KUNLAVUT Vitidsarn celebrated becoming the first man from Thailand to top the badminton world rankings by winning the Singapore Open in style on Sunday.
The 24-year-old demolished China’s unseeded Lu Guangzu 21-6, 21-10 in just 37 minutes with his range of powerful smashes and deceptive drop shots.
Paris Olympics silver medallist Kunlavut will replace another Chinese player, Shi Yuqi, as world number one in a landmark for Thai badminton.
It was his fourth title this season.
“There will be pressure to be the best player in the world, but it’s going to be a good pressure as that will give me the added motivation of doing my best to win all the tournaments I take part in,“ said Kunlavut, who lost the Paris final to Viktor Axelsen.
Denmark’s two-time Olympic champion Axelsen, the former number one, is currently working his way back to fitness following surgery for a back problem.
In an all-Chinese women’s final at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the fifth seed Chen Yufei outplayed second-seeded Wang Zhiyi 21-11, 21-11.
Chen was runner-up to world number one An Se-young last year.
Chen ended the South Korean’s unbeaten run in 2025 by defeating her in the quarter-finals this year.
“I’m really very happy with this win because the draw was not exactly in my favour and every match felt like a battle,“ said Chen.
“To make it all the way to the final was honestly something unexpected.
“I felt like I was not under too much pressure this time, so I played more freely and showed what I’m capable of.”
