KUALA LUMPUR – Shi Yuqi left no room for error as he easily dismantled Anders Antonsen to claim his first-ever Malaysia Open title.
In a repeat of last year’s men’s singles final, the Chinese shuttler exacted revenge on the Dane, securing a routine 21-8, 21-15 victory to clinch the title in front of a full crowd at Axiata Arena today.
The 28-year-old was in formidable form, dominating the second seed with a crushing first game and sealing the match with ease to kick off his 2025 campaign in style. He took home the prize money of USD 1,450,000 (RM 6,522,867).
Speaking to reporters after his triumph, Yuqi reflected on his preparation for the final, specifically anticipating his opponent’s winning mentality.
“I’m very happy, definitely very happy, because it’s been a while since a Chinese men’s singles player won a title in Malaysia. Last year, when I played against him, he was in excellent form. Today, I reflected on our past encounters, including the final in Hangzhou.
“The last time we played, I defeated him (in the final), so I knew he would want to win this time. I made sure to prepare thoroughly for this match,” said Yuqi during a post-match interview.
Yuqi also noted improvements in his overall performance, including his mentality and observational skills on the court.
“My performance now is slightly better than before,” he said. “I’ve made improvements, especially in my mentality and my ability to read the game.”
Reflecting on his defeat, Antonsen acknowledged that his opponent was on another level during the final.
“Though I’m happy with my overall performance at the Malaysia Open, I have to admit that Shi was better than me today. It just wasn’t my day, but I hope to perform better in my other tournaments,” said Antonsen.
Meanwhile, Paris Olympics gold medallist An Se-young started her year strong by securing her second consecutive title, easily defeating China’s Wang Zhi Yi 21-17, 21-7 in just 45 minutes.
The victory was especially sweet as it broke a two-match losing streak against the world number one, including a semi-final defeat at last month’s World Tour Finals in Hangzhou.
By claiming her second consecutive Malaysia Open crown, Se-young became the first South Korean women’s singles player to win back-to-back editions of the 88-year-old tournament.
“I’m very happy, and starting the new year with such an achievement feels refreshing,” said Se-young.
“I learned a lot from those losses against Zhi Yi. The key was to quickly forget about them and take away the lessons. It’s important not to dwell on the past. I just wanted to play with full confidence and enjoy the match, which led to my victory today.”
In the men’s doubles category, South Korea’s Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae had to work hard to defeat China’s Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi 21-19, 12-21, 21-12 to claim the title.
In the women’s doubles, Japan’s Fukushima Yuki and Matsumoto Mayu triumphed in a three-game thriller, coming from a game down to beat Paris 2024 champions Jia Yifan and her new partner Zhang Shuxian 17-21, 21-15, 21-15.
Thailand celebrated their first Malaysia Open victory in the mixed doubles category, with world number 58-ranked Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran shocking the Axiata Arena crowd.
The pair defeated China’s world number one duo Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping 21-13, 19-21, 21-18 to claim the title. — January 12, 2025