Tag: 2024 Hong Kong Open

Lei Lanxi Upsets Axelsen, Li Shifeng Exits Early
On September 18, in the first round of the 2024 China Badminton Open, Lei Lanxi avenged his loss in last week’s Hong Kong Open final by defeating Viktor Axelsen in a surprise 2-1 (21-19, 17-21, 21-16) victory.
Axelsen’s travel was delayed due to a typhoon passing through Changzhou, and his flight was postponed. He only arrived in Changzhou at 8 p.m. last night and didn’t have time for warm-up training. After the match, Axelsen admitted the external factors affected him: “Because of the typhoon, I didn’t arrive in Changzhou until 8 p.m. yesterday, and I felt a bit fatigued. But I must admit that my opponent played very well today. Congratulations to him on the victory.”
Lei Lanxi attributed his win to his fighting spirit: “This time I was faster than the last match, and with the strong winds in Changzhou, I dared to push the pace and make breakthroughs. The key was fighting for every point and never giving up on any rally.”
In other Chinese men’s singles results, Shi Yuqi advanced with a 2-0 (21-10, 21-19) win over Wang Tzu Wei. Meanwhile, Lu Guangzu lost a close 1-2 (22-24, 21-11, 18-21) match to Li Jiahao, and 4th seed Li Shifeng continued his poor form, losing 0-2 (17-21, 18-21) to Chou Tien Chen. Both Lu and Li were knocked out in the first round.
Li Shifeng noted that although the scores were close, Chou’s aggressive style put him under pressure. Li had opportunities after 11 points but made several critical mistakes, which affected his mentality. After struggling for over half a year, Li hopes to regain his confidence in this new Olympic cycle.
With Viktor Axelsen’s surprising exit and top seed Shi Yuqi still recovering from injury, the men’s singles competition has become more open. Players like Kunlavut Vitidsarn, Anders Antonsen, and Jonatan Christie all have opportunities to claim the title.
Viktor Axelsen
Lei Lan Xi
September 19, 2024
Viktor Axelsen Penalized for Signature Swaying Serve!
In the first round of the 2024 China Badminton Open men’s singles yesterday, Viktor Axelsen faced Lei Lanxi. Right at the start, Axelsen showcased his signature swaying serve. However, the referee wasn’t lenient this time and immediately penalized him a point.
It’s well known that Axelsen often sways side to side during his serve, something that has irritated many players.
Last week, during the quarterfinals of the 2024 Hong Kong Badminton Open, Axelsen played against Chou Tien Chen. At 11-13 in the second game, Chou mimicked Axelsen’s serve by dramatically swaying side to side and pausing for two seconds before serving, showing his discontent.
Although the Badminton World Federation (BWF) doesn’t have specific rules about serve duration, referees have discretionary power. In this match, Irish referee Mois Halpin clearly didn’t want to indulge Axelsen. According to Danish media reports, this is the first time Axelsen’s signature serve has been penalized.
Axelsen immediately approached the referee to argue, to which Halpin responded, “Your serve took too long!”
Axelsen’s serve this time took 4 seconds, which led to the penalty. In the past, his serves had sometimes taken even longer without penalties. This time, even Danish media outlet TV2 didn’t side with Axelsen, with a badminton commentator pointing out that Axelsen had been pushing the limits of the rules for a long time. The BWF seems keen to crack down on such serving behaviors, and the referee’s decision serves as a warning to Axelsen that this issue is now on their radar.
After losing the point due to his serve at the beginning, Axelsen noticeably sped up his serves for the rest of the match.
Chou Tien Chen
Viktor Axelsen
Lei Lan Xi
September 19, 2024
Chou Tien-Chen Mimics Viktor Axelsen’s Serving Routine
It is well-known that Viktor Axelsen’s serving routine, with his frequent side-to-side movements, can frustrate and irritate many opponents.
In the quarterfinals of the 2024 Hong Kong Open, during the match between Axelsen and Chou Tien-Chen, Chou began to mimic Axelsen’s serving routine in the second game when the score was 11-13. Chou executed exaggerated side-to-side movements before serving and paused for 2 seconds, seemingly expressing his frustration.
Axelsen was visibly upset by this. After scoring a point with a smash, he walked to the net and clenched his fist in anger.
Danish media reported that Chou Tien-Chen’s imitation of Axelsen’s serving routine created a tense atmosphere on the court, indicating a provocation towards Axelsen.
Despite this, Axelsen was not affected and won the match with scores of 21-15, 21-14.
Viktor Axelsen
Chou Tien Chen
September 18, 2024
Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin secure upset at Hong Kong open
Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin achieved an unexpected victory in the Mixed Doubles final at the 2024 Hong Kong Open, held at the Hong Kong Coliseum. They defeated the top seeds Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping in a tight match, winning 21-17, 21-19 to claim their fourth BWF World Tour title this year.
