Latest news with #KunlavutVitidsarn
Malay Mail
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
New world no. 1 Kunlavut seals Singapore crown in style
Singapore, June 2 — 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.' — AFP
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New world no. 1 Kunlavut seals Singapore crown in style
Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand is the new number one (Roslan RAHMAN) 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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." str/pst
The Star
a day ago
- Sport
- The Star
Thai-phoon! Kunlavut lifts Singapore Open and is set to become world No. 1
Good job: Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn wins at the Singapore Open. - AFP PETALING JAYA: Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn was on top of the world after winning the men's singles title in the Singapore Open in super style. Like the typhoon, Kunlavut came charging in and played cleverly to blow away Lu Guangzu of China 21-6, 21-10 in just 37 minutes to lift the title and confirm his position as the new world No. 1 singles player - the first Thai to do so. The former world champion, currently ranked second behind Shi Yuqi of China in the world ranking, is set to take the top spot when the Badminton World Federation (BWF) publish the new list on Tuesday. Yuqi also became the world No. 1 player last year after winning the Singapore Open. Kunlavut truly deserves the title and status as the world No. 1 as yesterday's final was his fourth this year. He started the year by winning the Indonesian Masters and followed it up with Asian Championships and Thailand Open last week. Said the modest Thai after the win: "I'm truly happy as this had been a great year for me but there's always room for improvement." It was also a good day for Thailand as Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran defeated Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong 21-16, 21-9 to win the mixed doubles title. RESULTS Men's singles: Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt Lu Guangzu (Chn) 21-6, 21-10. Women's singles: Chen Yufei (Chn) bt Wang Zhiyi (Chn) 21-11, 21-11. Women's doubles: Kim Hye-jeong-Kong Hee-yong (Kor) bt Rin Iwanaga-Kie Nakanishi (Jpn) 21-16, 21-14. Mixed doubles: Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran (Tha) bt Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) 21-16, 21-9.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Malaysia's Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik power into Singapore Open semis, heartbreak for Pearly Tan-Thinaah and Leong Jun Hao
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — National men's doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik stormed into the semi-finals of the Singapore Open with a tough 22-20, 21-17 win over Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun at the Singapore Indoor Stadium today. The Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallists needed 33 minutes to dispose of world number seven Wei Chong-Kai Wun. Aaron admitted that the first game was 'quite challenging', saying they faced several crucial points in their effort to defeat their compatriots. 'I think after the first game, we were more calm and relaxed. As you can see, it was much closer in the first game... we had three game points. Luckily, we won the first game,' he said. In tomorrow's semi-final, Aaron-Wooi Yik will take on Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty after the India pair defeated Malaysia's Goh Sze Fei Nor Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani 21-17, 21-15. Earlier, top seeds Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie went going down fighting 19-21, 22-20, 17-21 to Thailand's Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Supissara Paewsampran in a tightly contested 64-minute mixed doubles match. Meanwhile, national men's singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao failed to advance to the semi-finals after being outplayed 13-21, 11-21 by second seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand. There was no joy for Malaysia in women's doubles either when Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah capitulated 21-14, 22-24, 14-21 to China's Zhang Shu Xian-Jia Yi Fan. It was Pearly-Thinaah's second straight loss to Shu Xian-Yi Fan, who also prevailed in the semi-finals of the Malaysia Masters last week. — Bernama
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Jun Hao falls to world champ Kunlavut at Singapore Open
KUALA LUMPUR: Leong Jun Hao's spirited run at the Singapore Open was halted in the quarter-finals by reigning world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn on Friday. The world No. 25 struggled to match the Thai ace, going down 21-13, 21-11 and falling short of surpassing his quarter-final finish from last year's Super 750 tournament. Despite the setback, Jun Hao will head into next week's Indonesia Open with renewed confidence, buoyed by his stunning upset over Indonesia's Jonatan Christie in the round of 16.
