Recently-crowned world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn has withdrawn from the VICTOR China Open 2023, which will start Tuesday in Changzhou.

Vitidsarn, seeded No.3, was due to play Priyanshu Rajawat; his place was taken by Shesar Hiren Rhustavito who was promoted from the reserves list.

The VICTOR China Open 2023 is the final Super 1000 of this year’s HSBC BWF World Tour and features most of the other big names. The event is offering prize money of a record US$ 2 million this year.

The opening day’s matches feature women’s doubles world champions Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan and mixed doubles world champions Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung. Chen/Jia take on Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand Pullela, while Seo/Chae are up against Mathias Christiansen/Alexandra Boje.

Other Withdrawals

The other men’s singles player to withdraw was Kidambi Srikanth, who was replaced by Misha Zilberman. The position of the promoted players in the draw was determined by drawing lots.

Women’s singles saw the withdrawal of three big names: Michelle Li, Ratchanok Intanon and Pusarla V. Sindhu. They were replaced by Goh Jin Wei, Lauren Lam and Lianne Tan respectively.

The paired events saw two withdrawals: Chloe Birch/Lauren Smith in women’s doubles and Mathias Thyrri/Amalie Magelund in mixed doubles. Their places in the draw were taken by Lauren Lam/Paula Lynn Cao Hok and Gregory Mairs/Jenny Mairs.

Feature Matches on Day 1:

MS: HS Prannoy vs Ng Tze Yong; Loh Kean Yew vs Christo Popov; Anders Antonsen vs Lakshya Sen; Jonatan Christie vs Weng Hong Yang

MD: Liang Wei Keng/Wang Chang vs Leo Rolly Carnando/Daniel Marthin; Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto vs Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen

WD: Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan vs Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand Pullela

XD: Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung vs Mathias Christiansen/Alexandra Boje