Kunlavut seals Malaysia Open title after injured Shi retires / Photo: MOHD RASFAN - AFP
Kunlavut seals Malaysia Open title after injured Shi retires
Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn won the Malaysia Open men's singles title in Kuala Lumpur Sunday when world number one Shi Yuqi retired through injury.
The Chinese 29-year-old defending champion Shi pulled out early in the second game of the final with a back injury, losing 23-21, 6-1 ret.
World number two Kunlavut admitted he had been running on empty coming into this final.
"I am happy to have won, but I didn't have much energy left in me," said the 24-year-old.
"If I had to play long rallies with him, I don't think I would be able to beat him," added Vitidsarn.
The women's singles final saw world number one South Korean An Se-young clinch her third consecutive Malaysian Open title with a 21-15, 24-22 victory over China's Wang Zhiyi.
The 23-year-old was dominant in the first game, but had to overturn a 19-13 deficit in the second.
"I never give up and I always play with confidence. I'm happy to win, I do not think about titles," said An, who won a record-equalling 11 BWF World Tour events in 2025.
Chinese world champions Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu beat South Koreans Baek Hana and Lee So-hee 21-18, 21-12 to win the women’s doubles.
Their fellow Chinese and top seeds, Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping, were equally clinical in the mixed doubles, winning the final 21-19, 21-19 against compatriots Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin.
The men's doubles was won by South Korea's Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae, 21-15, 12-21, 21-28 against Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.
F.Abateo--RTC
