Japan’s women’s badminton team yesterday clinched the Uber Cup, breezing by surprise finalists Thailand 3-0 to end a 37-year wait to regain the title.
With a team stacked with top-ranked players in both the singles and doubles, Japan made light work of the hosts, who entered the finals for the first time after stunning China in the semis.
It ends an Uber Cup drought for Japan that stretched back to 1981 and is a major confidence boost ahead of the Olympics.
Photo: EPA
World singles No. 2 Akane Yamaguchi got Japan off to a flyer, dulling the boisterous partisan home crowd with a 21-15, 21-19 win over Ratchanok Intanon, blending deft touches at the net with patience in the rallies and power shots.
World No. 4 Ratchanok said that she lost concentration after bickering with the umpire early in the second set over his refusal to grant a review.
Doubles pair Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota stormed to the second point of the match winning their tie 21-18, 21-12.
The writing was on the wall for the hosts and Nozomi Okuhara made light work (21-12, 21-9) of a visibly tired Nitchaon Jindapol to seal victory.
“Thirty-seven years ago Japan was very strong... We are happy to make history again,” Okuhara told reporters.
The win caps four years of effort to push the players up through the world rankings while knitting together the national team, coach Park Joo-bong said.
“I was worried about the atmosphere, but the team took the pressure and were hungry to win,” Park said.
Thailand celebrated the runners-up medal as a sign of progress for a young side growing in confidence as the Asian Games approaches.
“We are strong contenders to win gold,” coach Rexy Mainaky said. “Skill-wise, our players are world class, but to go to the next level we have to do more.”
China, absent from the women’s final for the first time eve, have a chance to redeem national pride in the Thomas Cup today, when they play Japan.
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