On Sunday, Canadian badminton athlete Victor Lai experienced a rewarding moment.
After overcoming a sluggish beginning in the semifinals, the seventh-ranked men’s player in the world triumphed over No. 17 Jason Gunawan from Hong Kong with scores of 21-11, 21-14, making him the first Canadian to ever clinch the Korea Open title.
Hailing from Markham, Ontario, Lai will take home a prize of $37,000 US for his achievements at this prestigious BWF 500 World Tour event.
At just 21 years old, Lai is nearing $250,000 in total career earnings and has previously faced multiple first-round eliminations at this tournament.
“Victor continues to excel on the global stage,” said Bryan Merrett, executive director of Badminton Canada, in a press release. “His capacity to learn from previous outings consistently paves the way for his success.”
Lai’s remarkable 2026 season also features a BWF World Tour Super 1000 championship at the Indonesia Open in early June, where he was ranked 14th globally.
In the semifinals on Sunday, Lai faced a 21-19 defeat against Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong before securing victories of 21-15 and 21-12 to progress.
He characterized Lee as a skilled competitor with a “strong attack.”
-
Lai earns world championship bronze for 2nd straight year
-
Lai makes history with POLYTRON Indonesia Open 2026 title
With this victory, Lai positions himself as a contender for one of the eight spots in the World Tour Finals next month in Hangzhou, China.
In August, Lai replicated his success by winning the men’s singles bronze at the world championships held in New Delhi.
He achieved Canada’s first-ever world medal last year.
Additionally, Lai has secured podium placements at the All England Open and the Pan Am Individual Championships.
Canadian badminton champ Victor Lai plays 2 truths & a lie. Canadian fans will get their first chance to see Lai compete at home when he headlines the YONEX Canada Open from June 30 to July 5 at the Markham Pan Am Centre in Markham, Ont.
