Latest news with #LeeCheukYiu
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Double Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen set to chase record Hong Kong Open jackpot
Organisers of the Li-Ning Hong Kong Open have staged a coup by persuading double badminton Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen to defend his title when the tournament returns next month. Advertisement In his first competition after claiming his second straight Olympic gold in Paris last summer, Dane Axelsen broke his Hong Kong duck by beating China's Lei Lanxi in a one-sided final. For this year's event, set for Hong Kong Coliseum from September 9 to 14, Axelsen will be joined in a loaded men's draw by China's world No 1, Shi Yuqi. The dramatic thunderstorms on Tuesday washed out a planned press conference, but not the enthusiasm of organisers, who anticipated the six-day event sparking a 'new wave of sporting excitement in Hong Kong'. The Hong Kong men's charge will be led by world No 13 and 2019 champion Lee Cheuk-yiu, along with Angus Ng Ka-long, who became the first home winner in 2016, and Jason Gunawan, a quarter-finalist last year. Hong Kong's Happy Lo in action at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Photo: AFP Hong Kong could be the stage for Dubai-based Axelsen's return to action after he had surgery in April to cure long-standing back problems.
Reuters
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
China's Shi reaches Indonesian Open quarter-finals, home hopes exit
June 5 (Reuters) - World number two and top seed Shi Yuqi eased past Yushi Tanaka 21-14 21-7 in the round of 16 at the Indonesia Open on Thursday, while local hope Jonatan Christie lost to Lee Cheuk Yiu. Defending champion Shi, who won the Malaysia and All-England Opens this year, took 36 minutes to defeat Japanese Tanaka and set up a quarter-final against compatriot Wang Zhengxing. Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the world number one, also progressed to the last eight with a 21-10 21-17 win over Lee Chia-hao. In the women's draw, world number one An Se-Young was similarly dominant, beating fellow South Korean Kim Ga-Eun 21-7 21-11, while India's twice Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu lost to Thai Pornpawee Chochuwong. Indonesia will not have any representative in the men's quarter-finals after Christie and Alwi Farhan both suffered defeats. Fifth-seeded Christie, who last won a Super 1000 title at the 2024 All-England Open, appeared to be cruising after taking the first game comfortably, but Hong Kong's Lee rallied to clinch a 12-21 21-12 21-10 win. "There was a lot of pressure on me. When I hit the shuttle I couldn't even hear the sound – the crowd was so loud. So I'm so happy to win this match," Lee said. "I had to calm down and start from zero, and forget what happened in the first game. I just tried to avoid mistakes and had to be patient. "It was a great experience. It was almost like playing at home in Hong Kong. I'm proud of myself. I'm happy I could do it, because my mentality is my weak side." Farhan put up a fight against third-ranked Dane Anders Antonsen, losing 21-16 18-21 21-14.
