Shi Yuqi wins Japan Open badminton title over Lanier
'I wanted to take it at my own pace, and even if I was losing I knew it was important to dig in,' said Shi, currently ranked third globally. 'My opponent is young and he has a lot of physical strength, so I knew I had to stick to my own style.'
Lanier, who won his first major senior title in Tokyo last year, admitted feeling the pressure as defending champion. 'I don't think that it is affecting me mentally, but physically you play with a bit more pressure,' he said.
In the women's final, South Korea's An Se-young continued her dominant season with a 21-12, 21-10 win over China's Wang Zhiyi. The world number one has now claimed six titles in seven tournaments this year, her only defeat coming at the Singapore Open.
'I always have areas that need to be improved on so I work on those in training,' said An, the reigning Olympic champion. 'I challenge myself and that's what leads to these results.'
China enjoyed further success in doubles events. Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin triumphed in mixed doubles, while Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning won the women's doubles. South Korea's Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae took the men's doubles title over Malaysia's Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin. - AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Badminton - Shi, Wang triumph in all-Chinese China Open finals as host dominates home tournament with four titles
China's Shi Yuqi celebrates after defeating compatriot Wang Zhengxing in the men's singles final at the China Open badminton tournament in Changzhou, in China's eastern Jiangsu province on July 27, 2025. -- Photo by AFP BEIJING (Reuters): Shi Yuqi and Wang Zhiyi lifted the men's and women's titles at the China Open on Sunday (July 27), prevailing in the all-Chinese finals to cap a golden week in Changzhou. It was another strong showing for world number three Shi following his Japan Open title last week. The 29-year-old came back from a game down to beat Wang Zhengxing 14-21 21-14 21-15 in little more than an hour. Wang had a narrow 7-5 lead early in the second game, but Shi took over from there, dominating the rallies and never trailing again. It was Shi's third Super 1000 title of the year after winning the Malaysia Open and the All England Open. In the women's final, defending champion Wang Zhiyi secured a dominant 21-8 21-13 win over Han Yue, who had advanced after South Korea's reigning Olympic champion An Se-young retired injured in the semi-finals. The 24-year-old world number two ended a frustrating run of three straight Super 1000 final defeats this year, all to world number one An. It was Wang's second title of the year, adding to her Malaysia Masters win, where she also beat Han in the final. Wang surged to a 13-4 lead in the opener and though Han tried to claw back in the second game, narrowing the gap to 17-13, Wang's sharp movement and relentless aggression helped her close out the match in just over half an hour. China's supremacy on home soil could not be questioned as foreign players fell at the semi-final stage in all formats except for the men's doubles, which was won by Indonesians Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri. The pair beat Malaysian second seeded duo Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi-Yik 21-15 21-14 and performed the viral "aura farming" Indonesian boat race dance in front of the Chinese crowd, much to their delight. It was the first time in a decade that an unseeded men's pair has won the China Open. In women's doubles, top seeds Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning overcame Zhang Shuxian and Jia Yifan 24-22 17-21 21-14. Top seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping defeated second-seeded Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin 23-21 21-17 to clinch the mixed doubles title. (Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru Editing by Christian Radnedge) - Reuters
Barnama
an hour ago
- Barnama
Malaysian Minister Welcomes Stronger Youth, Sports Cooperation With China
KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Malaysian Minister of Youth and Sports Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan said on Sunday that Malaysia welcomes closer youth and sports cooperation with China and looks forward to enhancing bilateral ties by deepening people-to-people exchanges, reported Xinhua. Speaking at a Malaysia-China friendship run held in Sabah state, Yeoh highlighted China's long-standing strength in sports, noting that Malaysia has drawn insights from bilateral exchanges and training collaborations with China. "China is always known as one of the key (sports) leaders in Asia, even at the Olympic level," she added.
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
McIntosh romps to world 400m freestyle gold, Ledecky third
SINGAPORE: Canadian swimming sensation Summer McIntosh obliterated her rivals to win the world 400m women's freestyle gold on Sunday, with American great Katie Ledecky third. The 18-year-old McIntosh romped home in 3min 56.26sec, nearly two seconds clear of China's Li Bingjie, who was followed by Ledecky in bronze. It was the world record holder's first world title in the event as she pursues five individual golds in Singapore. On the opening night of the meet, McIntosh and Ledecky, 28, renewed their rivalry from the Paris Olympics last summer. They will also meet in the 800m freestyle, billed as the most eagerly anticipated race of the championships. McIntosh took the lead early on and never looked back to demolish the rest of the field, pulling increasingly clear as the race progressed. McIntosh came to Singapore in red-hot form. She smashed the 400m freestyle world record at the Canadian trials in 3:54.18 in June. The three-time Olympic gold medallist sliced more than a second off the previous world record of 3:55.38 set by Australian Ariarne Titmus at the 2023 world championships. Olympic champion Titmus is not in Singapore because she is taking a season off before she dives back in to prepare for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. McIntosh won gold in the 200m butterfly, 200m medley and 400m medley at the Paris Olympics. She took silver in the 400m free.
