Taiwanese world No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying (戴資穎) on Sunday won her first All England Open title, badminton’s oldest championship, after beating Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 21-16, 22-20 in the final in Birmingham.
Tai replaced Ratchanok as world No. 1 in November last year, before beating her in December at the Superseries Finals.
The first game of the final was tight until, at 16-16, Tai reeled off five straight points to take it.
Photo: AP
Ratchanok, who also made the 2013 final, led throughout the second and had two game points at 20-18, but Tai denied her the first on a successful video challenge and won the next three points for the victory.
“I kept telling myself not to give up,” Tai said. “It was a very intense game.”
It was Tai’s first final at the All England Open, with her previous best a place in the semi-finals.
Photo: AFP
She became the first Taiwanese to triumph at the world’s oldest tournament.
“I’ve been here several times and I’m very happy to have won the title with so many people cheering me on,” Tai told reporters after claiming the US$45,000 top prize. “I’m really very happy.”
In the men’s singles, world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei won his fourth title and changed his mind about it being his 13th and final visit to the All England Open.
After swatting aside first-time finalist Shi Yuqi (石宇奇) of China 21-12, 21-10, Lee said he would return next year to defend the title at his favorite tournament.
“Every year I come here I feel like I am playing at home,” the Malaysian said. “I will definitely come back next year.”
Before the event, Lee had said it would be his last All England Open, then he almost did not make it. He tore a cruciate ligament in his left knee on Feb. 4 when he slipped on court mats in training and was not cleared until nine days before the tournament. He still played in pain and with the knee heavily strapped and yet, despite all the drama, sliced through his draw, dropping just one game.
“I am a little surprised I won the whole tournament actually,” he said.
World No. 10 Shi knocked out Lee’s nemesis, Lin Dan (林丹), in the semi-finals. He won his maiden Superseries final in Paris in October last year, but he had been well beaten in his two previous matches with Lee and never looked like hurting the Malaysian in the final.
“I learned from Lee Chong Wei,” Shi said. “He’s better than me in both skills and tactics, and he always thought ahead of me.”
Adding to his titles in 2010, 2011 and 2014, Lee joined fellow Malaysians Wong Peng Soon and Eddy Choong as four-time winners. They both won their four titles in the 1950s when the All England Open was the unofficial world championship.
Additional reporting by staff writer, with CNA
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