This win marks Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Ya Xin‘s second Super500 title of the year, following their earlier triumph at the Australian Open in June. They had also won the Indonesia Open (Super1000) and Japan Open (Super750) earlier in the season.
In other results, Han Yue brought another title for China by winning the Women’s Singles. She defeated Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia with scores of 21-18, 21-7 in just 35 minutes. Han Yue, the third seed and world No. 7, faced minimal resistance in the final.
Indonesia faced setbacks in both finals, including the Men’s Doubles where Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani lost to South Korea’s Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae. The Korean duo, currently ranked No. 5 in the world, redeemed themselves after their loss at the Korea Open by securing their second BWF World Tour title of the year with a 21-13, 21-17 win.
In the Women’s Doubles, Malaysia’s Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah triumphed over the world No. 3 pair Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning, winning 21-14, 21-14 to earn their third BWF World Tour title.
Finally, Olympic champion and world No. 2 Viktor Axelsen clinched the Men’s Singles title by defeating Lei Lan Xi of China 21-9, 21-12. This victory marks Axelsen‘s second BWF World Tour title this year, following his win at the Malaysia Masters.
Viktor Axelsen
Huang Dong Ping
Wei Ya Xin
Jiang Zhen Bang
September 17, 2024
Axelsen secures Hong Kong open title
Viktor Axelsen has finally added the Hong Kong Open to his list of achievements, clinching one of the few BWF Super Series titles that had previously eluded him.
Throughout the tournament, Axelsen demonstrated exceptional form, culminating in a commanding win over China’s surprising finalist, Lei Lan Xi, with scores of 21-9 and 21-12 in the final. “I’m thrilled to have won this tournament, as my celebrations showed,” Axelsen said. “This was one of the tournaments I hadn’t won before, so finally achieving it is a fantastic feeling.”
Reflecting on his performance, Axelsen noted, “I maintained a consistent level throughout the match, with only a few errors at the beginning of the second game. Overall, it was a superb final.”
Axelsen will now turn his attention to the Super 1000 VICTOR China Open 2024, where he will defend his title this week.
Viktor Axelsen
Lei Lan Xi
September 17, 2024
Pearly-Thinaah face tough quarter-final clash against Indonesia’s second-ranked pair
Malaysian women’s doubles shuttlers Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah are in for a challenge as they face Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Amalia Cahaya Pratiwi in the quarter-finals of the Hong Kong Open today.
While Febriana and Amalia may not be as prominent as their compatriots Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia, they have been making steady progress this year and are currently in strong form.
The Indonesian pair has reached four finals this year, winning the Taiwan Open and Australian Open in June, and finishing as runners-up at the Thailand Open and Spain Masters.
They also secured the gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.
Febriana and Amalia have climbed from No. 19 to No. 12 in the world rankings, just two spots behind Apriyani and Fadia.
However, based on head-to-head encounters, Pearly and Thinaah, ranked No. 8 globally, have the upper hand, having defeated the Indonesian pair in three out of their four previous meetings.
Febriana and Amalia’s only victory over Pearly and Thinaah came at the 2021 Indonesian Open.
Pearly and Thinaah are also currently enjoying some of their best performances, finishing as runners-up at the Korean Open just two weeks ago.
Yesterday, the Malaysian pair comfortably overcame local duo Lui Lok Lok and Tsang Hiu Yan 21-16, 21-14 at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Kowloon, securing their spot in the quarter-finals.
Thinaah Muralitharan
TAN Pearly
September 13, 2024
Ratchanok Intanon: ‘I’LL GIVE IT TWO MORE YEARS’
After being hesitant to discuss her retirement plans, Ratchanok Intanon has now confirmed that she plans to stay on the badminton circuit for at least another two years.
She made the announcement at the LI-NING Hong Kong Open 2024, right after defeating Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, the same opponent who ended her Olympic Games run in the quarterfinals last month.
“Badminton has been nearly half of my life. Now, I just want to enjoy what remains of my career,” said the 29-year-old following her 21-12, 15-21, 21-10 victory, which advanced her to the quarterfinals of a Super 500 event for the first time since the Indonesia Masters in January.
“I don’t have high goals. I’ll aim for two more years, targeting the Asian Games (in Nagoya, Japan). I want to stay healthy and not put pressure on myself anymore. I want to keep smiling, even when the results don’t go my way.”
Intanon also shared that she had been focusing on muscle strengthening to deal with her left ankle issue, which had affected both her form and confidence. She chose this path instead of surgery.
“It’s been like a cycle. I had to withdraw last year (against Goh Jin Wei) at this same tournament. I feel I’m physically better now, not just compared to last year but also to the start of this year,” said the 2013 world champion.
