Kuching: After winning the Thailand International Challenge title in Bangkok last week, the 34-year-old Korean veteran Lee Hyun-il put himself on top of the podium again on Sunday when he defeated compatriot Jeon Hyeok Jin in the men’s singles final to clinch the 2015 Malaysia Masters title.
Lee who ranked 38th in the world, lost in the first set 19-21. He was showing few signs of age as he played a much faster game in second set by winning 21-13 to force a decider. Lee’s experience and immense speed came to the fore in the rubber game, knocking off his younger opponent 21-15 to take the men’s title together with prize money US$9,000.
“Even though I am 15 years older than Hyeok Jin, but I’m glad I played well to win the title,” said Lee Hyun-il.
“Hyeok-jin took my advice very well and showed plenty of fighting spirit in today’s match, he definitely has bright future ahead of him,” add Lee Hyun-il.
In an all-Japanese affair, 2012 world junior Nozomi Okuhara managed to shut out her senior Sayaka Takahashi 21-13, 21-17 to win the first title for Japan in Kuching. Okuhara got off with 5-0 quick lead in the first set and finished the game quickly with 21-13. Second set was a much closer fight, nevertheless, Okuhara able to pull ahead every time Takahashi fought back to try to close the gap. After a 49 minutes battle, Okuhara finally stormed to her first GP Gold title.
“This victory couldn’t have come at a better time since I was just promoted to the national senior team this year,” said the 19-year-old Japanese.
Japan picked up another victory when the men’s doubles pair of Kenta Kazuno/Kazushi Yamada shocked eighth seeds Chen Hung Ling/Wang Chi-Lin of Taiwan, 21-19, 14-21, 21-17 in 52 minutes.
Women’s doubles top seeds Christinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark clearly in a class of their own when they demolished Japan’s Naoko Fukuman/Kurumi Yonao 21-14, 21-14 in the final.
Christinna Pedersen once again emerged on the winning podium after partnering Joachim Fischer Nielsen in the mixed doubles final to beat Praveen Jordan/Debby Susanto of Indonesia, who were also runners-up of the same competition last year, in Johor Baharu, 21-18, 21-18.
