BWF World Tour Finals: China’s Shi, Wang face French, South Korean foes in year-end finale
An Se-young awaits Wang Zhiyi in women’s final, while men’s sees Shi Yuqi play Christo Popov, France’s first to reach title match
China’s men’s world champion Shi Yuqi will take on Christo Popov in the title match at badminton’s BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou on Sunday, while compatriot Wang Zhiyi meets An Se-young in the women’s showpiece.
Popov, making his tournament debut as a singles player, will be the first French player to contest the final after he overwhelmed Japan’s Kodai Naraoka with his speed and power to win 21-19, 21-8 in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Shi, who is looking to equal Viktor Axelsen with a third straight World Tour Finals title, beat Thai world No 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-16, 21-13 in the second semi-final.
Popov is trying to become the third European to clinch the men’s singles title after Danes Anders Antonsen and Axelsen, with the latter winning a record three times.
“The first game was very important, being very long, and winning that made me confident for the second game, and I got more aggressive,” Popov said.