“That’s because I’ve gained muscle through weight training, which has made me stronger. It might make me look heavier, but it has given me more power. I need strong ankles for my style of play.
“Choosing not to undergo surgery slowed the recovery, but it was the right decision.”
Intanon, who is set to face Japan’s Tomoka Miyazaki next, is joined in the quarterfinals by fellow Thai players Busanan Ongbamrungphan and Pornpawee Chochuwong. Both won their matches in straight games, defeating Yeo Jia Min and Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi, respectively.
As a side note, Sujitra Ekmongkolpaisarn remains the only Thai player to have won the women’s singles title at this event, which she did in 2001.
Goh Jin Wei
Ratchanok Intanon
September 13, 2024
Pang Ron-Su Yin reach quarter-finals, showing progress
Mixed doubles pair Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin impressed in the Hong Kong Open, reaching the quarter-finals of a World Tour Super 500 event for the first time. They hope to build on this momentum.
Since being paired last November, Pang Ron-Su Yin had struggled in higher-tier tournaments, but they finally made a breakthrough yesterday at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Kowloon, defeating Taiwan’s Lin Bing-wei-Lin Chih-chun 21-14, 21-15.
A day earlier, the world No. 40 pair stunned Singapore’s world No. 15 Terry Hee-Jessica Tan in the opening match.
Before this year, Pang Ron-Su Yin only made it past the early rounds once in the Super 300 Orleans Masters, where they reached the semi-finals. Pang Ron expressed his satisfaction with their performance in Hong Kong, saying that he believes they are heading in the right direction.
“Su Yin and I controlled the game better today (yesterday) compared to the first round,” Pang Ron said. “We tried to minimize mistakes, and eventually, things improved for us. This has boosted our confidence. Of course, we still have a lot to work on, but at least we know we’re on the right path. Our partnership is getting stronger day by day.”
However, Pang Ron-Su Yin now face a tough challenge in the quarter-finals today against China’s top seeds Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping.
Meanwhile, Korean Open champions Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei have also advanced to the quarter-finals. Tang Jie-Ee Wei won the first game 21-14 and led 4-1 in the second against home pair Reginald Lee-Ng Tsz Yau when the latter retired due to injury.
The world No. 9 Malaysians will next face China’s world No. 49 Guo Xinwa-Chen Fanghui for a place in the semi-finals.
Tang Jie-Ee Wei had defeated Guo Xinwa and his former partner Li Qian in the Korean Open final two weeks ago.
In men’s singles, Leong Jun Hao narrowly missed an opportunity as he lost 14-21, 21-15, 22-24 to Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu. The world No. 29 made a strong comeback to win the second game after dropping the first to the world No. 15, but could not hold on despite leading 12-5 in the decider and squandering two match points at 20-19 and 21-20.
September 13, 2024
Axelsen Aims for Another Triumph Post-Olympics Success
Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen is set to make a highly anticipated return to the men’s singles competition at the Hong Kong Open, which kicks off today.
This will be Axelsen’s first tournament appearance since his triumph at the Paris Olympics, where he successfully defended his gold medal last month.
The world No. 2 has been sharing clips of his training in Hong Kong on social media.
“Finally here in Hong Kong! Feels good to be back,” posted Axelsen, who seemed full of energy while practicing his shots on court.
Axelsen aims to keep up his winning momentum, having already secured his first World Tour title of the year at the Malaysian Masters in May.
Despite a few challenging tournaments before the Olympics, Axelsen once again proved his championship mettle by dominating Thailand’s world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-11, 21-11 in the final to clinch his second Olympic gold.
On his way to the title, Axelsen also comfortably dispatched Singapore’s 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew and India’s 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Lakshya Sen.
The 30-year-old became the second men’s singles player to defend his Olympic title, following China’s Lin Dan, who accomplished this feat in 2008 and 2012.
Axelsen has not ruled out competing for a record-breaking third gold in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if he can maintain his fitness and form.
In Hong Kong, Axelsen finds himself in the lower half of the draw, with a tricky first-round match against local star Angus Ng Ka Long.
Other top 10 contenders in the same half include Taiwan’s world No. 9 Chou Tien-chen and Indonesia’s world No. 10 Anthony Ginting. A potential quarter-final against Tien-chen and a semi-final clash with Ginting could be in the cards for Axelsen.
With China’s world No. 1 Shi Yuqi withdrawing from the tournament, the top half of the draw is more open, giving Indonesia’s world No. 3 Jonatan Christie and Japan’s world No. 7 Kodai Naraoka a clearer path to the final.
In the absence of Malaysia’s world No. 4 Lee Zii Jia, world No. 29 Leong Jun Hao will carry his country’s hopes. Jun Hao begins his campaign against a qualifier, with a second-round match against China’s Lu Guangzu or Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu awaiting him.
