PARIS: The draw for the 2025 Badminton World Championships has been revealed, and it’s immediately thrown China’s men’s singles squad into what can only be described as a battlefield of their own making.
All four of China’s top men’s singles stars — Shi Yu Qi, Li Shi Feng, Lu Guang Zu, and Weng Hong Yang — were drawn into the top half, creating a brutal internal elimination zone before they even face international rivals.
To kick things off, top seed Shi Yu Qi must battle India’s Lakshya Sen in the opening round — an unseeded player in name only. Sen is known for upsetting top-ranked opponents. Should Shi survive that scare, France’s Christo Popov or Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong likely await in the Round of 16.
And even if Shi clears those hurdles, his own teammate Weng Hong Yang could be waiting in the quarter-finals.
💥 Li Shi Feng’s Nightmare Path
Things don’t get any easier for Li Shi Feng, who opens against Japan’s Yushi Tanaka. Win that, and he’s on course to meet Lee Zii Jia — Malaysia’s former world top five — in the Round of 32. Assuming he advances, Lu Guang Zu, another Chinese compatriot, stands in his way in the next round.
For Li, this is a test of consistency, stamina, and the mental toll of facing friends before foes.
🔥 Men’s Doubles: Mixed Bag for China
On the men’s doubles side, Chen Bo Yang/Liu Yi and Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang have both landed in the bottom half. The good news? Fewer internal clashes. The bad? They may still need to go through Malaysia’s Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik, a team that’s proven to be a major hurdle. If China wants a spot in the final, they’ll need to go all-in.
👑 Women’s Doubles: China Bunched at the Top
In women’s doubles, China’s three top pairs — Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning, Jia Yi Fan/Zhang Shu Xian, and Li Yi Jing/Luo Xu Min — have all been drawn into the top half. That guarantees internal battles as early as the quarterfinals.
Jia Yi Fan, chasing her fourth world title with new partner Zhang Shu Xian, may need to get through her own teammates first. Meanwhile, top contenders Li Yi Jing/Luo Xu Min could run into danger from Japan’s Rin Iwanaga/Kie Nakanishi in the Round of 16.
🏸 Women’s Singles: Slightly Smoother Path
The women’s singles draw is more forgiving. Chen Yu Fei is alone in the top half, while Wang Zhi Yi, Han Yue, and Gao Fang Jie are spaced out across the bottom.
Chen’s road is relatively easy, with a potential Ratchanok Intanon clash in the Round of 16, and could meet An Se Young in the semi-finals. An has been dominant, beating Chen a few times this year, including a lopsided 21–9, 21–14 win in the All England quarter-final.
Meanwhile, Wang Zhi Yi has found solid form recently and could face Akane Yamaguchi of Japan or teammate Gao Fang Jie in the semi-finals. But as always — badminton is unpredictable. One misstep, one awkward dive, and things can go south fast.
✨ Mixed Doubles: China’s Best Chance at Gold
Finally, some relief — mixed doubles looks promising for China. All four pairs are well-distributed across both halves.
Top seeds Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping get a bye, but they’ll likely face Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen/Alexandra Boje in the Round of 32, and may face teammates Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi in the Round of 16.
On the bottom half, Jiang Zhen Bang/Wei Ya Xin and Guo Xin Wa/Chen Fang Hui are favorites to meet in the semi-finals. They’ll have to stay sharp against Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Supissara Paewsampran in the quarter-finals, but Guo/Chen already beat them convincingly at the Malaysia Open. Other opponents for the Chinese mixed doubles pairs to watch out for are Chen Tang Jie/Toh Ee Wei, Goh Soon Huat/Shevon Jemie Lai, and Hoo Pang Ron/Cheng Su Yin from Malaysia.
Conclusion:
China’s badminton squad enters the 2025 World Championships with talent, depth, and internal challenges. If they can survive each other, they may dominate the podium. But until then, the toughest opponents they’ll face — might just be the ones in their own locker room.
