Shi Yuqi, Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo/Marcus Fernaldi Gideon win India Open

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Shi Yuqi is spearheading the China men's team challenge at the Asia Badminton Championships to be held in Malaysia next week. (photo: AP)
Shi Yuqi is spearheading the China men's team challenge at the Asia Badminton Championships to be held in Malaysia next week. (photo: AP)

New Delhi: Men’s singles No. 4 seed Shi Yuqi defeated No. 3 seed Chou Tien-Chen of Taiwan 21-18, 21-14 to win the India Open on Sunday.

Shi was trailing most of the first set before reeling off 5 consecutive points from 15-17 to claim a 20-17 advantage and went on to take the first set 21-18.

The Chinese player was in commanding form in front of the boisterous crowd at New Delhi’s Siri Fort Indoor Stadium throughout the second set, seizing the title after 47 minutes of play. The India Open was Shi’s fourth major international title, after winning the 2016 France Superseries, the 2016 Bitburger Open and 2016 Indonesian Masters. Shi was also the first Chinese player to win the tournament.

“I didn’t win any tournaments last year, and hopefully this could boost my confidence to win more tournaments in 2018,” said the 21-year-old who was born in the Jiangsu province of China.

In men’s doubles, the fast and furious World No. 1 pair Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo/Marcus Fernaldi Gideon of Indonesia were in such formidable form on Sunday that Denmark’s No. 4 seeds Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen simply had no answers to their attacks as the Indonesian pair outlasted Astrup/Rasmussen comprehensively 21-14, 21-16 in 38 minutes.

Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo/Marcus Fernaldi Gideon are the best men's doubles pair in the world currently. (photo: AP)
Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo/Marcus Fernaldi Gideon are the best men’s doubles pair in the world currently. (photo: AP)

The India Open was Sukamuljo/Gideon’s fifth consecutive titles in five consecutive tournaments, since claiming the China Open Super Series Premier on November 19, 2017, Hong Kong Open Super Series on November 26, 2017, BWF World Super Series Finals on December 17, 2017, and Daihatsu Indonesia Masters on January 28, 2018.

“We are certainly happy to be able to score hat-trick titles in BWF tournaments. We started the 2018 well, and hopefully we can set the record with such a packed tournament schedule this year,” said Gideon.

“We have been pressing the opponents from the beginning because we know they are good in defence,” added Sukamuljo.

“We are quite happy to compete at India Open because we always produce good results here. It was here that we won our first Super Series level tournament,” added Sukamuljo.

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