Markham, ON – July 1 to July 6, 2025 — The stands were packed at the Markham Pan Am Centre as the YONEX Canada Open 2025 brought world-class badminton action to Canada. With seven days of non-stop rallies, saves, and performances from global stars and hometown athletes alike, the tournament left fans with unforgettable memories and a deep sense of pride. The tournament had 29 countries participating with over 200 players through 183 matches. Supporting the event was over 200 volunteers, 40 officials, and over 3800 ticket fans!
From the first love-all to the final celebration shout, the atmosphere in Markham was heated. Supporters crowded the stands daily, creating a goosebump-inducing environment that lifted every player and intensified every rally. Fans cheered passionately for every incredible shot, thrilling upset, and hard-fought point.
Among the standout stories of the tournament were the Canadian athletes, who showed immense heart, skill, and determination. Leading the charge was Victor Lai, who delivered a truly inspiring performance. Battling through the qualification rounds, Victor made an extraordinary run all the way to the Men’s Singles Final, cementing his place among the sport’s rising stars. His quarterfinal match against Kodai Naraoka (BWF World Rank #7 in MS), was one of the highlights of the tournament—an intense clash that showcased Victor’s resilience and talent against one of the best in the world.
On the women’s side, Michelle Li also had a phenomenal tournament, fighting her way to the Women’s Singles Final and once again demonstrating why she remains one of Canada’s top badminton ambassadors on the world stage.
Badminton Canada is incredibly proud of all our athletes who represented the maple leaf with honor and passion. In addition to Victor Lai and Michelle Li, we applaud the efforts of Brian Yang, Wendy Zhang, Rachel Chan, Chloe Hoang, Ty Lindeman, Kevin Lee, Jonathan Lai, Nyl Yakura, Timothy Lock, Jackie Dent, Crystal Lai, Eliana Zhang, Josephine Wu, and Catherine Choi. Every match played by Team Canada reflected determination, discipline, and pride.
Congratulations to all the winners!
- Men’s Singles: Kenta Nishimoto – Japan
- Womens Singles: Manami Suizu – Japan
- Men’s Doubles: Fang-Chih Lee & Fang-Jen Lee – Chinese Taipei
- Women’s Doubles: Benyapa Aimsaar & Nuntakarn Aimsaar – Thailand
- Mixed Doubles: Ruttanapak Oupthong & Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat – Thailand
The YONEX Canada Open 2025 will be remembered not just for its high-caliber badminton, but for the incredible community spirit and support shown by fans from across the country. Thank you to all who attended, cheered, volunteered, and helped make this event an overwhelming success.
We can’t wait to see what the next YONEX Canada Open 2026 holds for Canadian badminton—if this week was any indication, the future is worth looking forward to. See you next year! In Markham!
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For more information or media inquiries please contact:
Bryan R. Merrett
Executive Director
613-518-1501, X2083
bmerrett@badminton.ca
About Badminton Canada
With shuttles reaching speeds as high as 565 kph, badminton attracts more than 220 million people worldwide to play the sport weekly, making badminton the second most participated-in sport in the world. Badminton Canada works to grow the game across the country through events, coaching and officials’ development, and developing programs such as Shuttletime. In Canada, over 2 million people
picked up a badminton racquet and played our sport. Some play at the cottage, some in the backyard, at school, the local community centre or as part of an organized Badminton Canada competition. Badminton is easily accessible – for any Canadian – at any age – for life!