Hangzhou: Competing in his third BWF World Tour Finals, Shi Yuqi once again reached the final and secured his second career title at this prestigious event. Shi, the World No. 1 in badminton, has maintained a 100% success rate in reaching the finals during his 2018, 2023, and 2024 appearances.
Highlights of Shi Yuqi vs. Anders Antonsen in the final of the 2024 BWF World Tour Finals:
In the men’s singles final of the 2024 BWF World Tour Finals, Shi Yuqi defeated Denmark’s World No. 2 Anders Antonsen in straight sets, 21-18, 21-14. This marks Shi’s second title at this event, with his first dating back to 2018. The victory also gave Shi his sixth win in nine matchups against Antonsen and his second consecutive win in their head-to-head record.
After the match, Shi described the competition as extremely challenging:
“Both of us were highly focused, and our shots were very cautious, especially at the net where we tried to avoid giving the opponent any advantage. As a result, there were quite a few errors, and the shot quality wasn’t as high as in the earlier rounds.”
Looking ahead, Shi emphasized a commitment to refining his training:
“I aim to better manage my training schedule and focus on more targeted preparation. On the court, I hope to perform even better and deliver more thrilling performances for the fans.”
A Triple Victory for China
In addition to Shi’s victory, China’s World No. 3 mixed doubles pair Zheng Siwei, Huang Yaqiong, and World No. 2 women’s singles Wang Zhiyi clinched the mixed doubles and women’s singles titles repectively. Shi Yuqi remains the only Chinese men’s singles player to win the BWF World Tour Finals since its inception in 2018. Before 2018, the event was called “BWF Super Series Finals”.
This latest victory is Shi’s fifth title of the year, adding to his earlier triumphs at the Indonesia Open (Super 1000), and the India, France, and Singapore Opens (all Super 750 events). With an impressive season record of 50 wins and 9 losses, Shi’s dominance in 2024 has been unmatched.
Record-Breaking Prize Earnings in 2024
The 28-year-old Shi Yuqi is the third men’s singles player to surpass USD $500,000 in annual prize money, following Kento Momota of Japan in 2019 and Viktor Axelsen in 2023.
Shi Yuqi has earned USD $557,370 in prize money from 11 BWF World Tour events this year, making him the highest-earning badminton player of 2024. His tournament breakdown includes:
BWF World Tour Finals Champion: USD $200,000
Indonesia Open Champion: USD $91,000
India Open Champion: USD $59,500
France Open Champion: USD $59,500
Singapore Open Champion: USD $59,500
Malaysia Open Runner-Up: USD $44,200
China Masters Semifinalist: USD $16,100
Japan Open Semifinalist: USD $11,900
All England Open Quarterfinalist: USD $7,150
Korea Open Quarterfinalist: USD $2,520
China Masters Round of 16: USD $6,000
This remarkable earnings tally reflects his dominance on the global badminton stage.
Looking Forward
With his exceptional performance in 2024, Shi Yuqi has not only cemented his position as a top badminton player but also set the stage for greater achievements in 2025. His dedication to improving training and delivering thrilling performances will undoubtedly keep him at the forefront of the badminton world.
Complete Results of the 2024 BWF World Tour Finals
Here are the full results from the 2024 BWF World Tour Finals, held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium:
Women’s Singles (WS) Final
WANG Zhi Yi (CHN) defeated HAN Yue (CHN)
Score: 21-19, 19-21, 11-21
Mixed Doubles (XD) Final
ZHENG Si Wei / HUANG Ya Qiong (CHN) defeated CHEN Tang Jie / TOH Ee Wei (MAS)
Score: 21-18, 14-21, 21-17
Women’s Doubles (WD) Final
BAEK Ha Na / LEE So Hee (KOR) defeated Nami MATSUYAMA / Chiharu SHIDA (JPN)
Score: 21-19, 21-14
Men’s Doubles (MD) Final
Kim ASTRUP / Anders Skaarup RASMUSSEN (DEN) defeated GOH Sze Fei / Nur IZZUDDIN (MAS)
Score: 21-17, 17-21, 21-11
Men’s Singles (MS) Final
SHI Yu Qi (CHN) defeated Anders ANTONSEN (DEN)
Score: 18-21, 14-21
