Finals day at the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2022 allowed the world’s best players put the ‘cherry on top’ of their great year in a thrilling end of season finale.
Viktor Axelsen continued his dominance into 2022 and in his final act of the year showed the world that he is still head and shoulders above the rest. In their sixth meeting this year, Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting was not able to find a way to dent Axelsen’s solid game, with the match ending 21-13, 21-14.
Axelsen ends 2022 with an impressive eight titles, three more than his 2021 season. The European and World Champion picked up the All England, Indonesia Masters, Indonesia, Malaysia and French titles on the way to his back-to-back World Tour Finals win this week. Can anyone challenge him in 2023?
Zheng/ Huang hit ten
The home crowd were praying for three in-a-row for Dechapol Puavaranukroh/ Sapsiree Taerattanachai, however, despite pushing the world number one pair to three games, they came up short.
Zheng Si Wei/ Huang Ya Qiong have been an almost unstoppable force in 2022 but needed to hit top gear one last time to finish with yet another title. The pair is fast approaching the lofty heights of Zhang Nan/ Zhao Yun Lei and at 25 and 28 years of age, respectively, they have time on their side.
This year saw the pair reach double figures in their trophy count, ten to be precise. The Asia and World Champions picked up the Thailand, Indonesia Masters, Indonesia, Malaysia Masters, Malaysia, Denmark and French titles on their journey to a World Tour Finals victory. It will be difficult to top that in 2023, but they will certainly try!
Liu does it again
One man has won the World Tour Finals twice with different partners, the formidable Liu Yu Chen. In 2018 he did it with Li Jun Hui and today it was with new partner Ou Xuan Yi. Their opponents, 2019 winners Ahsan/ Setiawan did not make it easy, but the Chinese pair are now building momentum together and won in three games, 21-17, 19-21, 21-12.
Liu/ Ou are still getting used to the new partnership but two runners-up results earlier in the year turned into an Indonesia and Australian Open triumphs, and now a World Tour Finals title. Not a bad start at all.
The imperious Yamaguchi marches on
Akane Yamaguchi is taking the pressure of being number one rather well. The double World Champion secured All England and Japan Open wins to then end the year with a World Tour Finals title.
Facing a familiar foe in the final, Tai Tzu Ying’s skill and tricks were not able to worry the Japanese ace who calmly worked her way to a 21-18, 22-20 win. Yamaguchi will be sure to recharge and go again in 2023, but will anyone be able to stop her?
Chen/ Jia make it look so simple
In recent times, there is almost an expectation that Chen Qing Chen/ Jia Yi Fan will turn up in the big tournaments, it’s what they do best. This week was on trend as they defeated Thai pair Benyapa Aimsaard/ Nuntakarn Aimsaard in a one-sided final.
The Asia and World Champions also picked up titles at the German Open, Indonesia and Malaysia Masters, Denmark Open, and ended on another high with a second World Tour Finals title. They certainly are the pair to beat in women’s doubles.
There were some tough and tight battles this week but fans saw that the cream always rises to the top.