HANGZHOU, China: Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and home favorite Shi Yuqi beat their opponents in straight sets to storm into the men’s singles final, while Chinese mixed doubles pairs secured the title at the 2023 BWF World Tour Finals here on Saturday.
Axelsen smashed his compatriot Anders Antonsen 21-9, 21-14 in the semifinals. The world No. 1 will next face Shi, who ousted Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie 21-16, 21-15 in 55 minutes, reported Xinhua.
In the women’s singles, Rio 2016 champion Carolina Marin of Spain sailed into the final after an intense 72-minute battle with Tokyo 2020 winner Chen Yufei of China.
After losing the first game 17-21, Chen came back to level by taking the second 21-19. In the decisive game, the Spanish veteran regrouped herself and clinched a 21-13 victory.
“I haven’t played a match as long as this one for quite a while, and I lost my form a bit near the end,“ said Chen.
Marin will meet in the final three-time Finals winner Tai Tzu-ying of Chinese Taipei, who eliminated world No. 1 An Se-young of South Korea 19-21, 21-15, 22-20.
In the men’s doubles, world No. 1 Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang of China reached the final after taking down Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto 22-20, 12-21, 21-16. Their opponents in the final will be world champions Kang Min Hyuk/Seo Seung Jae of South Korea, who knocked out Liu Yu Chen/Ou Xuan Yi of China in straight sets.
“We were a bit overexcited while leading in the third game. By communicating with each other, we found our rhythm back,“ said Liang.
In the women’s doubles, China’s defending champions Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan notched a straight-set win over compatriots Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning, heading for their fourth season finale title. In the final, they will take on Baek Ha-na/Lee So-hee of South Korea.
Mixed doubles world No. 1 and defending champions Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong of China only needed 38 minutes to ease past world champions Seo Seung-Jae/Chae Yu-jung of South Korea 21-12, 21-5.
Zheng and Huang will face another Chinese pair – Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping, who beat Japan’s Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino 21-19, 23-21.
The finals will be held on Sunday. –Bernama-Xinhua
