Chinese badminton star Chen Yufei secured her first World Tour win since the Paris 2024 Olympics with a hard-fought 25-23, 19-21, 21-16 victory over Japan's Hina Akechi at the Orleans Masters on Wednesday. The three-game thriller in France tested the Olympic gold medalist’s resilience after an extended competitive hiatus.
Chen initially struggled to regain her rhythm, narrowly clinching the first game after multiple unforced errors. Akechi capitalized on a dip in Chen's intensity to level the match in the second game. However, the third game saw a resurgent Chen dominate early, weathering a mid-game challenge from Akechi before closing out with four consecutive points to advance to the Round of 16.
The tournament saw mixed results for Chinese players. Wang Zhiyi, China’s second seed, delivered a commanding 21-13, 21-8 win over Indonesia’s Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi, while Gao Fangjie staged a dramatic comeback against Denmark’s Line Christophersen (21-23, 21-15, 22-20). However, Lin Hsiang-Ti of Chinese Taipei upset China’s Han Yue 21-19, 7-21, 21-19 in a closely watched match.
On the men’s side, China’s sole representative Wang Zhengxing fell to Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke 21-15, 14-21, 21-10. The event highlights Asia’s continued dominance in global badminton, with regional athletes claiming 14 of 16 spots in the women’s singles second round.
