BWF World Tour Finals 2024: Jonatan Christie goes the distance vs Shi Yuqi but falls short, Lee Zii Jia wins
The Indonesian pushes world No. 1 Shi to a third game in a losing effort as badminton's season-ending tournament gets under way in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. Meanwhile, Lee Zii Jia beat Chou Tien-Chen.
Badminton
Jonatan Christie took world No. 1 Shi Yuqi to three games but came up short in their BWF World Tour Finals 2024 opener on Wednesday (11 December) in Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China.
The fourth-ranked Christie lost to the home favourite 21-16, 17-21, 21-8 in a 64-minute, Group B slugfest as the curtains went up on badminton's season-ending tournament.
After giving away the first set, Christie did well to bounce back and take the second despite being down midway through the game.
But it was all Shi in the decisive third as the Chinese won the first six points. The closest Christie got was 8-4 and from that point on, Shi rattled off eight points in a row to effectively put the match to bed.
Elsewhere in the men’s singles on Day 1, Olympic silver medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn defeated Japanese ace Naraoka Kodai 24-22, 21-18 in the other Group B contest. Meanwhile in Group A, Paris bronze medallist Lee Zii Jia dispatched Chinese Taipei third seed Chou Tien-Chen in just 39 minutes. Malaysia's Lee dominated the first game and came from behind in the second to seal a straight-games 21-13, 21-15 win.
In women’s singles Group B, Paris 2024 champion An Seyoung dropped Supanida Katethong of Thailand 21-14, 21-16.
An never fell behind in the 44-minute affair. The South Korean world No. 1 was particularly forceful in the second game, racing out to a 9-0 lead and never looking back.
Former world No. 1 Yamaguchi Akane lost in straight sets to Han Yue 21-19, 21-17.
The World Tour Finals are available to watch live on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and the official Olympics app in selected territories.