BWF World Tour Finals 2025: Kunlavut Vitidsarn overcomes Anders Antonsen to book semi-final spot, Ratchanok Intanon advances in women’s
Published: Dec 19, 2025
Arthur Jones
Writer
Top seed and world and Olympic silver medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn battled through three games to beat Anders Antonsen, while Ratchanok Intanon defeated Han Yue in straight games.
The line-up for the singles semi-finals at the 2025 BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China, was confirmed after the final group-stage clashes on Friday (19 December).
World No. 2 and top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn sealed the last men’s semi-final berth by edging Denmark’s world No. 3 Anders Antonsen in a must-win encounter, prevailing 21–15, 18–21, 21–13 after one hour and 27 minutes.
Both Kunlavut and Antonsen had earlier beaten Jonatan Christie but fallen to Christo Popov, leaving this match as a straight knockout for a place in the last four. Kunlavut made the early breakthrough, twice recovering from three-point deficits before closing the first game by taking 11 of the final 13 points.
Momentum swung in the second as Antonsen clawed back from 16–13 down and did enough to level the match and push it to a decider. In the third, Kunlavut raised his level, giving Antonsen little chance as he surged to a 14–5 advantage and then calmly finished off the contest.
Momentum swung in the second as Antonsen clawed back from 16–13 down and did enough to level the match and push it to a decider. In the third, Kunlavut raised his level, giving Antonsen little chance as he surged to a 14–5 advantage and then calmly finished off the contest.
In the already settled Group B, Shi Yuqi defeated Kodai Naraoka to secure top position, with both players having already guaranteed their places in the semi-finals.
Kunlavut’s Thai teammate Ratchanok Intanon also came through a winner-takes-all singles clash, beating Han Yue 21–17, 21–10 in Group B of the women’s draw. That group was reshaped by the withdrawal of fellow Thai player Pornpawee Chochuwong, leaving it with three competitors instead of four.
In Group A of the women’s singles, An Seyoung’s bid to end the season with another trophy received a lift as she faced world champion Akane Yamaguchi, with both already qualified for the semis.
An’s most recent World Tour loss had come against Yamaguchi, but on Friday in Hangzhou, the Republic of Korea star came out on top, winning 14–21, 21–5, 21–14.
