Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon claimed her third Malaysia Masters title on Sunday, defeating top seed Chen Yufei of China 21-17, 21-15 at the Unifi Arena in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, to become the most decorated women’s singles champion in the tournament’s history.
The Thai second seed stunned the world No. 4 in 51 minutes, completing a hat-trick of titles at one of Asia’s most prestigious badminton events. She had entered the week tied with India’s Pusarla V. Sindhu and China’s Wang Zhiyi on two titles each. The victory put her ahead of all of them.
Ratchanok started aggressively, building an early 6-3 lead in the opening game. Chen fought back and stayed close at times, but the Thai veteran remained composed to close out the opener 21-17. In the second game, Ratchanok took control immediately with a dominant 9-2 start, placing her opponent under pressure from which she never recovered.
Chen Yufei had held a career head-to-head record of 19-3 going into the final, but over 51 minutes Ratchanok produced a performance so complete that the Chinese player had little answer. The win ended a four-match losing streak for the Thai against her Chinese rival, according to several news sources.
The victory carries real historical weight. At 31 and currently ranked world No. 7, Ratchanok is now the most decorated women’s singles champion at the Malaysia Masters. She sits second overall among all singles players at the event, behind only Malaysian icon Lee Chong Wei, who holds five titles. Ratchanok has now won every Malaysia Masters final she has entered — 2018, 2019, and 2026 — a perfect three from three.
It is also her first title since winning the Japan Masters in Kumamoto last November, making the result all the more welcome for Thai badminton fans after a six-month wait.
The BWF Super 500 tournament also delivered a near-miss for another Thai player. Rising star Panitchaphon Teeraratsakul reached the men’s singles final but fell short against China’s defending champion Li Shifeng, who retained his title 21-16, 21-17. The 21-year-old had already reached finals at the Indonesia Masters and Thailand Masters earlier this year, and his Kuala Lumpur run is expected to lift his world ranking this week.
Thailand’s mixed doubles pair Pakkapon Teeraratsakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai also came up short in their final, losing to China’s Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui 13-21, 21-15, 11-21 in a tight three-game contest.
For Ratchanok, the win closes a chapter that began seven years ago. She first won the Malaysia Masters in 2018 and defended it the following year before a long wait for a third. At 31, with her movement, court craft, and composure all on full display in Sunday’s final, the message to the rest of the women’s tour is clear — Thailand’s most celebrated badminton player still has plenty left to say.
