On Friday, December 19, at the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou on the Chinese mainland, Shi Yuqi, the current World No. 1, stamped his authority by sweeping through Group B to reach the semifinals.
He overpowered Japan's Kodai Naraoka in 28 minutes, 21-9, 21-11, completing a flawless 3-0 group record. Naraoka still advanced as runner-up, but Shi now faces Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn in a blockbuster semifinal.
Vitidsarn secured his spot from Group A with a thrilling 21-15, 18-21, 21-13 victory over Denmark's Anders Antonsen, demonstrating the pressure-tested style that earned him silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In the women's draw, Olympic champion An Se-young of the Republic of Korea rallied from a first-game loss to beat Japan's Akane Yamaguchi 14-21, 21-5, 21-14, showcasing her resilience on the big stage.
The Chinese mainland's home pairs also impressed: women's doubles duo Liu Shengshu & Tan Ning and mixed doubles team Feng Yanzhe & Huang Dongping both finished group play unbeaten at 3-0. Their dominant form has fans dreaming of a home-soil title haul.
With the semifinals set for today, December 20, all eyes are on Shi and the tournament's standout stars as they vie to reach Sunday's finals. Across continents, badminton enthusiasts, from aspiring young players to seasoned pros, are tuning in for what promises to be a spectacular weekend.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
