China's top-ranked badminton star Shi Yuqi delivered a commanding performance at the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou on December 20, 2025, securing his semifinal berth with a flawless group stage record. The world No. 1 overpowered Japan's Kodai Naraoka 21-9, 21-11 in just 28 minutes, cementing his position as a favorite for the championship.
Shi's victory sets up a highly anticipated semifinal clash against Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who secured his place after a grueling three-game battle against Denmark's Anders Antonsen. Vitidsarn, the 2024 Paris Olympics silver medalist, demonstrated resilience to claim a 21-15, 18-21, 21-13 victory in the decisive Group A match.
In women's singles, the Republic of Korea's Olympic gold medalist An Se-young staged a remarkable comeback against Japan's Akane Yamaguchi, overcoming an initial setback to win 14-21, 21-5, 21-14. Chinese doubles teams continued their dominant run, with Liu Shengshu & Tan Ning (women's doubles) and Feng Yanzhe & Huang Dongping (mixed doubles) completing perfect 3-0 group stage records.
The event highlights Asia's continued dominance in global badminton, with all semifinalists across categories representing Asian nations and regions. Fans worldwide await Saturday's matches, which will determine finalists for Sunday's championship decider.
