BWF World Championships 2025 — Stories to watch
Can An Seyoung continue her stunning run of form? The women’s world number one, who won Olympic gold in this very arena last year, has gone from strength to strength this year.
Since her triumph last August at the Olympics, she has won seven titles on the BWF World Tour and entrenched herself at the top of the world rankings. The shuttler from Republic of Korea may be the clearest favourite in any of the five events to win the world title.
On the men’s side, the two-time Olympic champ Viktor Axelsen isn’t competing as the Dane is still recovering from surgery. Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the defending champion, enters as only the third seed, behind both Shi Yuqi and Anders Antonsen, each looking for their first crowns.
Shi has a tricky opening clash against India’s Lakshya Sen to navigate if he wants to join the likes of Kunlavut and another prior titleholder, the 2021 winner Loh Kean Yew, in the pantheon of world champions.
And hosts France have an outside shout of making a deep run in the tournament, with European champion Alex Lanier the seventh seed in Paris.
There are also injury returns for Lee Zii Jia and Anthony Ginting.