Kunlavut Vitidsarn eyes bak kut teh session with badminton great Lee Chong Wei after breakthrough

KUALA LUMPUR – Thailand’s badminton ace Kunlavut Vitidsarn has a world championship winner’s medal in his display cabinet, but a Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour Super 1000 title had eluded him – until Jan 11.

At the season-opening Malaysia Open, the 24-year-old finally broke his duck.

The world No. 2 led 23-21, 6-1 against China’s Shi Yuqi at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, before the world No. 1 retired with a back injury, handing Kunlavut his maiden title at this level.

Super 1000 events are ranked just below the World Tour Finals and above the Super 750, Super 500 and Super 300 tournaments in terms of ranking points and prize money. There are only four in a season.

To make the occasion even more unforgettable, Kunlavut received the trophy from his idol, retired Malaysian great Lee Chong Wei.

Incidentally, Lee had met Kunlavut and his compatriot, another former world champion Ratchanok Intanon, over a meal of pork rib broth just before the start of the Malaysia Open.

“I might ask him (Chong Wei) for a bak kut teh session again,” said the Thai after receiving the top prize of US$101,500 (S$130,632).

“I must thank him for all the advice he gave me whenever I had problems. He shared everything I needed to know, both on and off the court, and I am very grateful to him.”

Kunlavut, who had never progressed past the Super 1000 semi-finals in four previous attempts, added: “This is my first time at a Super 1000 (final), and I really hoped to win the gold. It is just amazing, I’m so happy.

“The match went well even though I was running low on energy. I knew if we had long rallies, it would have been very tough for me to win.”

Shi admitted he was disappointed to withdraw from the final due to a back injury he had been dealing with since the quarter-final against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu.

The 29-year-old, who had dethroned 2023 world champion Kunlavut to win the 2025 world championship, said: “I injured my back a few days ago. I did a lot of treatment yesterday, but I still felt a lot of pain this morning. I couldn’t rely on painkillers.

“It’s a pity that I lost the first game. I made many mistakes, and it affected my performance, but there was nothing I could do.”

In the women’s singles final, South Korea’s An Se-young picked up from where she left off as she opened her 2026 season by winning the Malaysian title.

The world No. 1 defeated second-ranked Wang Zhiyi of China 21-15, 24-22 to clinch a third consecutive women’s singles crown.

In the process, the 23-year-old also extended her dominance over 25-year-old Wang to 17-4, having won all eight of their encounters in 2025, the most recent of which came in the title-decider of the BWF World Tour Finals in Hangzhou in December.

That sealed a record 11th title for An in a stellar 2025 season, when she also registered a 94.8 per cent win rate to surpassing legends Lin Dan (92.75 per cent in 2011) of China and Lee (92.75 per cent in 2010).

An, who did not have to play in the semi-finals on Jan 10 as her Chinese opponent Chen Yufei pulled out with an injury, had to call on her trademark mental resilience in the final.

She was dominant in the first game, but had to overturn a 13-19 deficit in the second and also save three game points.

“I never give up and I always play with confidence. I’m happy to win, I do not think about titles,” said An.

Chinese world champions Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu beat South Koreans Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee 21-18, 21-12 to win the women’s doubles.

Their teammates and top seeds, Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping, were equally clinical in the all-Chinese mixed doubles final, winning 21-19, 21-19 against Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin.

The men’s doubles was won by South Korea’s Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae, who triumphed 21-15, 12-21, 21-18 against Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik. AFP