Taipei: World No. 42 Chi Yu-Jen of Taiwan staged a remarkable comeback in the semifinals of the Taipei Open on Saturday. He defeated Taiwan’s top player, Chou Tien-Chen, with a score of 19-21, 21-11, 21-17, securing his first-ever appearance in the Taipei Open final. He will face Lin Chun-Yi in the championship match on Sunday.
Chou Tien-Chen, ranked 9th in the world, has a storied history at the Taipei Open, having won titles in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022, and finishing as runner-up in 2012 and 2015. Meanwhile, Chi Yu-Jen, won his first Super 300 title at the Syed Modi International in India last year.
Highlights of Chou Tien Chen vs. Chi Yu-Jen in the 2024 Japan Open semifinals:
The match began with Chou Tien-Chen quickly scoring three points, but Chi Yu-Jen responded with a five-point streak. Despite trailing 7-10, Chou clawed back to lead by one point going into the interval. Chou led 19-16 after the break, and although Chi briefly tied the score, Chou maintained control and won the first set.
After 7-7, Chi Yu-Jen dominated the second set, scoring seven consecutive points and putting Chou under pressure to win the second game and force a decider. This was Chou’s first three-set match of the tournament. The final set was also intense, but Chi seized the advantage at 14-14, winning consecutive smashes that Chou couldn’t respond to, ultimately securing the victory and advancing to his first Taipei Open final.
In men’s doubles, Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan reached the finals after defeating the French pair Eloi Adam and Leo Rossi 21-10, 21-11. Lee and Yang will face compatriots Chiang Chien-Wei/Wu Hsuan-Yi, ranked 51st in the world, ensuring that the men’s doubles title will remain in Taiwan.
The women’s singles competition saw Indonesia’s Putri Kusuma Wardani, ranked 34th in the world, continue her impressive run. She defeated Taiwan’s Chiu Pin-Chian 16-21, 21-16, 21-11 in the women’s singles semifinals, becoming the first Indonesian female player to reach the Taipei Open final in 12 years. She now has a chance to break a 28-year record on Sunday.
The last Indonesian women’s singles player to win the Taipei Open was Susi Susanti in 1996, a legendary player who also won the women’s singles gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the 1993 World Championships. The most recent Indonesian female player to reach the Taipei Open final was Lindaweni Fanetri in 2012, who lost to Tai Tzu-Ying, 19–21, 22–20, 20–22 and allowing Tai Tzu Ying to claim her first Taipei Open title.
