China have re-established themselves as the Asian junior kingpins with an impressive 3-0 win over Japan in the final in the Pembangunan Jaya Raya Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships in Bintaro, Jakarta on Tuesday.
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This is China’s eighth title since the team championships became a mixed team event in 2006. Previously it was a team event for men and women.
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China’s previous wins were in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 21014, 2015 and 21016. Last year China lost to Japan in the quarter-finals. Japan won the title in 2012.
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“We came well prepared this year and we were confident of winning the title this after losing in the quarter-finals last year,” said a delighted China head coach and manager Wang Wei, adding that it was a sort of sweet revenge over the Japanese in last year’s quarter-finals.
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China’s mixed doubles Guo Xinwa-Liu Xuanxuan started the ball rolling for the champions by winning the first point with a 21-19, 21-14 win in 38 minutes over Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito.
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Li Shifeng put his team in the driving seat when he defeated Taiki Kato in the men’s singles in a 40-minute encounter.Â
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China was given some resistance in the men’s doubles before reigning men’s doubles champions Di Zijan-Wang Chang clinched a 20-22, 21-9, 21-12 over Hiroki Midorikawa-Hiroki Nakayama in 50 minutes for the winning point.
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Japan’s head coach Hasegawa Hiroyuki sportingly admitted that China “was too strong” in the championships.  BADMINTON ASIA
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RESULTS (FINAL)
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CHINAÂ Â 3Â Â Â JAPANÂ Â 0
(China first)
XD: Guo Xinwa-Liu Xuanxuan beat Hiroki Midorikawa-Natsu Saito 21-19, 21-14
MS: Li Shifeng beat Taiki Kato 21-16, 21-15
MD: Di Zijian-Wang Chang beat Hiroki Midorikawa-Hiroki Nakayama 20-22, 21-9, 21-12