SEA Wipeout: No Southeast Asian Representatives in BWF World Tour Finals 2025 After Semi-Final Collapse
HANGZHOU — The curtain has fallen on Southeast Asian hopes at the BWF World Tour Finals 2025. In a stunning turn of events, Sunday’s finals will proceed without a single representative from the badminton-powerhouse region, following a disastrous Saturday semi-final session that saw every remaining contender from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand eliminated.
The region’s final hope rested on the shoulders of the Indonesian men’s doubles pair, Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Muhammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani. However, their run came to an abrupt end at the hands of the ruthless World No. 1 pairing from South Korea, Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae.
The Final Blow: Sabar and Reza Outclassed
The anticipated showdown between the Indonesian underdogs and the Korean top seeds proved to be a mismatch. Kim and Seo demonstrated why they sit at the summit of the world rankings, dismantling the Indonesian defense with surgical precision.
The match was over in a flash, lasting just 28 minutes. Sabar and Reza were unable to find their rhythm, succumbing to a crushing straight-game defeat, 21-9, 21-11. The loss marked the official end of Southeast Asia’s campaign in the tournament.
Malaysia’s Heartbreak
Earlier in the day, the Malaysian contingent faced similar disappointment, with two key pairs exiting the tournament.
- Women’s Doubles: The top-seeded pair Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan were stunned in straight sets. Facing the experienced Japanese duo Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto, the Malaysians struggled to close out crucial points, falling 19-21, 13-21.
- Mixed Doubles: There was brief hope for Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei (seeded 3rd), who started strong against China’s Jiang Zhenbang [4] and Wei Yaxin (seeded 4th). After dominating the first game, the Malaysians lost momentum, eventually losing in three sets: 21-9, 11-21, 17-21.
Thailand’s Stars Fade
Thailand’s two singles stars also saw their campaigns end against formidable Chinese opposition.
- Women’s Singles: Ratchanok Intanon put up a valiant fight against the second seed Wang Zhiyi [2]. After taking the first game, Intanon could not withstand Wang’s physical rally game, eventually bowing out 21-15, 17-21, 11-21.
- Men’s Singles: Top seed Kunlavut Vitidsarn [1] was unable to replicate his group stage form. He fell in straight games to home favorite Shi Yuqi, with the Chinese star controlling the pace to win 16-21, 13-21.
With the exit of the SEA contingent, the finals on Sunday will now be dominated by powerhouses from East Asia, primarily China, Japan, and South Korea.
