[Saba Sports News] In the men’s singles final of the 2026 China Open, 36-year-old veteran Chou Tien Chen, ranked sixth in the world, defeated French dark horse Toma Junior Popov 2-1 to claim his maiden China Open title. This marks his second BWF Super 1000 men’s singles crown, seven years after winning the Indonesia Open in 2019. He also brought an end to a 10-month title drought on the World Tour. Popov, who reached his first ever Super 1000 final, took home the runner-up medal and registered the best result of his career. Chou’s championship run featured entertaining contests in every round. His quarterfinal clash stood out as arguably the most thrilling match of the tournament, where he faced world No.1 Shi Yuqi. He had struggled against Shi previously, falling nine times in a row. The 61-minute encounter swung back and forth. Chou claimed the opening game 21-14, before Shi responded swiftly to level the tie with a 21-12 win. Scores stayed tight throughout the decider, yet Chou held his nerve on crucial points to seal a 21-15 comeback victory, snapping his losing streak against Shi Yuqi at last.
The 36-year-old Chou Tien Chen has remained among the elite men’s singles players on the global badminton circuit. Many athletes of his age have gradually stepped back from top-tier competitions, yet he still maintains formidable competitiveness. Armed with outstanding stamina, mature tactical awareness and strong mental resilience, he continues to fight for honours at Super 1000-level events. His triumph at the China Open represents another Super 1000 gold medal after a long gap.