Three champions of previous years and two runners-up are among the eight men’s singles contenders at the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2023.

The prolific Viktor Axelsen – winner of four season finales, including the last two – will be favourite to add a fifth to his collection, while the player who outplayed him in the 2020 final, Anders Antonsen, will be looking to sign off his remarkable comeback season from injury.

The other past winner is Shi Yu Qi, who blew past the then-unstoppable Kento Momota at the first HSBC BWF World Tour Finals in 2018.

Of the runners-up, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting fell at the final hurdle twice – in 2019 and 2022. Kunlavut Vitidsarn, beaten by Axelsen in the 2021 final, used the loss to spur him on, and he arrives as the reigning world champion.

Marathon man Kodai Naraoka, winner of the LI-NING China Masters 2023, YONEX French Open champion Jonatan Christie, and YONEX All England champion Li Shi Feng are the others vying for the title.

Here is an overview of their performances in 2023 as they prepare for the final event of the season: 

Kodai Naraoka (Japan)

Naraoka’s first HSBC BWF World Tour title at the LI-NING China Masters 2023 proved his ability to go all the way after a series of consistent performances through the year.

• LI-NING China Masters 2023: Winner
• DAIHATSU Japan Open 2023: Semifinalist
• Korea Open 2023: Semifinalist
• YONEX Canada Open 2023: Semifinalist
• KFF Singapore Open 2023: Semifinalist
• PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2023: Runner-up

Jonatan Christie (Indonesia)

His steady, physical style brought him good returns, including a HSBC BWF World Tour Super 750 and two Super 500 titles.

• YONEX French Open 2023: Winner
• VICTOR Hong Kong Open 2023: Winner
• VICTOR China Open 2023: Semifinalist
• DAIHATSU Japan Open 2023: Runner-up
• DAIHATSU Indonesia Masters 2023: Winner
• YONEX SUNRISE India Open 2023: Semifinalist

Shi Yu Qi (China)

Had a mixed year with several early exits but compensated with two runner-up results and five semifinals.

• Kumamoto Masters Japan 2023: Runner-up
• VICTOR Denmark Open 2023: Semifinalist
• VICTOR China Open 2023: Semifinalist
• Korea Open 2023: Semifinalist
• YONEX All England 2023: Runner-up
• PRINCESS SIRIVANNAVARI Thailand Masters 2023: Semifinalist
• DAIHATSU Indonesia Masters 2023: Semifinalist

Li Shi Feng (China)

Emerged out of the shadows of his senior compatriots, with his YONEX All England 2023 title bolstering his profile.

• YONEX French Open 2023: Runner-up
• YONEX US Open 2023: Winner
• YONEX Canada Open 2023: Runner-up
• YONEX All England Open 2023: Winner
• YONEX German Open 2023: Runner-up

Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)

While Axelsen was not as dominant in 2023 as he was last year, the Dane still finished with five HSBC BWF World Tour titles and remained the player to beat.

• Kumamoto Masters Japan 2023: Winner
• VICTOR China Open 2023: Winner
• DAIHATSU Japan Open 2023: Winner
• KAPAL API GROUP Indonesia Open 2023: Winner
• YONEX SUNRISE India Open 2023: Runner-up
• PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2023: Winner

Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (Indonesia)

With back-to-back finals in the middle of the year, Ginting appeared to have discovered his best form, but the Indonesian was unable to sustain that level through the rest of the year.

• VICTOR Hong Kong Open 2023: Semifinalist
• KAPAL API GROUP Indonesia Open 2023: Runner-up
• KFF Singapore Open 2023: Winner
• YONEX SUNRISE India Open 2023: Semifinalist

 Anders Antonsen (Denmark)

After struggling with groin injury last season, Antonsen’s return to peak physical intensity was impressive, winning the Korea Open after making the final in Singapore.

• CLASH OF CLANS Arctic Open 2023 powered by YONEX: Semifinalist
• Korea Open 2023: Winner
• KFF Singapore Open 2023: Runner-up
• Madrid Spain Masters 2023: Semifinalist
• YONEX All England Open 2023: Semifinalist

Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Thailand)

His defeat of Axelsen in the India Open final showed the Thai had come of age to match the very best, and he followed that up with his TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2023 crown. Subsequently an injury hampered the rest of his season.

• TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2023: Winner
• YONEX US Open 2023: Runner-up
• KFF Singapore Open 2023: Semifinalist
• TOYOTA GAZOO RACING Thailand Open 2023: Winner
• YONEX SUNRISE India Open 2023: Winner
• PETRONAS Malaysia Open 2023: Semifinalist