After a one-week break, the BWF World Tour resumed in Europe, with many players taking part in the Super 500 Finnish tournament, including those who skipped the early autumn Asian tour to rest or recover.
Most of India’s top players fall into this category, including Pusarla Sindhu and Lakshya Sen, both returning to the court after extended breaks. The lack of match practice was evident for both of them, and neither made it to the quarterfinals. Lakshya Sen advanced past the first round yesterday without playing, and today he faced the tireless Chou Tien Chen. The Taiwanese player was determined to take revenge on Sen, who had defeated him in a hard-fought battle in Paris, preventing him from reaching the semifinals. This time, Chou’s plan worked, and he emerged victorious from the rematch.
Another Paris rematch took place in the men’s doubles. Aaron Chia and Soh Woi Yik, returning from injury, aimed to secure their spot in the World Tour Finals. The Malaysians secured a nice win yesterday, but their momentum faltered today. The two-time Olympic bronze medalists lost to England’s top pair, Ben Lane and Sean Vendy. There was no doubt about Lane and Vendy’s victory, as they avenged their defeat in the Olympic group stage.
In women’s singles, perhaps the biggest surprise was Aya Ohori’s loss. Ohori, ranked 9th in the world, was defeated by her compatriot, Natsuki Nidaira. This was their sixth encounter on the international stage, and for the first time, Ohori did not come out on top.
Another highlight in this event was Michelle Li, who eliminated Unnati Hooda. The experienced Canadian, after defeating Sindhu, knocked out another Indian player. Hooda had chosen to compete in the Finnish tournament over the Junior World Championships, even though she still qualifies for the U19 age group (and can continue to do so through the 2025 season).
In mixed doubles, the top seeded Chinese pairs secured their spots in the quarterfinals, though it wasn’t easy for Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping. The world No. 2 faced France’s Gicquel/Delrue duo in a clash of continental champions. The French won the very tight first set in overtime, but the Chinese comfortably equalized. The French started stronger in the decisive game, building a significant lead by the mid-game interval. However, Feng and Huang staged a comeback, ultimately leaving their opponents behind and winning the match.
Last but not least, we must mention the clash between two experienced men’s doubles pairs, which we already previewed in yesterday’s recap. The defending champions Astrup/Rasmussen proved superior in three sets against Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan. Although the Indonesian legends showed flashes of brilliance, they couldn’t find a way to counter the Danes’ powerful attacking game this time.