On the podium again: Taiwan’s Wang Chi-Lin (left) and Lee Yang posing for the cameras after winning the Japan Open men’s doubles title yesterday. — AP
PETALING JAYA: Taiwan men’s doubles pair Lee Yang-Wang Chi-lin ended their two-year barren run on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) world tour when they captured the Japan Open in Tokyo yesterday – at the same venue where they were crowned Olympic champions in 2021.
Lee Yang-Chi-lin’s success at the Yoyogi National Gimnasium 24 months ago was Taiwan’s first ever Olympic gold in badminton but it was also the start of the pair’s struggle on the tour.
Failure after failure followed where their Olympic victory was brushed aside as a flash in the pan but it was an emotional return to Yoyogi for Lee Yang-Chi-lin this time where they played true to form to win their first major tour title in Tokyo.
Lee Yang-Chi lin, world No. 18, defeated local hopefuls Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi 21-19, 21-13 in the final to send a warning to their rivals ahead of the World Championships in Copenhagen from Aug 21-27.
In the men’s singles, Viktor Axelsen of Denmark was in fiery form as he clinched his second title since returning from a hamstring injury last month by beating Jonatan Christie of Indonesia 21-7, 21-18.
Axelsen returned with a bang by clinching the Indonesia Open last month without dropping a game and will be in confident mood ahead of the world meet at home.
The world No. 1 also had a flawless run in Tokyo where he won all his matches in straight games at the venue where he also clinched the Olympic gold.
“What an amazing week it has been here in Tokyo, really happy to clinch my second Japan Open title!” tweeted Axelsen, who won the title for the first time in 2015.
Meanwhile, South Korean An Se-young also continued her remarkable season by winning her sixth title of the year yesterday. She defeated China’s He Bingjiao 21-15, 21-11 in the final.
The women’s doubles saw a huge upset as South Korean Kim So-young-Kong Hee-yong beat world No. 1 Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan 21-17, 21-14.
