Badminton, BWF World Tour Finals 2024: Home joy for Shi Yuqi and Wang Zhiyi in Hangzhou

Wang Zhiyi caps breakthrough 2024 in style

Two-time Asian champion Wang added a maiden World Tour Finals title to her trophy cabinet, but had to dig deep in a thriller against her Chinese compatriot.

Han converted her third game point to take the opening game with China’s first women’s singles title since Chen Yufei in 2019 up for grabs.

World number two Wang was on the brink at 16-19 down in the second game, but reeled off the next five points to level the match. She carried that momentum into the decider and completed victory in 74 minutes.

It was the 24-year-old’s her fourth BWF World Tour title of 2024 in a year which saw her upset Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Chen to win Asian Championship gold.

There was also Chinese delight in the mixed doubles, as Olympic champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong overcame Malaysian duo Cheng Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei 21-18, 14-21, 21-17. For Zheng, it was a fairytale ending to his career having announced his retirement last month in order to spend more time with his family.

Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen became the first Danish doubles champions in 12 years, as they beat another Malaysian pair in Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin 21-17, 17-21, 21-11.

The women’s doubles champions are Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee of the Republic of Korea, sealing the title in straight sets with a 21-19, 21-14 victory against Paris 2024 bronze medallists Japan’s Matsuyama Nami and Shida Chiharu. Lee became the first player to win women’s doubles titles with different partners having teamed up successfully with Shin Seung-chan in 2020.