Sydney: Indonesia’s Alwi Farhan and Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi emerged as the singles champions at the Australia Open, while China dominated the doubles events by sweeping all three titles in Sydney.
Alwi, ranked world No. 13, delivered a composed and efficient performance in the men’s singles final, defeating China’s Dong Tian Yao 21-13, 21-13 in 43 minutes.
It was the first international meeting between Alwi and Dong, but the Indonesian looked comfortable from the start. He controlled the pace well, stayed steady in the longer rallies, and gave the world No. 73 Chinese player very few chances to build momentum.
The victory gave Alwi his second Super 500 title of the season, following his triumph at the Indonesia Masters in January. It also confirmed his growing status as one of the most exciting young names in men’s singles badminton.
Akane Yamaguchi Wins First Australia Open Title
In women’s singles, top seed Akane Yamaguchi captured her first Australia Open title after beating Thailand’s second seed Pornpawee Chochuwong in a tight final.
The Japanese star won 22-20, 21-18, improving her head-to-head record against Pornpawee to 13 wins and 5 losses.
Yamaguchi had to work hard in both games. The opening game went into extra points before she edged it 22-20, and the second game also remained competitive until the closing stage. Her experience and accuracy in the key rallies proved decisive.
The title was Yamaguchi’s second World Tour crown of the year after her earlier victory at the Thailand Open. It also helped her bounce back from back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Singapore Open and Indonesia Open.
For Yamaguchi, winning in Sydney was an important response after falling short in two consecutive finals. This time, she finished the job and added another major title to her decorated badminton career.
Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping End Five-Month Title Wait
China opened the final day with victory in mixed doubles, where Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping defeated teammates Guo Xin Wa and Chen Fang Hui 21-17, 21-19.
The all-Chinese final lasted 52 minutes, with Feng and Huang staying unbeaten against Guo and Chen. Their head-to-head record in the matchup now stands at 7-0.
The win also ended a five-month international title drought for Feng and Huang. It was their second World Tour title of the year, and their first since winning the Malaysia Open in January.
Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian Claim Women’s Doubles Crown
China added another title in women’s doubles through top seeds Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian.
Jia and Zhang defeated Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Meilysa Trias Puspitasari 24-22, 21-13 to win the Australia Open women’s doubles title.
The first game was a tense battle, with the Chinese pair needing extra points to take control of the match. Once they survived that pressure, they played with more authority in the second game and closed out the final in straight games.
The victory gave Jia and Zhang their second title of the season after their Singapore Open triumph. It was also a strong response after their surprise first-round exit at the Indonesia Open the previous week.
With this win, Jia and Zhang extended their winning record over Febriana and Meilysa to two straight matches.
Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi Complete China’s Doubles Sweep
China completed its sweep of the doubles events through Chen Bo Yang and Liu Yi in the men’s doubles final.
Chen and Liu defeated Indonesia’s Sabar Karyaman Gutama and Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani 21-15, 21-19 to claim the title.
The Chinese pair played with better control in the important stages, especially late in the second game when the Indonesian pair tried to push the match into a decider.
The win gave China a perfect finish in the doubles events, with titles in mixed doubles, women’s doubles, and men’s doubles.
Australia Open Ends With Strong Badminton Storylines
The Australia Open produced several major badminton news stories, led by Alwi Farhan’s second Super 500 title and Akane Yamaguchi’s first championship in Sydney.
Alwi’s convincing win over Dong Tian Yao showed his continued progress in men’s singles, while Yamaguchi’s victory over Pornpawee Chochuwong gave the Japanese star a timely boost after recent final defeats.
China also left Sydney as the dominant doubles nation, winning all three doubles titles through Feng Yan Zhe-Huang Dong Ping, Jia Yi Fan-Zhang Shu Xian, and Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi.
With strong singles champions and a clean sweep in doubles for China, the Australia Open delivered a memorable final day on the BWF World Tour.
