Shifeng makes Malaysia Masters history
KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 4 Li Shifeng made history as the first Chinese shuttler to win the Malaysia Masters men's singles title.
Shifeng defeated India's former world No. 1 K. Srikanth 21-11, 21-9 in just 36 minutes at the Axiata Arena today.
Shi Feng said he was surprised to learn that he was the first shuttler from China to win the men's crown.
And he was more relieved to land his first World Tour title of the year after falling in the semi-final stage of three consecutive tournaments prior to the Malaysia Masters.
"I didn't expect to be the first (winner from China) at this event because I wasn't really paying attention to who had won it before. But I think it's a very good start," said Shi Feng.
"It's an encouragement and a relief. I haven't won a title in a long time.
"But there's still a big gap with the top players as I haven't won titles at Super 1000-level or major competitions like the World Championships."
Previously, Shifeng's last tournament win was the Super 500 Kumamoto Masters in November, last year.
Despite his defeat, world No. 65 Srikanth produced a commendable performance at the Malaysia Masters, battling his way from the qualifying rounds to the final. It was the Indian's first final appearance since finishing runner-up to Singaporean Loh Kean Yew in the 2021 World Championships.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysia Sun
2 hours ago
- Malaysia Sun
Chinese shuttlers win women's doubles at 2025 Indonesia Open
Xinhua 08 Jun 2025, 18:45 GMT+10 JAKARTA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese shuttlers Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning won gold in the women's doubles on Sunday at the 2025 Indonesia Open, while Wang Zhiyi claimed silver in the women's singles. The Chinese pair triumphed over Malaysia's Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan in a three-set thriller, 23-25, 21-12, 21-19. Meanwhile, women's singles world No. 2 Wang secured the silver medal after falling to Paris Olympic champion An Se-young of South Korea. The final was full of rallies that tested the nerves and stamina of both players, ending with a scoreline of 13-21, 21-19, 21-15. The 2025 Indonesia Open was held at Istora Senayan Stadium in Jakarta, with total prize money amounting to 1.45 million U.S. dollars.
![[Watch] Hearts Over Hardware: Pearly-Thinaah's Glorious Defeat In Indonesia Open 2025](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.therakyatpost.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2FUntitled1-1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Watch] Hearts Over Hardware: Pearly-Thinaah's Glorious Defeat In Indonesia Open 2025](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ftherakyatpost.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Rakyat Post
4 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
[Watch] Hearts Over Hardware: Pearly-Thinaah's Glorious Defeat In Indonesia Open 2025
Subscribe to our FREE Sometimes losing feels a lot like winning, and Malaysia's badminton darlings Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah just proved exactly that at the Indonesia Open 2025. The dynamic duo fell short of their maiden Super 1000 title dream, succumbing to world number one Chinese pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning in a nail-biting three-set thriller that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Final score: 25-23, 12-21, 19-21. But here's the thing about great defeats—they sometimes shine brighter than hollow victories. After bulldozing through Li Yi Jing and Luo Xu Min in the semifinals, the Thailand Open champions walked into Sunday's final carrying the hopes of a nation that hadn't seen a women's doubles champion at this tournament since Chin Ee Hui and Wong Pei Tty claimed glory back in 2009. The match was pure theatre. Pearly-Thinaah stumbled early in the first set, trailing 6-11 before clawing back to level at 16-16. What followed was badminton at its most brutal and beautiful—two pairs trading blows until Malaysia's finest edged ahead 25-23. The Heartbreak Set: When Dreams Meet Reality The second set belonged to the Chinese world beaters, who surged to a commanding 14-8 lead and never looked back, closing out 21-12 to force a decider. The final set was where legends are made and hearts are broken. Pearly-Thinaah found their rhythm again, leading 10-7, but sport has a cruel sense of timing. The scores locked at 15-15, and from there it became a test of nerves as much as skill. In the end, experience trumped ambition by the narrowest of margins—21-19 to the Chinese pair. When the Nation Speaks 'Malaysia is proud of both of you,' perfectly captured the national sentiment, while others emphasised the quality of the opposition. It's okay, Pearly/Thinaah, what's important is that you fought, and you weren't facing ordinary opponents. The drama had fans literally on the edge of cardiac arrest, with comments about 'almost having a heart attack watching' flooding the feeds. Some couldn't help but notice how hard-fought the victory was for the Chinese pair: 'The Chinese pair really had to sweat to win today.' The cruel timing wasn't lost on supporters either: 'Already leading 9-4 in the third set… just wasn't meant to be.' But the optimism shone through: 'Excellent, if they play like this, there's hope for an Olympic medal.' Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah share a heartwarming moment with fans during a meet-and-greet session by Etihad Airways at the Axiata Arena during the recent Perodua Malaysia Masters 2025. The duo's approachable nature and connection with supporters continue to endear them to badminton enthusiasts across the nation. (Pix: Fernando Fong) The Bigger Picture Sure, they didn't get the trophy. But the In a sport where margins are measured in millimetres and milliseconds, they proved they belong at the very top table. The fans' reaction says it all—this wasn't a defeat that deflated a nation, but a performance that elevated it. When your 'loss' generates more pride than most victories, you know you've achieved something remarkable. Sometimes the real victory isn't the hardware you take home—it's the hearts you win along the way. READ MORE : Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
The Sun
6 hours ago
- The Sun
Antonsen, An Se-young Win Indonesia Open 2025 Titles
BADMINTON world number three Anders Antonsen clinched his first Indonesia Open title on Sunday after beating Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan, while South Korea's An Se-young won her second championship in Jakarta. The 28-year-old Dane sank world number seven Chou at the Indonesian capital's Istora Senayan arena, winning 22-20, 21-14 in a 60-minute match to secure the prestigious Super 1000 event. Antonsen came out on top in a tightly contested first game before cruising to victory in the second. The Danish shuttler said he was thrilled to win the Indonesia Open title but declared he was 'hungry for more' trophies. 'I'm winning a Super 1000, one of the absolute biggest tournaments of the year,' Antonsen told reporters. 'It's incredible. I'm so grateful for how this place has changed my life many, many times.' In a more closely fought women's singles final, South Korean ace and world number one An fought back from one game down to beat China's Wang Zhi Yi in three games. She beat her Chinese rival 13-21, 21-19, 21-15 in 81 minutes. An, the 2024 Olympic gold medallist, said she was 'happy' to win another Indonesia Open title after securing her first in 2021. 'It was a weird game, a difficult game. But fortunately, I can find my own confidence and never gave up,' An told reporters through an interpreter. French mixed doubles pair Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue triumphed against Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran. The pair, ranked 10th in the world, beat the sixth-ranked Thai pair 21-16, 21-18 in a 48-minute match, securing France's first Super 1000 title.
