China Open: Antonsen storms into semis as Chou stuns Vitidsarn

Antonsen in action during the China Open
Antonsen in action during the China OpenSTR / AFP / AFP / Profimedia
Taiwanese men's sixth seed Chou Tien-chen knocked out Thai top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn from the China Open quarter-finals with a commanding 21-17 21-11 win in Changzhou on Friday, while Anders Antonsen advanced to the semifinals.

Chou outclassed Vitidsarn, the 2023 world champion and Paris Olympic silver medallist, in straight sets and will next face Chinese third seed and world number two Shi Yuqi.

Shi rallied from a set down to defeat compatriot and fifth seed Li Shifeng 15-21, 21-15, 21-11.

Denmark's second seed Anders Antonsen overcame France's Toma Junior Popov 19-21 21-12 21-8 to cruise into the semi-finals, where he will meet China's Wang Zhengxing.

In the women's singles, South Korean top seed An defeated Chinese fifth seed Chen Yufei 21-18, 21-19.

An, 23, who won Olympic singles gold in Paris, will next face Chinese fourth seed Han Yue, who overcame Indonesian eighth seed Gregoria Mariska Tunjung 21-19 21-18 in a tightly contested encounter.

Chinese second seed Wang Zhiyi eased past Taiwan's Chiu Pin-Chian 21-16, 21-11 to secure a semi-final clash with Japanese third seed and former world champion Akane Yamaguchi, who defeated India's Unnati Hooda in straight sets.