This week, the final BWF World Tour Tournament of the year will take place in Shenzhen, China, featuring a who's who of the world's top badminton players.
Nearly all of the top 10 players across various categories are set to compete, with crucial ranking points up for grabs to secure a spot in the prestigious World Tour Finals later this year, where the prize pool stands at a staggering $2.5 million.
Women’s Singles
In Women’s Singles, An Se Young will be playing her second tournament since the Olympics, following her runner-up finish at the Denmark Open. However, she faces fierce competition, particularly from Akane Yamaguchi, who is coming off a tournament win on her home turf in Japan last week. Whether Yamaguchi can maintain her momentum after a grueling week of matches remains to be seen.
The Europeans in this category will have their work cut out for them. Mia Blichfeldt faces a challenging first-round match against Yamaguchi, while Yvonne Li takes on Tai Tzu Ying. Additionally, Line Kjaersfeldt and Line Christophersen will also be competing.
Men’s Singles
From Europe, Viktor Axelsen will look to bounce back after his run was cut short in last week’s Japan Masters by Li Shi Feng, who went on to win the tournament. Anders Antonsen also joins the fray, competing in his first tournament of the Asian leg and his first since triumphing at the Denmark Open.
Meanwhile, the French squad featuring Toma Junior Popov, Christo Popov, and Alex Lanier, will also be in action. They’ll be joined by Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke.
Men’s Doubles
In Men’s Doubles, Kim Astrup / Anders Rasmussen return to the court, leading the European contingent. They'll be joined by the Popov brothers, as well as three Danish pairs: Rasmus Kjær / Frederik Søgaard, Andreas Søndergaard / Jesper Toft, and Daniel Lundgaard / Mads Vestergaard.
Mixed Doubles
In Mixed Doubles, Thom Gicquel / Delphine Delrue come into the tournament fresh off a strong showing last week, where they finished as runners-up. They will aim to cap off the year on a high note. Joining them are the Dutch/Danish pair Robin Tabeling / Alexandra Bøje, the English duo Gregory Mairs / Jenny Mairs, and Denmark's Jesper Toft / Amalie Magelund.
Women’s Doubles
The sole European representation in Women’s Doubles comes from the reigning European Champion, Margot Lambert, who teams up once again with Camille Pognante. They face a tough challenge in their opening match against the top-seeded pair Baek Ha Na / Lee So Hee.
Tournament Schedule
Tuesday, 19th November - Round of 32
Start: 09:00 (Local time) / 02:00 CET
Wednesday, 20th November - Round of 16
Start: 09:00 (Local time) / 02:00 CET
Thursday, 21st November - Second Round
Start: 09:00 (Local time) / 02:00 CET
Friday, 22nd November - Quarter-finals
Session 1 Start: 10:00 (Local time) / 03:00 CET
Session 2 Start: 17:00 (Local time) / 10:00 CET
Saturday, 23rd November - Semi-finals
Session 1 Start: 10:00 (Local time) / 03:00 CET
Session 2 Start: 17:00 (Local time) / 10:00 CET
Sunday, 24th November - Finals
Start: 13:00 (Local time) / 06:00 CET
How to Watch
All matches will be livestreamed on BWF TV.
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