PETALING JAYA: China showed off their strength in depth in their home Open when their second stringers shone in the absence of several big names.
China were missing their No. 1 players Chen Yufei (women’s singles), Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong (mixed doubles) and Chen Qingchen (women’s doubles) while Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang (men’s doubles) and Shi Yuqi (men’s singles) underperformed.
China though still managed to sweep four of the five titles in what was one of their best performances in the tournament through Weng Hongyang (men’s singles), Wang Zhiyi (women’s singles), Li Yijing-Luo Xumin (women’s doubles) and Feng Yanzhe-Huang Dongping (mixed doubles).
World No. 7 men’s doubles pair He Jiting-Ren Xiangyu were the only ones to miss out on a title after the latter injured his back and they went down 21-13, 12-21, 17-21 to Malaysia’s world No. 12 Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani.
The world No. 25 Hongyang, who rose to the occasion to capture his first World Tour Super 1000 crown, ended China’s seven-year wait for the men’s singles title after Chen Long’s victory in 2017.
The 24-year-old Zhiyi, ranked fifth in the world, proved herself as China’s No. 2 women’s singles star after Olympic silver medallist He Bingjiao’s retirement.
The hosts boasted three out of four semi-finalists in the women’s doubles including newly formed pairs Jia Yifan-Zheng Yu and Li Wenmei-Zhang Shuxian before the world No. 18 Li Yijing-Luo Xumin eventually won the title, beating Wenmei-Shuxian.
World No. 3 Yanzhe-Dongping ended Malaysia’s Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai Jemie’s gallant run by coming away with a hard fought win.
Dongping told the Badminton World Federation (BWF): “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.
“When the first team is taking a break, the second team feel the responsibility to fill the gap. This is because of the healthy competition within the team.
“Every pair and player will do their part. Everyone desires to be a top ranked player.
“That’s why even though the first team players are not here, we could still enter all five finals and win four titles.”
The last time China won four titles in the home Open was in 2011 through Lin Dan (men’s singles), Wang Yihan (women’s singles), Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang (women’s doubles) and Zhang Nan-Zhao Yulei (mixed doubles).
This time it was more impressive as none of the winners were the country’s No. 1 players.
