Malaysia deny hosts clean sweep at badminton’s China Open
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Malaysia's Goh Sze Fei (left) and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani hitting a return during their men's doubles final win at the China Open badminton tournament in Changzhou on Sept 22.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
SHANGHAI – Malaysia’s Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and Goh Sze Fei denied the hosts a clean sweep of all five titles at badminton’s China Open on Sept 22 as they won the men’s doubles crown in Changzhou.
The seventh seeds fought back to defeat fifth-seeded home pairing He Jiting and Ren Xiangyu 13-21, 21-12, 21-17 in a topsy-turvy final lasting just under an hour.
Ren injured his lower back at the close of the first game. He required a medical timeout during the first game and interval and the injury clearly affected the Chinese, particularly in the second game.
For the Malaysians, the Super 1000 tournament win was the biggest of their careers and the second of their season, after they also triumphed at the Super 750 Japan Open in August.
There are just four Super 1000 on the Badminton World Federation world tour and it is the second-highest tier, just below the season-ending World Tour Finals.
Nur Izzuddin, 26, and Goh, 27, earned US$148,000 (S$191,000) for their efforts and will rise to a career-high of eighth in the world this week.
It is also a vindication of their decision to reunite in May 2023, after initially splitting at the start of that year, citing a “lack of connection”.
Beyond the Malaysian duo’s win, it was all about the home team.
Third seed Wang Zhiyi defeated fast-rising Japanese teenager Tomoka Miyazaki 21-17, 21-15 to win the women’s singles crown.
Said Wang: “Last year was not outstanding for me but I gained a lot of experience and this year I’ve had a few breakthroughs and from this I’ve gained more confidence, and this has resulted in victories like this one today.”
The unseeded Miyazaki, 18, was contesting her first final of a Super 1000 event.
The 2022 world junior champion knocked out Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min in the quarter-finals and two-time world champion and compatriot Akane Yamaguchi in the last four, but was unable to add to her two wins on the world tour in Changzhou.
There was more home joy in the men’s singles title decider as Weng Hongyang triumphed, again over a Japanese opponent.
Weng, the world No. 25, defeated sixth-ranked Kodai Naraoka 21-17, 21-12 in an upset.
It continued the run of upsets among the top men’s singles seeds. Top seed and home favourite Shi Yuqi exited in the second round, while two-time Olympic champion and second seed Viktor Axelsen went out in the first round, as did world No. 3 Lee Zii Jia and fourth-ranked Li Shifeng.
Said Weng: “Of course I had hoped that China would get the clean sweep, but my main wish was to make sure I got the men’s singles win for the team.”
The women’s doubles final was an all-Chinese affair, with 18th-ranked Li Yijing and Luo Xumin coming from a game down to beat Li Wenmei and Zhang Shuxian 11-21, 21-18, 21-8.
The mixed doubles final champions also fought back from a game down, as second seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping saw off Malaysia’s Goh Soon Huat and Shevon Lai 16-21, 21-14, 21-17.
Said Huang: “Many first-team players are not here because they are taking a break. During this period, our younger and second-team players are ready to take over... This is because of the healthy competition within the team.” AFP
