Local badminton star Shi Yuqi wins China Open men's singles
CHANGZHOU: Local badminton powerhouse Shi Yuqi surged to victory in the China Open men's singles final on Sunday, overcoming a slow start and adding to his country's near sweep of the competition.
The women's singles title decider, which also featured two Chinese players, saw second-ranked Wang Zhiyi defeat number four Han Yue 21-8, 21-13 in a dominant 39-minute performance. That came just after men's world number three Shi bounced back from a game down to beat Wang Zhengxing 14-21, 21-14, 21-15 in 64 minutes.
'The impact, speed and strength of younger players are definitely better than mine,' said 29-year-old Shi after beating 23-year-old Wang. 'So I can only say that I tried my best to withstand some of his speed.' The victor's hometown of Nantong is a two-hour drive from the competition host city of Changzhou, both in China's eastern Jiangsu province.
Shi's latest victory adds to his men's singles crown at the BWF World Tour Finals in December — his second such win in the prestigious competition. In this year's only China Open competition not won by the home country, Indonesia's Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri outperformed Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik 21-15, 21-14 to take the men's doubles title.
In the women's doubles, top-ranked duo Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning of China beat fellow countrywomen Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian 24-22, 17-21, 21-14 in a battle lasting 69 minutes. Mixed doubles play saw China's Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping defeat compatriots Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin 23-21, 21-17 in 47 minutes. — AFP
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