Shi downs Kunlavut to win first badminton world title, Yamaguchi takes women's crown / Photo: Thibaud MORITZ - AFP
Shi downs Kunlavut to win first badminton world title, Yamaguchi takes women's crown
World number one Shi Yuqi of China fought from behind to beat Thai reigning champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the men's singles badminton world championship final on Sunday, while Japan's Akane Yamaguchi beat Chen Yufei of China in the women's showpiece.
Shi beat Kunlavut 19-21, 21-10, 21-18 after one hour and 16 minutes on court in Paris to lift his first world championships crown.
The 29-year-old broke his worlds hoodoo the hard way, saving two match points in his semi-final and enduring three-game matches from the third round.
For Kunlavut, it was heartbreak again in the French capital where he claimed silver 12 months on from defeat in the 2024 Olympics final at the same venue.
Despite trailing for most of the first game, Kunlavut surged late on to seize the advantage. Shi handed the Thai the opener by misjudging a lobbed serve which landed inside the line.
Shi set about making amends as he blitzed through the second game to force a decider.
In a neck-and-neck championship game, Shi took an 11-9 lead into the interval.
The top seed then stretched ahead before sealing his maiden title as Kunlavut hit long on match point.
- 'Inevitable score' -
On the women's side, fifth seed Yamaguchi needed 37 minutes to win 21-9, 21-13 against an injured Chen to add a third world title to her gold medals from 2021 and 2022.
"I felt the chance to win was very slim (before the tournament). Coming into it as the underdog, winning despite not having results this year, I think that gives it a different kind of value," Yamaguchi said of her 2025 crown.
While she said she was "delighted" by the victory, Yamaguchi spared a thought for her injured opponent.
"Chen Yufei got injured yesterday (Saturday), so it wasn't easy. I hadn't anticipated it, but I suppose this kind of score difference was inevitable given her condition."
Chen, a Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist, battled past top seed and reigning champion An Se-young of South Korea in a semi-final win marked by a nasty-looking ankle twist early in the second game.
The 27-year-old received treatment on the court Saturday and went immediately to have her ankle examined after the match.
In Sunday's final, Chen appeared hampered in her movement and Yamaguchi took full advantage in the opening game.
"I think there were moments she (Chen) couldn't react, so I did hit a bit more aggressively," admitted Yamaguchi.
The fourth seed dug in to stay with Yamaguchi in the second game until the 28-year-old pulled away after the interval to condemn Chen to a second world silver medal.
"It's still quite swollen," Chen said of her ankle.
"Since last night I've been undergoing treatment, icing it and so forth. Before taking to the stage just now (to receive her medal), I'd already taken eight painkillers.
"I believe it's about respecting myself and respecting my opponents. Though there are (injury) issues, I feel I can still walk and stand on this court. So I want to keep fighting for it," added Chen, who lost her previous world final to Yamaguchi in Tokyo three years ago.
Earlier, Malaysian fourth seeds Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei claimed a dominant 21-15, 21-14 victory over second-seeded Chinese pair Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin in the mixed doubles final.
In a women's doubles final between representatives of the same two nations, China took their revenge as top seeds Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu beat second seeded Malaysians Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan 21-14, 20-22, 21-17.
S.Smith--EWJ
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