The 2024 Canada Open, a thrilling BWF World Tour Super 500 event, concluded on Sunday with memorable victories in both the men’s and women’s singles categories. Koki Watanabe of Japan and Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand emerged as champions, showcasing their exceptional skills and determination.
Busanan Ongbamrungphan wins women’s singles
In the women’s singles final, Ongbamrungphan faced Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt of Denmark, the No. 4 seed. Ongbamrungphan, who had previously defeated the top seed Zhang Beiwen from the USA in the semi-finals, dominated the final match. She led throughout both sets, securing a 21-16, 21-14 victory in just 53 minutes. This win marked Ongbamrungphan’s first title of 2024 and her first BWF World Tour title since the 2022 India Open.
Koki Watanabe wins men’s singles
On the men’s side, the tournament saw significant upsets with both the No. 1 seed Anders Antonsen and the No. 2 seed Kodai Naraoka being eliminated in the quarter-finals. This made the way for the No. 6 seed Koki Watanabe to face an unexpected opponent in the final, the unseeded Alex Lanier from France, who is ranked World No. 37. Watanabe, who had earlier won over Naraoka in a challenging quarter-final match, demonstrated resilience and skill. Despite losing the first game to Lanier, he made a strong comeback to win 20-22, 21-17, 21-6, capturing his first BWF World Tour title since the 2023 Swiss Open.
The men’s doubles final featured the top-seeded Danish pair Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen. They were tested by the English duo Ben Lane and Sean Vendy, ultimately securing victory after dropping the first game. The Danish pair won 18-21, 21-14, 21-11.
In the mixed doubles category, Danish pair Jesper Toft and Amalie Magelund pulled off a surprising upset. They defeated Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje in a thrilling match that ended 9-21, 24-22, 21-12.
Japan also claimed victory in the women’s doubles category. The top duo Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakanishi overcame the Taiwanese pair Hsu Yin-Hui and Lin Jhih Yun with a decisive 21-13, 21-13 win.
The 2024 Canada Open was a showcase of incredible talent and unexpected outcomes, highlighting the competitive spirit and resilience of the athletes. As Watanabe and Ongbamrungphan celebrate their well-deserved victories, the badminton world eagerly anticipates their future performances on the global stage.