Two other Malaysians, Justin Hoh and independent player Cheam June Wei, have also made it to the main draw from the qualifiers. Justin, making his Super 500 debut, will face Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke in the opening round, while June Wei is set to meet Frenchman Christo Popov.
September 12, 2024
Justin Battles Gemke in a Thrilling Match at Hong Kong Open, Then Bows Out
Malaysian men’s singles player Justin Hoh (pictured) fought valiantly in his first-round match against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke at the Hong Kong Open yesterday, but was ultimately eliminated.
Justin, whose world ranking recently climbed to No. 57, did not make it easy for the world No. 26 Gemke. The match at the Hong Kong Coliseum stretched for an hour and 10 minutes, with Justin eventually falling 7-21, 23-21, 18-21.
This marked the second time the 20-year-old Justin has faced Gemke, with both encounters ending in defeats. Their clash in the Thomas Cup group stage earlier this year was also a marathon, lasting 1 hour and 16 minutes.
Justin’s ranking has risen rapidly after reaching the quarterfinals of the Super 300 Taiwan Open on the World Tour recently.
Also exiting in the first round was Ng Tze Yong, who lost 19-21, 10-21 to France’s Christo Popov.
In mixed doubles, Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie advanced to the second round after a swift 27-minute victory, defeating South Korea’s Ko Sung Hyun and Eom Hye Won 21-11, 21-14.
The Malaysian pair, ranked No. 12 in the world, will face India’s Sumit Reddy and Sikki Reddy in today’s second round.
Joining them in the mixed doubles bracket are Hoo Pang Ron and Cheng Su Yin, who beat Singapore’s Terry Hee and Jessica Tan 21-17, 21-16, while Yap Roy King and Valeree Siow also progressed with a 21-11, 21-16 win over Hong Kong’s Deng Chi Fai and Leung Yuet Yee.
However, veteran mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon and Lai Pei Jing were eliminated after a 21-18, 14-21, 11-21 loss to China’s Cheng Xingzhang and Zhang Xingzhang.
In men’s doubles, national players Lin Zhi Jian and Wong Tien Ci came from behind to defeat Taiwan’s Liu Kuan Heng and Yang Po Han 13-21, 21-14, 21-16.
They will face third-seeded Korean duo Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae, who defeated Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani 21-12, 21-17. Women’s singles player Goh Jin Wei also ended her campaign in the first round, losing 7-21, 22-24 to South Korea’s Kim Ga Eun.
HOH Justin
September 12, 2024
Mixed Results for European Players at 2024 Hong Kong Open
The opening two days of the 2024 LI-NING Hong Kong Open have been full of ups and downs for European badminton players.
Day one saw an unexpected early exit from top-seeded pair Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen. On the second day, European athletes experienced a similar blend of successes and setbacks.
While Christo Popov, Line Højmark Kjærsfeldt, Rasmus Gemke, Mads Vestergaard/Christine Busch, and Viktor Axelsen progressed to the Round of 16, notable players like Toma Junior Popov and Mia Blichfeldt were knocked out of the competition.
Anders Skaarup Rasmussen
Kim Astrup
Viktor Axelsen
September 12, 2024
Hong Kong Open: Gunawan Seeks Breakthrough
Ranked 56th in the world, Jason Gunawan has achieved several victories in his budding career, the most recent being in the first round of the 2024 Li-Ning Hong Kong Open.
His victim, Kenta Nishimoto, is ranked 45 spots higher than Gunawan and shares the leaderboard with Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo and four-time Olympian Misha Zilberman.
However, Gunawan has yet to reach the quarterfinals of an HSBC BWF World Tour event, a goal he is targeting at his home tournament this year.
“For me, it’s been a good season. I’ve surprised some higher-ranked opponents, but I haven’t been able to reach the semifinals or make back-to-back quarterfinals,” the 20-year-old said after defeating Nishimoto 21-13, 21-18. “I hope I can do better in the coming months, starting with this tournament.”
When asked what it would take to make that next step, Gunawan responded: Patience. It all depends on patience.
“It’s much tougher playing against top players, and you feel more fatigued from using too much energy. Maybe my recovery isn’t good enough yet. I need to learn to do better in the future, and that’s something I want to improve.”
Gunawan has lofty ambitions. Reflecting on his win against Nishimoto, Gunawan said: “It’s unbelievable. I just focused on every point and didn’t think about winning or losing. I wanted to challenge my opponent and do my best.
“I was mentally prepared for a three-game match. He chased every ball, which I didn’t expect, but I hope to do better tomorrow.”
To reach the quarterfinals, Gunawan will need to defeat French player Christo Popov, ranked 28th in the world, who overcame Malaysia’s Cheam June Wei 21-19, 21-10.
Chico Aura DWI WARDOYO
September 12, 2024