Chou Tien-chen Becomes Oldest Super 1000 Champion at China Open
The 2026 China Open men's singles final was held on 26 July at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Changzhou, Jiangsu, China. Thirty‑six‑year‑old Chou Tien‑chen of Chinese Taipei defeated France’s Toma Junior Popov 21‑15, 7‑21, 21‑13 to claim the BWF World Tour Super 1000 title. The win made Chou the oldest player ever to win a Super 1000 event.
Popov, 27, became the first French player to reach a Super 1000 final. He earned his place by beating world No. 8 Victor Lai in the semifinals, overcoming challenging wind conditions inside the arena with a 14‑21, 21‑12, 21‑15 scoreline. The final also featured Akane Yamaguchi’s women’s singles victory and Indonesian men’s doubles champions Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri retaining their title.
The tournament, part of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour, offers large prize money and ranking points, underscoring the significance of Chou’s historic victory and Popov’s breakthrough for French badminton.
Entities: Badminton World Federation · Changzhou · China Open · Chou Tien-chen · Toma Junior Popov
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The China Open is a BWF World Tour Super 1000 event. (new)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Chou Tien-chen was 36 years old when he won the title. (new)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Chou Tien-chen became the oldest player to win a BWF Super 1000 tournament. (new)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Chou Tien-chen won the men's singles title at the 2026 China Open. (new)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The final score was 21-15, 7-21, 21-13 in favor of Chou Tien-chen. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Popov defeated Victor Lai 14-21, 21-12, 21-15 in the semifinals. (new)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Toma Junior Popov was the first French player to reach a Super 1000 final. (new)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The final was held on 26 July 2026 at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Changzhou, Jiangsu, China. (new)