Shenzhen, China:Anders Antonsen’s title defence at the King Cup Invitational came to a fiery end as the Danish star was forced to surrender to World No. 1 Shi Yuqi in front of a raucous home crowd in Shenzhen.
According to Flashscore, Antonsen, who lifted the King Cup trophy last year, showed early promise in the final, pushing Shi Yuqi hard in a tense opening game. The first game went down to the wire, but the Chinese ace held his nerve to edge it 22-20, a turning point that shifted the momentum decisively.
Once ahead, Shi Yuqi raised the tempo and intensity, completely controlling the rallies in the second game. Antonsen struggled to find answers as the world No. 1 raced through the game 21-7, sealing the title in commanding fashion amid what Flashscore described as a “Chinese inferno” of crowd support.
“I tried to stay aggressive, but once he got going, it was extremely difficult to stop him here,” Antonsen was quoted as saying by Flashscore, acknowledging both the atmosphere and his opponent’s dominance.
The Danish shuttler had reached the final with impressive wins earlier in the tournament, including victories over junior world champion Liu Yangmingyu and world No. 4 Jonatan Christie, underlining his strong form heading into the new season
The invitational King Cup, organised by two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan, once again lived up to its billing by showcasing elite-level badminton. France’s Alex Lanier finished third in the competition, rounding off a high-quality field
While the title slipped away, Antonsen’s run to the final served as a reminder of his consistency at the top level. On this occasion, however, the crown stayed home — firmly in the hands of the world’s best.
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