-Olympics
Naraoka Kodai won the men’s singles title at the BWF China Masters 2023 in Shenzhen on Sunday (26 November), beating Nishimoto Kenta in the final, to deny his Japanese compatriot the last spot in the next month’s badminton World Tour Finals.
Nishimoto needed to win the final, live on Olympic Channel, to displace Anders Antonsen from clinching the last spot in the BWF Tour finals, which he was unable to do in Shenzhen on the final day of the qualifying period.
Third seed Naraoka completed a 21-13, 21-13 victory to claim the title, live on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and the official Olympics app.
The women’s singles title went to Chen Yufei, who beat fellow Chinese shuttler Han Yue in the final. Reigning Olympic champion Chen lost the first game 18-21, but came back to level by taking the second 21-4, before her opponent retired.
Both Chen and Han had already qualified for next month’s BWF Tour Finals in Hangzhou.
The mixed doubles title at the China Masters went to three-time world champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong with the all-Japanese women’s doubles final won by Matsuyama Nami and Shida Chiharu.
And there was home joy in the finale as Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang defeated India’s mens doubles top seeds Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty to make it three victories on the day for the hosts.
Results from the BWF China Masters 2023 finals:
Mixed doubles: [1] Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong (CHN) beat [4] Seo Seung-jae/Chae Yu-jung (KOR), 21-10, 21-11.
Women’s singles: [8] Han Yue (CHN) lost to [3] Chen Yufei (CHN), 21-18, 4-21, retired.
Women’s doubles: [4] Fukushima Yuki/Hirota Sayaka (JPN) lost to Matsuyama Nami/Shida Chiharu (JPN), 18-21, 11-21.
Men’s singles: [3] Naraoka Kodai (JPN) beat Nishimoto Kenta (JPN), 21-13, 21-13.
Men’s doubles: [1] Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty (IND) lost to [2] Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang (CHN), 19-21, 21-18, 19-21
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