Former world junior champion Nozomi Okuhara of Japan is the new world champion when the 22-year-old beat India’s P.V. Sindhu in the final at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland on Sunday.
Okuhara, who won world junior title in 2012, won the prestigious All-England title in 2015.
“I am very tired,” said Okuhara after the match but attributed her win to having the “right attitude” and “speed” as she inflicted sweet revenge over the lanky Indian for her defeat in the Rio Olympics semi-finals last year.
China won two titles in this year’s world meet – taking both the men’s and women’s doubles – but it was a heartbreaking defeat for Chinese legend in the men’s singles.
The 34-year-old Lin Dan crashed to a 20-22, 16-21 defeat to Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen in his seventh final. The lanky Dane won the title in 54 minutesand in the process became the first European to win the title in 20 years.
In the men’s doubles Liu Cheng-Zhang Nan, the eighth seeds, defeated Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan-Rian Agung Saputro 21-10, 21-17 while in the women’s doubles Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan, the fourth seeds, gunned down Japan’s Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota 21-18, 17-21, 21-15.
“After I lost the first set the pressure was on me. I am 34-years-old this year and I am in good condition. I lost but I am happy with my campaign in this year’s World Championships,” said Lin Dan.
Indonesia too had winners and this came in the mixed doubles when Olympics champions Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir upset top seeds Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen of China for the title.
The Indonesians won 15-21, 21-16, 21-15 in 56 minutes. – BADMINTON ASIA
RESULTS (ALL-FINALS)
Men’s singles
Viktor Axelsen (DEN) beat Lin Dan (CHN) 22-20, 21-16
Men’s doubles
Liu Cheng-Zhang Nan (CHN) beat Mohammad Ahsan-Rian Agung Saputro (INA) 21-10, 21-17
Women’s singles
Nozomi Okuhara (JPN) beat P.V. Simdhu (IND) 21-19, 20-22, 22-20
Women’s doubles
Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan (CHN) beat Yuki Fukushima-Sayaka Hirota (JPN) 21-18, 17-21, 21-15
Mixed doubles
Tontowi Ahmad-LIliyana Natsir (INA) beat Zheng Siwei-Chen Qingchen (CHN) 15-21, 21-16, 21-15
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