Kulwut Wititsakson opens up after defeating world No. 1 Shi Yuqi to become the first Thai men's singles player to win the Malaysia Open.
On 12 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Kulwut Wititsakson, world No. 2 and Thailand’s top player, spoke publicly for the first time after beating world No. 1 Shi Yuqi from China 2-0. The Chinese shuttler retired due to injury, allowing Kulwut to claim the 2026 Malaysia Open title — his first championship of the year.
This also marked Kulwut’s first Super 1000 level title since turning professional, making history as the first Thai men's singles player to win a Super 1000 event.
Kulwut jokingly said that when Lee Chong Wei presented the trophy, he invited him to have bak kut teh again. He also expressed gratitude for Lee’s advice whenever he faced problems or worries, especially regarding strategy and emotional control both on and off the court.
Regarding Shi Yuqi’s retirement, Kulwut said, “I feel very happy. Before this, I never thought about this outcome. Shi Yuqi is a world-class player. I hope he recovers quickly. Today, I had a good plan, but I must admit that if the match had lasted longer or if we had to rally more, I probably wouldn’t have had enough strength or been able to beat Shi Yuqi.”
Kulwut also spoke about the pressure he experienced as world No. 1, saying, “When I became world No. 1, I was happy, but I have to admit it was stressful. During matches, I felt that everyone expected me to perform excellently all the time because I was the world No. 1. But in reality, that’s not always the case.”