Kunlavut Vitidsarn, An Se-young start the season with Super 1000 titles; beats Wang Zhiyi in 8th final since 2025

An Se-young trumped China's Wang Zhiyi in the Malaysia Open Super 1000 final on Sunday. (AP Photo/File)

Chinese World champion Shi Yuqi had told BWF that every time he played Kunlavut Vitidsarn, it was a new challenge and a new feeling. Calling him a great player, Yuqi stressed that he would need to find a new plan to implement in the final of the Malaysia Open Super 1000. The Thai former world champion ended up with the crown, as Yuqi went down 21-23, 1-6 and ceded the match due to injury on Sunday.

At the Axiata, Kunlavut looked fairly in control of proceedings despite saying prior to the match that he had been tired after two punishing matches in quarters and semis.

The four-time semifinalist at the Super 1000 level, had finally cracked the entry into the final beating Jonatan Christie 21-16, 21-16. It needed immense patience as attack wasn’t yielding results. “I felt tired and moved slower than him,” he told BWF after the Jojo match. “I don’t have much energy left. I used a lot of power last two days,” he added.

Chinese Wang Zhiyi just can’t catch a break. Playing her 8th final against all-conquering Korean An Se-young, the Chinese 25-year-old stumbled once more losing 21-15, 24-22 in the final.

World No.1 An Se Young 🇰🇷 contends against Wang Zhi Yi 🇨🇳. #BWFWorldTour #MalaysiaOpen2026 pic.twitter.com/br8JbU7LpI

— BWF (@bwfmedia) January 11, 2026

The two were level at 11-11, after which Se-young took off to claim the opener. Wang led 17-9 and even 19-13 in the second, but just could not stop the Korean world No 1 from showing her up once more as she went on a 6 point rally to level scores.

Thereafter, Wang Zhiyi had three set points which she promptly frittered, showing nerves. And Se-young coolly marched to convert her first match point to take their career head to head to 17-4.

An Se-young has scored a whopping 115 points more than Zhiyi in their 21 matches.