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Japan's Matsutomo-Takahashi seal back to back titles in women's doubles

Sep 30th, 2018
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* Credit image: BolaSport.com

Rising badminton power underlined their dominance in the shuttle sport by clinching three titles in the USD600,000 Victor Korea Open which ended at the SK Handball Stadium in Seoul on Sunday.


So dominant were the Japanese in the Korea Open that it was an all-Japan final in the men's and women's doubles and were already assured of the titles.

Former world champion Nozomi Okuhara made it three for her country by winning the women's singles.


Okuhara downed China-born Zhang Beiwen of the United States in three games - 21-10, 17-21, 21-16 in 52 minutes.

It is her second Super 500 title this season after winning the Thailand Open.

She was also the runners-up in the Super 750 in Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open.


In the women's doubles, 2016 Rio Olympics champions Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi clinched back-to-back titles as they inch towards regaining their number one ranking.

They are currently ranked number two after moving up two places in the latest BWF ranking list.


After winning the China Open last week, the pair added the Korea Open with a 21-11, 21-18 win over compatriot, top seeds and current number one Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota in 40 minutes.


En-route the title Matsutomo-Takahashi beating world champions Mayu Matsumoto-Wakana Nagahara 21-17, 21-15 in the quarter-finals.


Eighth seeds Hiroyuki Endo-Yuta Watanabe took the men's doubles but were taken the distance by their unseeded compatriots Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi before prevailing 9-21, 21-15, 21-10 in 55 minutes.


World number four Chou Tien-chen of Chinese Taipei won the men's singles crown when he beat Indonesia's eighth seed Tommy Sugiarto 21-13, 21-16 in a 39-minute match.


Asian shuttlers showed their might in Seoul when China's He Jiting-Du Yue, seeded fifth, outplayed Denmark's second seeds Mathias Christiansen-Christinna Pedersen in straight games 21-18, 21-16.


RESULTS (ALL FINALS)
Men's singles 
Chou Tien-chen (TPE) beat Tommy Sugiarto (INA) 21-13, 21-16
Men's doubles
Hiroyuki Endo-Yuta Watanabe (JPN) beat Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi (JPN) 9-21, 21-15, 21-10
Women's singles
Nozomi Okuhara (JPN) beatZhang Beiwen (USA) 21-10, 17-21, 21-16
Women's doubles
Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) beat Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota (JPN) 21-11, 21-18
Mixed doubles
He Jiting-Du Yue (CHN) beat Mathias Christiansen-Christinna Pedersen (DEN) 21-18, 21-16 

 


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