Sudirman Cup: hosts China sweep South Korea to triumph in Suzhou as major sport returns to country after Covid
- Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong overcome early scare in mixed doubles, dropping first set before putting China 1-0 up against Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung
- Shi Yuqi extends lead in men’s singles, then Chen Yufei beats An Se-young in women’s to deliver the title for the hosts
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China achieved a record-extending 13th victory in the Sudirman Cup with a commanding display in the final against South Korea on home soil on Sunday.
It was the first major sporting event held in mainland China since the lifting of the country’s Covid-19 restrictions, under which most major competitions had been cancelled, postponed or moved.
The hosts marked it with a 3-0 triumph in Suzhou, neighbouring Shanghai, to complete a three-peat after they defeated Japan in the 2019 and 2021 editions. China had previously won four in a row from 1995 to 2001, before a run of six from 2005 to 2015.
But the Chinese – who had been taken to the brink of defeat by Japan in a marathon 3-2 semi-final battle on Saturday – had some early scares in Sunday’s final at Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre.
Four-time winners South Korea had seen off Malaysia in the last four and went into the final as the only country to have beaten China in the title match, having done so in Eindhoven in 2003 and Gold Coast in 2017.
And their world No 5 mixed doubles pairing of Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung proceeded to take the opening set 21-18 against Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong.
It was the second set the world No 1 duo had lost at this tournament, and the three-time world champions then faced a match point in the second set, before three points on the bounce gave them it 22-20 to level the match.
Undefeated in eight previous career meetings with the Koreans, the home pair ran away with a deciding set that ended 21-8 to put China 1-0 up.
Next came the men’s singles match, in which South Korea’s Lee Yun-gyu looked the underdog, ranked 212th in the world to Shi Yuqi’s 10th. Lee fought from start to finish before going down 21-13, 21-17.
Chen Yufei, the world No 4, had the chance to clinch it for China in the women’s singles against An Se-young, ranked two places above her.
The Olympic champion stormed ahead 13-5 in the opening set, but An cut the gap to 18-16 before Chen claimed the next three points.
The lead switched multiple times in a closer second set, with Chen a point away from finishing the contest before An drew back to 20-all.
Chen grasped her next opportunity, winning 22-20 to seal the title.
The biennial tournament, which began in 1989, carried extra weight this year with the results counting towards qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
