Hangzhou, China – Taiwan’s top badminton player, Chou Tien-chen, was eliminated from the BWF World Tour Finals on Saturday after a semi-final loss to China’s world No. 1 Shi Yuqi.

Shi, the BWF Men’s Singles Player of the Year, extended his head-to-head record against Chou to 9-5 with a decisive 21-14, 21-18 victory.

Chou's journey to the semi-finals was marked by a dramatic upset of top-seeded Anders Antonsen of Denmark on Friday. The 16-21, 21-18, 21-15 victory secured Chou’s second semi-final appearance at the tournament.

At 34, Chou was the oldest player in the men’s singles draw. His previous best result at the World Tour Finals was a bronze medal in 2020. He has also participated in the tournament in 2018, 2019, and 2022.

The World Tour Finals features the top eight players and pairs in each category, divided into two groups of four. Chou, competing in Group A, suffered early losses to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia and China’s Li Shifeng.

However, a fortunate turn of events presented Chou with a lifeline. Lee was forced to withdraw from his match against Li due to injury, allowing Chou to advance to the semi-finals with a win over Antonsen.

In the final game of the match, Chou displayed impressive composure, maintaining a lead and securing a decisive 5-0 run to close out the match.

While Chou’s tournament ended in the semi-finals, his performance highlighted his resilience and skill, even at an advanced age. He joins a list of talented badminton players who have represented Taiwan on the world stage.

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