Kunlavut Vitidsarn's projected path to Badminton Asia Championships 2025 final

Kunlavut Vitidsarn had crashed out in the quarterfinals last year.

The Badminton Asia Championships 2025 are set to commence on 8th April at the Ningbo Olympics Sports Center Gymnasium. Concluding on 13th April, this will be the 42nd edition of the continental event. With most of the marquee players in the sport hailing from Asia, it is not an exaggeration to say that the level of competition will be as high as any event on the BWF Tour.

Paris Olympic silver medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn will participate in this tournament, but his recent performance has been poor. After clinching the Indonesia Masters in January, the Thai shuttler suffered a shock defeat to French Alex Lanier (second loss to the same opponent this year) in the second round of the All England Open. After this, he reached the quarter-finals in the Swiss Open.

However, Vitidsarn won’t be too bothered by the result as he has overcome worse falls during his career. He will be raring to finish on the podium in a tournament in which he hasn’t enjoyed much success previously. Here’s a breakdown of Kunlavut Vitidsarn’s projected path to the Badminton Asia Championships final:

1st Round: Tze Yong Ng

Kunlavut Vitidsarn will face off against Ng Tze Yong in the first round. This will be the first time the Malaysian will take the court for a competitive match, having previously given a walkover to Jia Heng Jason Teh at the Badminton Asia Team Championships 2024. Having been away from the game for a long time, he might be out of form. The two have met once previously, with Vitidsarn reigning supreme, at the Singapore Open 2023.

Also Read: Top five players who will miss Badminton Asia Championships 2025

2nd Round: Kiran George

Kiran George might face the Thai player in the second round if he manages to defeat the Malaysian shuttler. This fixture too should be relatively easy for the World No. 5 shuttler, as the World No. 36 Indian has been in poor form in recent times. The two players have faced off against each other twice, with Vitidsarn emerging triumphant in both fixtures in straight sets.

Quarterfinals: Chou Tien Chen

The quarterfinals will probably be the first time the 23-year-old shuttler will be tested in the tournament. Standing in his way could be World No. 9, Chou Tien Chen. Age seems to be catching up with the Chinese Taipei shuttler though, as he hasn’t produced a performance worthy of mention, this year. The head-to-head record paints an interesting picture, considering both have downed the other, twice each, albeit the young star has won the last two matches.

Also Read: Badminton Asia Championships 2025: Full list of participants

Semifinal: Shi Yuqi/ Lakshya Sen

Vitidsarn’s quest for a maiden Badminton Asia Championships title might face its sternest test in the semifinal, as he could potentially go up against top seed Shi Yuqi. The Chinese shuttler has won two titles this year, including the prestigious All England Open. Vitidsarn and Yuqi have played several one-sided clashes, including a stunning show by the former in the Paris Olympics quarterfinals. The World Number 5 shuttler has won three out of the eight matches between the two.

If anyone can stop the World No. 1 shuttler from reaching the semi-finals, it will be Lakshya Sen. The World No. 16 Indian has failed to progress beyond the second round in three out of four tournaments this year. Two opponents who have known each other well since their junior days, Sen has emerged victorious in just two, of seven meetings.

Also Read: Top five matches to watch out for at Badminton Asia Championships 2025

Final: Jonathan Christie/ Li Shi Feng

If Vitidsarn reaches the final without a loss, he could face defending champion Jonatan Christie. The Indonesian has had a decent run this year, having reached the semifinals at the India Open and the final at the Indonesia Masters, where he incidentally went down fighting against the Thai. This match ended a five-match winning streak for the World Number 4 shuttler against his opponent (with the overall head-to-head standing at 9-4 in favour of Christie).

Christie is unlikely to have his path to the final easy though. Li Shi Feng is another serious contender to emerge from the bottom half of the draw. The World No. 6 shuttler has been in good form recently, with semifinal finishes at the All England Open. The Chinese shuttler has a good record against Kunlavut Vitidsarn, having won each of their last five encounters. However, it is worth noting that the two haven’t played each other since 2023.

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