China's world No. 1 badminton star Shi Yuqi launched his BWF World Tour Finals campaign triumphantly on Wednesday, defeating compatriot Li Shifeng 21-13, 23-21 in a gripping group stage match. The season-ending tournament, hosted in Hangzhou since 2023, showcases elite athletes from across Asia and Europe competing for one of badminton's most prestigious titles.
Shi, who sustained a foot injury during China's National Games last month, told reporters: "Both of us are carrying some injuries, but we showed good form today." The victory strengthens his position as he seeks to defend his 2024 championship title.
In other notable matches, Japan's Kodai Naraoka secured a decisive 21-17, 21-18 victory over Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei, while Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn dominated Indonesia's Jonatan Christie in straight games. The women's singles saw Olympic champion An Se-young of the Republic of Korea overcome a second-set stumble to defeat Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani, keeping her on track to potentially break the single-season title record this year.
With 10 titles already claimed in 2025, An needs just one more victory in Hangzhou to surpass Japan's Kento Momota historic 2019 achievement. Chinese fans celebrated local favorite Wang Zhiyi's commanding 21-14, 21-5 win against compatriot Han Yue, reinforcing the Chinese mainland's strong presence in the tournament.
