic of Korea started strong, defeating Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani 21-16, 8-21, 21-8. With 10 titles already this year, the 23-year-old is eyeing the single-season record of 11 titles, set by Japan’s Kento Momota in 2019.
Home fans also cheered on:
- Wang Zhiyi topping Han Yue 21-14, 21-5 in an all-Chinese mainland clash
- Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi defeating compatriot Tomoka Miyazaki 21-14, 21-17
- Thailand’s Pornpawee Chochuwong outlasting Ratchanok Intanon 21-18, 14-21, 21-10
With fierce matches and record-breaking ambitions on the line, the BWF World Tour Finals are set to deliver more drama as the group stage continues. Stay tuned for more smash hits from Hangzhou! 💥
Reference(s):
World No. 1 Shi Yuqi of China begins BWF World Tour Finals with win
cgtn.com
