Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn expressed heartfelt gratitude to his idol, Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei, after clinching his maiden Super 1000 title at the Malaysian Open following a walkover victory in the men’s singles final on Sunday (Jan 11).
Kunlavut was leading 23-21, 6-1 when China’s world No. 1 Shi Yuqi was forced to retire in the second set due to a back injury, ending the contest prematurely at the Axiata Arena.
Despite the unusual finish, the triumph marked a historic breakthrough for the Thai shuttler. Kunlavut became the first Thai men’s singles player in 64 years to win the Malaysian Open, ending a drought that dated back to Charoen Wattanasin’s title win in 1962.
“I felt a lot of pressure in the match, but it was also very exciting. This is my first time at a big Super 1000 tournament, and I really hoped to win the gold. It is just amazing, I’m so happy.
“The match went well even though I was running low on energy. I knew if we had long rallies, it would have been very tough for me to win,” said Kunlavut.
The victory was made even more meaningful when Kunlavut received his trophy from Lee Chong Wei, whom he has long regarded as his idol. The former Malaysian great had also shared a meal with Kunlavut prior to the start of the tournament.
“I might ask him (Chong Wei) for a bak kut teh session again,” Kunlavut said with a smile.
“I must thank him for all the advice he gave me whenever I had problems. He shared everything I needed to know, both on and off the court, and I am very grateful to him.”
Kunlavut walked away with US$101,500 (RM415,490) in prize money as champion, while Shi received US$49,300 (RM201,809) as runner-up.
Meanwhile, Shi admitted his disappointment at having to withdraw from the final, revealing that he had been struggling with a back injury since his quarter-final match against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu.
“I injured my back a few days ago. I did a lot of treatment yesterday, but I still felt a lot of pain this morning. I couldn’t rely on painkillers,” said Shi.
“It’s a pity that I lost the first game. I made many mistakes, and it affected my performance, but there was nothing I could do.”
While the final ended on an unfortunate note, Kunlavut’s long-awaited victory at the Malaysian Open marked a defining moment in his career and a significant achievement for Thai badminton.
