Hangzhou — China’s top men’s singles star Shi Yuqi continued his impressive run at the season-ending event by securing a place in the men’s singles final of the 2025 BWF World Tour Finals, defeating Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in straight games.
The world No.1 delivered a composed 21-16, 21-13 victory in the semi-finals, booking his third consecutive appearance in the prestigious year-end final. Having lifted the title last season with a win over Anders Antonsen, Shi now stands one match away from successfully defending his crown.
Watch highlights of Shi Yuqi vs. Kunlavut Vitidsarn here:
Control and Precision Define Shi Yuqi’s Performance
Shi Yuqi made a steady start in the opening game, briefly leading 5-2 before Kunlavut surged ahead with a four-point run. The Chinese shuttler quickly adjusted his tactics, responding with an 8–2 scoring burst to take control at 14-8.
Although Kunlavut closed the gap to 16-19, Shi remained calm under pressure and closed out the game 21-16 with two decisive points.
The second game saw Shi in full command from the outset. He raced to a 4-0 lead and never trailed, maintaining constant pressure through tight net play and accurate rear-court placement. A dominant 6–0 run after Kunlavut narrowed the score to 11-13 effectively sealed the contest, with Shi wrapping up the match 21-13 when his opponent sent a return long.
Final Showdown Against Christo Popov
Shi Yuqi will face France’s Christo Popov in the final after Popov produced a solid straight-games victory over Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the earlier semi-final.
Men’s Doubles Final Set: Korea vs China
In men’s doubles, reigning world champions Seo Seung-jae / Kim Won-ho advanced to the final with an emphatic 21-9, 21-11 win over Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Muhammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani, completing the match in just 28 minutes and extending their head-to-head dominance to three straight victories.
Awaiting them in the final are China’s top pair Liang Weikeng / Wang Chang, who battled past India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy / Chirag Shetty 10-21, 21-17, 21-13 in a high-intensity three-game semi-final.
Seo Seung-jae, who previously won the World Tour Finals in 2023 with Kang Min-hyuk, now has the opportunity to claim his second title with a different partner. Notably, the Korean duo also defeated Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang in the 2023 final, adding extra intrigue to Sunday’s rematch.
With the men’s singles final looming and a heavyweight men’s doubles showdown confirmed, the 2025 BWF World Tour Finals are set for a thrilling conclusion as the world’s best battle for season-ending supremacy in elite international badminton.
