Final Qualifying Spots to Fall in Place This Week
One last event – the LI-NING China Masters 2023 – will decide the qualifiers to the season-ending HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2023.
· BWF STAFF
With her title victory at the Kumamoto Masters Japan 2023, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung moved into the top eight of the BWF World Tour Rankings. With three Chinese – Chen Yu Fei, Han Yue and He Bing Jiao -- ahead of her, Tunjung is effectively in seventh place as only two players per Member Association can qualify.
Beiwen Zhang, in ninth place, is well-positioned to make the grade although the American has skipped the China Masters. Pornpawee Chochuwong, ranked immediately below her, has been out of action due to injury, while Supanida Katethong’s first round loss in Shenzhen means she will not challenge Zhang for a place in the top eight.
In men’s singles, Viktor Axelsen’s title win at the Kumamoto Masters on Sunday saw him rise to No.3 behind Jonatan Christie and Li Shi Feng. Shi Yu Qi, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, Kodai Naraoka, Anders Antonsen and Ng Tze Yong are the others in the top eight.