The Great Wall crumbles against 'Kimchi' power as Korea win Sudirman Cup
Not many had given them hope but South Korea gave a stunning display of confidence against 10-time champions China in the final to land the Sudirman Cup mixed team title in thrilling and dramatic fashion on Sunday.
In the final played at the Carrara Idoor Sports Stadium in Gold Coast, Australia the Koreans dug out a surprise to snatch a 3-2 win in the finale, coming back twice against the might Chinese.
While the Koreans celebrated their great win - breaking in into a dance of joy after they heaped on each other on the court against a back drop of their dazed opponents - especially China's mixed doubles Lu Kai-Huang Yaqiong in the deciding tie.
The Chinese, were expected to win their last tie against Choi Solgyu-Chae Yoo-jung to break the 2-2 deadlock but instead the steely Koreans triumphed 21-17, 21-13 in 51 minutes to hand Korea the title for only the fourth time.
Korea last won the Sudirman Cup in 2003 when they beat China 3-1 in the final in Eindhoven, Denmark. The Koreans also won in 1993 (Birmingham, England) and 1991 in Copenhagen, Denmark - and both times beat Indonesia 3-2 in the final.
For the record China came as favourites in the inaugural Robot Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in February but were beaten 3-1 by Japan in the semi-finals.
China looked headed for an easy win in the final when Olympic champions Fu Haifeng-Zhang Nan walked away with a 21-14, 21-15 win over Choi Solgyu Seo Seung-jae in the men's doubles.
Even when He Bingjiao lost her women's singles to fourth ranked Sung Ji-hyun 12-21, 16-21 for Korea to draw level the Chinese looked good when Olympics and world champion Chen Long came on court and walked away with a 21-10, 21-10 win over youngster Jeon Hyeok-jin in the men's singles for a 2-1 lead.
Once again Korea came back to draw level through Al-England champions Chang Ye-na-Lee So-hee in the women's doubles. The Koreans snatched a 21-19, 21-13 win over Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan in 55 minutes to take the tie to the rubber.
The pressure was too much to handle for China's All England and Asian champions Lu Kai-Huang Yaqiong as Choi Solgyu-Chae Yoo-jung carved out a 21-17, 21-13 thriller in 53 minutes as the Koreans regained the Sudirman Cup to end a 14-year wait.
SUDIRMAN CUP FINAL
South Korea beat China 3-2
(Korea first)
MD: Choi Solgyu-Seo Seung-jae lost to Fu Haifeng-Zhang Nan 14-21, 15-21
WS: Sung Ji-hyun beat He Bingjiao 21-12, 21-16
MS: Jeon Hyeok-jin lost to Chen Long 10-21, 10-21
WD: Cheng Ye-na-Lee So-hee beat Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan 21-19, 21-13
XD: Choi Solgyu-Chae Yoo-jung beat Lu Kai-Huang Yaqiong 21-17, 21-13
Related Article
World and Olympic Champions Competing at the BAMTC 2023
Job Vacancy: Chief Operating Officer
