China's Han battles through three games to advance at BWF China Open

The 2025 BWF World Tour Super 1000 China Open has kicked off in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, setting the stage for fierce competition on the badminton courts.

In the women's singles opening round, China's Han Yue engaged in a gruelling three-game battle to edge past Japan's Natsuki Nidaira, securing her place in the round of 16. The pair, well acquainted with one another, had crossed rackets thrice before, with Han winning all encounters. The first game saw Han assert clear dominance, her command over shot placement leaving Natsuki floundering as Han cruised to a 21-9 victory.

However, the second game brought a shift in momentum. Han's errors crept in, allowing Natsuki to capitalize and take the frame 21-12, leveling the match and injecting fresh tension into the contest.

The decider was a tense affair, with Han maintaining a slender lead throughout. At 20-15, Natsuki clawed back two points, threatening to extend the drama, but Han's poise under pressure was undeniable. A scintillating return earned her the match point, and she closed out the final game 21-17, sealing a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Meanwhile, in mixed doubles, the Chinese duo Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui staged a comeback against Denmark's Jesper Toft and Emily Magelund, the reigning European mixed doubles champions, in their first-ever meeting.

The Danes struck first, taking the opening game 21-17. Yet Guo and Chen re-calibrated their approach, securing a nail-biting 21-19 win in the second frame. The momentum firmly in their corner, the Chinese pair played with renewed assurance in the decider, dominating 21-14 to progress to the last 16.