Anders Antonsen survived a dramatic comeback from Olympic silver medalist Kunlavut Vitidsarn on Friday afternoon to reach the semi-finals of the China Masters, winning an epic three-set battle 18-21, 21-17, 21-18.

It was the third meeting between Antonsen and Vitidsarn in 2026, and once again the Dane emerged victorious after another fiercely contested encounter.

The 29-year-old from Aarhus secured his place in the last four of the Super 750 China Masters following a tense battle that lasted just under two hours.

Vitidsarn, the 2023 world champion from Thailand, entered the contest as the favourite, but after the pair shared the opening two games, Antonsen produced an outstanding level in the decider.

The Dane appeared firmly in control when he raced into an 11-3 lead at the mid-game interval. However, the match suddenly swung in the other direction as Vitidsarn found his rhythm and began mounting an extraordinary comeback.

The Thai star eventually moved ahead 16-15, but Antonsen refused to panic. He regained his composure at the crucial moment and produced the decisive rallies to take control once again and seal the victory.

Antonsen celebrated the final points with his trademark intensity before pulling up his shorts after securing another memorable win over his Thai rival.

The victory completes a remarkable turnaround in their rivalry.

Antonsen had suffered three consecutive defeats against Vitidsarn in late 2025, losing at the World Championships, the season finale and the Thailand Open.

But the Dane has since turned the tables.

In May, Antonsen defeated Vitidsarn at both the Thomas Cup and the Thailand Open, and Friday’s victory made it three wins over the Thai in their three meetings this year.

Antonsen will now face 22-year-old Jason Gunawan of Hong Kong in Saturday’s semi-final, with a place in the China Masters final at stake.

The other men’s singles semi-final will see second seed Christo Popov of France take on Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu.

There is also more Danish interest in the tournament later on Friday, when the country’s last remaining men’s doubles pairing, Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup, take to the court.

The experienced Danes face a formidable challenge against India’s top-ranked duo, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, in the quarter-finals.