PETALING JAYA: World No. 1 Shi Yuqi of China is still unsure how he will spend the 1.2 million yuan (RM692,600) prize money after claiming the King’s Cup title.
Yuqi produced a commanding performance to defeat defending champion Anders Antonsen of Denmark 22-20, 21-7, bringing the 2025 season to a spectacular close, at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center on Sunday.
Antonsen, though unable to retain his crown, still had reason to smile, pocketing 600,000 yuan (RM346,300) for finishing as runner-up.
“I think it’s hard to say. I’m still waiting for an opportunity to see what I need in my daily life,” Yuqi said after the match.
Third place went to Alex Lanier of France, who edged past Jonatan Christie of Indonesia 21-17, 21-19.
The invitational, organised by world legend Lin Dan, also featured other top names such as Japanese star Kento Momota, Singapore’s Jason Teh, Canada’s Victor Lai, and rising Chinese talent Liu Yang Mingyu.
The victory will also serve as a major boost for Yuqi as he prepares for the first tournament of the 2026 season, the Malaysian Open, which kicks off in less than 10 days.
For the record, he is the defending champion of this year’s event, having ironically defeated Antonsen in the final 21-8, 21-15.
There is, however, some concern over Yuqi’s recovery time, as the 2025 season has only just concluded, while other players have already had a longer break before the new season.
On top of that, he suffered an ankle injury last November at the National Games in China, and just last week he faced a tough battle against Christo Popov at the World Tour Finals, ultimately finishing as runner-up.
“That injury hasn’t affected me, but once I’m on the court, I give my full focus to the match. With medication, treatment, and complete concentration, the pain is barely noticeable,” said Yuqi.
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