Xiamen, April 28, 2025 — The Europe Today: Defending champions China made a resounding start to their 2025 Sudirman Cup campaign with a 5-0 sweep of Algeria in the opening round of the group stage, delighting home fans in Xiamen on Sunday.
Leading the charge were World No. 1 mixed doubles pair Jiang Zhengbang and Wei Yaxin, who set the tone for China’s dominance with a straight-sets victory over Koceila Mammeri and Tanina Violettle Mammeri, 21-11, 21-13.
“It’s exciting to make our Sudirman Cup debut in China’s first match,” said Wei Yaxin. “Team competitions feel very different from tour events—every point matters for the squad.”
Wang Zhiyi, the World No. 2 in women’s singles, followed suit with a commanding 2-0 win, before top-ranked men’s singles player Shi Yuqi extended the lead to 3-0 with his own straight-sets triumph.
“Playing my fifth Sudirman Cup shows I’ve maintained my level for a long time,” Shi said, reflecting on his long-standing role in China’s national squad.
China’s dominance continued in the doubles categories. Paris Olympic champions Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan secured the fourth point in women’s doubles, while Chen Boyang and Liu Yi, both making their Sudirman Cup debut, rounded off the whitewash with a convincing 2-0 win in the men’s doubles.
In the other Group A fixture, Thailand mirrored China’s dominance, blanking Hong Kong, China, 5-0 to join the hosts at the top of the early standings.
Group B saw strong starts from South Korea, who defeated Czechia 4-1, and Chinese Taipei, who bested Canada by the same margin.
In Group D, Denmark overpowered India 4-1, while Indonesia displayed championship pedigree with a clean 5-0 win against England.
The Sudirman Cup, badminton’s premier mixed-team championship, continues through May 4, with top nations vying for supremacy in the sport’s most prestigious team event.
