A demonstration for KIM / SEO who reach the final
For this first Men Doubles semifinal, the Koreans KIM Won Ho and SEO Seung Jae are facing the Danish pair Kim ASTRUP and Anders Skaarup RASMUSSEN. Ranked world number 1, the Koreans have won 3 out of the 4 Super 1000 of the year. Even if they are a recent pair, they seem to have found a perfect partnership after having built up some fine records on their own. Indeed, SEO Seung Jae is the current Men Double world champion with another partner KANG Min-Hyuk. He won the title in 2023 against the same Danes they are facing today. This match promises to be explosive between the current world number 1 and those who were still first in the ranking at the start of the year.
The Koreans start perfectly. They quickly lead 9/0 and then 11/2 at the break. In this relatively one-sided first set, KIM Won Ho and SEO Seung Jae “easily” win 21/12 thanks to very solid play.
Highly motivated, the Koreans continue their lead. Midway through the second set, they already have a 9-points advantage: 11/2. Especially thanks to impressive smashes and perfect shot timing. With no suspense, the end of the set is once more one-sided and the Koreans win 21/3 and therefore qualify for the final of these TotalEnergies BWF World Championships.
After the match, SEO Seung Jae told us: "It's weird and pleasing at the same time to be in the final with a new partner. We have a synergy that is quite incredible, so we are happy. About tomorrow's opponent, whether it's one pair or the other, it's not something that will change, what will really change is the way we prepare for this final."
Tomorrow, KIM Won Ho and SEO Seung Jae will face CHEN Bo Yang / LIU Yi (No. 11, China) or Satwiksairaj RANKIREDDY / Chirag SHETTY (No. 9, India) in the Men Doubles final. They will try to win the gold medal at these TotalEnergies BWF World Championships. And maybe a new one for SEO Seung Jae, two years after his title in Copenhagen.