World badminton extravaganza to take place in Hangzhou

Hangzhou is set to host the prestigious 2023 HSBC BWF World Tour Finals, a major badminton championship, from Dec 13 to 17, according to local media outlets.

The tournament will feature top-notch players, including Chen Yufei, Viktor Axelsen, An Se-young, Zheng Siwei, and Huang Yaqiong.

As the highpoint of the Badminton World Federation's tour system, the World Tour Finals invite only the top eight players or pairs in the cumulative world rankings from various global tour events throughout the year.

With 63 athletes participating, the Chinese team made it the only of its kind to secure all 10 available slots.

Following the Hangzhou Asian Games, Chen Yufei, the reigning women's singles champion, has declared herself the "2.0 version" and has already claimed gold in two consecutive tournaments in Denmark and France. She expressed a desire to savor the experience rather than focusing solely on results.

The tournament schedule includes a group stage from Dec 13 to 15, semifinals on Dec 16, and the grand finals on Dec 17. Ticket prices start as low as 80 yuan ($11.24), and the first 10,000 ticket buyers will have the opportunity to receive exclusive digital collectibles. Ticket sales commence at 8:00 pm on Nov 28.

This year marks the beginning of a four-year stretch, lasting until 2026, during which Hangzhou will host the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals. With a record-breaking total prize purse of $2.5 million, the championship promises to be a celebration of badminton excellence on the global stage.