KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 1 Shi Yu Qi ended Denmark's dominance in men's singles at the Malaysia Open by defeating defending champion Anders Antonsen in a commanding performance on Sunday.
The Chinese ace was in imperious form, dismantling Antonsen 21-8, 21-15 in just 39 minutes to claim his maiden Super 1000 crown at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil.
World No. 2 Antonsen defeated Yu Qi in last year's final, but the 27-year-old was determined to flip the script this time.
Despite a spirited attempt by the Dane to claw back in the second game, Yu Qi's precision and focus sealed the title and ended Denmark's three-year reign in the tournament.
The victory earned Yu Qi $101,500 (RM454,350), while Antonsen took home $49,300 (RM221,800).
"I'm definitely very happy because it has been a while since China shuttlers won the men's singles title in Malaysia," said Yu Qi, who became the first Chinese winner in the event since Lin Dan in 2019.
The triumph came as sweet revenge for Yu Qi, who had lost to Antonsen in last year's final but gained valuable insights from that defeat.
"I reflected on my past encounters against Anders to beat him today in the final.
"Although I defeated him in last month's World Tour Finals, I was determined to prove myself here," Yu Qi added.
Antonsen, who was chasing his third title in four consecutive finals, admitted he was outplayed.
"Credit to Yu Qi. He was just the better player. I didn't produce a great match for the audience to enjoy," said Antonsen.
"Yu Qi is the best player in the world right now. There's no doubt about that."
Yu Qi now turns his attention to the India Open, where he hopes to secure back-to-back World Tour titles.
Antonsen, however, will skip the tournament to focus on recovery.