URUMQI, CHINA – The 2025 Lin Dan Cup Badminton Open, offering a record-breaking prize pool of CNY 840,000, began on June 13 with matches at the Urumqi Sports Arena. While the event promised elite badminton action, one match on the opening day stirred buzz online for all the wrong reasons.
Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long, currently ranked World No. 23 in men’s singles, breezed through his first-round match against a 15-year-old local player from Xinjiang in an extremely lopsided contest. Ng barely moved during the match and appeared unfazed throughout, winning easily without breaking a sweat.
Video footage circulating online shows Ng Ka Long casually rallying and even retrieving shots that were clearly out. His opponent—dressed in white—struggled with basic returns and committed numerous unforced errors.
Online badminton fans reacted quickly, with comments ranging from humor to critique:
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“He tried his best, but it looked more like an exhibition than a match.”
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“Why is Ng even returning an out ball?”
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“That kid was outmatched from the start—it’s like a warm-up session.”
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“At least the young player had the courage to step on court. If it were me, I’d freeze up!”
Others speculated that the 15-year-old might have signed up for the experience—perhaps for a photo op or autograph with a top player like Ng Ka Long.
The Lin Dan Cup, named after the legendary two-time Olympic champion, is co-hosted by the Urumqi Sports Bureau, Youth League Committee, and Education Bureau. With a men’s singles champion prize of CNY 200,000 and CNY 150,000 for mixed team champions, the tournament aims to attract top-level international competitors.
Despite the awkward opening round, fans remain hopeful the event will deliver more competitive matchups in the coming days. Stay updated with the latest badminton news on BadmintonPlanet.com, your go-to source for global badminton coverage.
