BIRMINGHAM, England – Kunlavut Vitidsarn’s quest for a maiden All-England Open title remains unfulfilled after a stunning semi-final defeat to Taiwan’s Lin Chun-yi on Saturday. Meanwhile, Taiwan experienced a day of double success, with Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan also reaching their first All-England final in mixed doubles.
The 2023 world champion and Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist, Vitidsarn, struggled to find his rhythm against Lin, falling 21-14, 18-21, 21-16 in a 78-minute match at the Utilita Arena Birmingham. The loss extends a frustrating run for the Thai star at the prestigious tournament. This year’s competition has already seen several seeded players fall by the wayside, but few anticipated Vitidsarn joining them before the final.
Lin, 26, delivered a composed performance, showcasing resilience after dropping the second game. His victory marks his first appearance in a Super 1000 final, building on his recent success at the Indian Open last month where he defeated Jonatan Christie of Indonesia. He will now face India’s Lakshya Sen in Sunday’s championship match, hoping to add another significant title to his growing resume.
Sen, 24, secured his spot in the final after a hard-fought victory over Canada’s Victor Lai, 21-16, 18-21, 21-15. Sen demonstrated his ability to recover after a mid-match dip, regaining control in the deciding game. Notably, Sen had already caused a stir earlier in the tournament by defeating defending champion Shi Yuqi in the opening round, opening up the men’s draw considerably.
The upsets didn’t stop there in the early stages of the tournament. Denmark’s Anders Antonsen, another highly-ranked player, also exited in the first round, contributing to a wide-open field.
Even as the men’s singles draw has been full of surprises, the women’s competition remains largely predictable. Top seed An Se-young of South Korea, along with Wang Zhiyi, Chen Yufei, and Akane Yamaguchi, all advanced to the semi-finals, suggesting a familiar lineup will contest the women’s title. An will face Chen in one semi-final, while Yamaguchi takes on Wang in the other.
Adding to Taiwan’s success, the mixed doubles pairing of Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan overcame Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong 16-21, 21-15, 21-13 to reach their first All-England final. They will face France’s Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue, who themselves pulled off an upset by defeating China’s Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui 11-21, 21-18, 21-12.
The All-England Open continues to present a unique challenge for even the world’s top badminton players. For Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the elusive title remains out of reach, while Lin Chun-yi and the Taiwanese duo have seized their opportunities to compete for championship glory on Sunday.
The men’s singles final between Lin Chun-yi and Lakshya Sen is scheduled for Sunday, March 8th. Fans can follow live updates and results on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) website.
