India's Sindhu wins a her first Superseries title
( Credit Image : Ibn)
China were in four of the five finals but finished empty handed in the USD700,000 Thaihot China Open Superseries Premier finals in Fuzhou on Sunday - on a day when India's P.V. Sindhu achieved her dream of winning a superseries title this year.
Seventh seeded Sindhu - the first Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal at the Rio Olympics in August - defeated China's eighth seed Sun Yu 21-11, 17-21, 21-11 in a 69 minute final.
India has a rich tradition in the China Open. In 2014 K. Srikanth and Saina Nehwal completed a grand double by winning the men's and women's singles title - a rare feat on Chinese soil.
Sindhu, who defeated Korea's Sung Ji-hyun 11-21, 23-21, 21-19 in a marathon 84 minute match in the semi-finals on Saturday attributed her win to her hardwork and practice she had put in after winning the silver in the Rio Olympics.
"It is a dream come true for me to win the superseries after winning the silver in the Olympics. It has been a good year for me and I am happy with my achievements," said the 21-year-old Sindhu, who ranked No 11 in the world.
Sindhu also won the Malaysia Grand Prix Gold in Penang earlier this year.
However, Olympic men's singles gold medallist Chen Long suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Denmark's Jan O Jorgensen in the men's singles final. The fourth seeded Dane defeated the second seeded Chinese ace in straight sets 22-20, 21-13 in 46 minutes.
In the process, Jorgensen, beaten finalist in 2009, became the first European to win the China Open and described himself as "super proud" to take the title.
China were also beaten in the women's doubles final. Sixth seeds Chang Ye-na-Lee So-hee of Korea slogged for 90 minutes for the title in their 13-21, 21-14, 21-17 win over Huang Dongping-Li Yinhui.
There was more heartache for the home fans when Olympic champions Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir, the No 2 seeds from Indonesian defeated Zhang Nan-Li Yunhui 21-13, 22-24, 21-16 in 74 minutes for the mixed doubles title.
Indonesia won a second title in Fuzhou. It came in the men's doubles with seventh seeds Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo pulled off a major upset in the semi-finals by knocking out top seeds Chai Biao-Hong Wei, defeated Denmark's Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen in the final.
The Indonesians - the No 1 pair in their country - carved out a 21-18, 22-20 win in 49 minutes.
RESULTS (All Finals)
Men's singles
Jan O Jorgensen (De) beat Chen Long (Chn) 22-20, 21-13
Men's doubles
Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Ina) beat Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) 21-18, 22-20
Women's singles
P.V. Sindhu (Ind) beat Sun Yu (Chn) 21-11, 17-21, 21-11
Women's doubles
Chang Ye-na-Lee So-hee (Kor) beat Huang Dongping-Li Yinhui (Chn) 13-21, 21-14, 21-17
Mixed doubles
Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (Ina) beat Zhang Nan-Li Yunhui (Chn) 21-13, 22-24, 21-16
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