Badminton: Japan win 1st Thomas Cup after narrowly beating Malaysia 3-2

Japan's Hiroyuki Endo (L) and Kenichi Hayakawa celebrate after they defeated Malaysia's Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How in the men's doubles final match in the Thomas Cup badminton championship in New Delhi May 25, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Japan's Hiroyuki Endo (L) and Kenichi Hayakawa celebrate after they defeated Malaysia's Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How in the men's doubles final match in the Thomas Cup badminton championship in New Delhi May 25, 2014. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

NEW DELHI - Japan continued their giant-killing act by beating Malaysia 3-2 to claim badminton's Thomas Cup for the first time yesterday.

The Japanese, who had stunned China for their maiden final appearance, prevailed when Takuma Ueda beat Malaysia's Daren Liew 21-12, 18-21, 21-17 to clinch the crucial third singles and the tie.

World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei beat Kenichi Tago 21-12, 21-16 to give Malaysia an early lead yesterday. Japan's doubles pair Kenichi Hayakawa and Hiroyuki Endo then made it 1-1 with a 12-21, 21-17, 21-19 win over Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How.

Japan also won the second singles when Kento Momota beat Chong Wei Feng 21-15, 21-17. However, Malaysia were far from beaten as Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong played spiritedly to beat Keigo Sonoda and Takeshi Kamura 19-21, 21-17, 21-12 in the second doubles.

With the tie level at 2-2, it all boiled down to who would take the third singles. And Ueda made fewer errors to win it.

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