SINGAPORE: Kunlavut Vitidsarn celebrated becoming the first man from Thailand to top the badminton world rankings by winning the Singapore Open in style on Sunday. The 24-year-old demolished China´s unseeded Lu Guangzu 21-6, 21-10 in just 37 minutes with his range of powerful smashes and deceptive drop shots.
Paris Olympics silver medallist Kunlavut will replace another Chinese player, Shi Yuqi, as world number one in a landmark for Thai badminton. It was his fourth title this season. “There will be pressure to be the best player in the world, but it´s going to be a good pressure as that will give me the added motivation of doing my best to win all the tournaments I take part in,” said Kunlavut, who lost the Paris final to Viktor Axelsen.
Denmark´s two-time Olympic champion Axelsen, the former number one, is currently working his way back to fitness following surgery for a back problem. In an all-Chinese women´s final at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the fifth seed Chen Yufei outplayed second-seeded Wang Zhiyi 21-11, 21-11.
Chen was runner-up to world number one An Se-young last year. Chen ended the South Korean´s unbeaten run in 2025 by defeating her in the quarter-finals this year. “I´m really very happy with this win because the draw was not exactly in my favour and every match felt like a battle,” said Chen.