Top seeds Kim Won Ho/Seo Seung Jae added another major title to their growing collection, powering to their maiden Badminton Asia Championships crown with a straight-games victory in an all-Korean men’s doubles final on Sunday.
The world No. 1 pair proved a class above compatriots Kang Min Hyuk/Ki Dong Ju, sealing the title with a composed and clinical performance in 42 minutes to end Korea’s nine-year wait for the men’s doubles crown.
Already winners of the season-opening Malaysia Open and the prestigious All England, Kim/Seo underlined their dominance once again in Ningbo, controlling the tempo with sharp attacking play and superior court coverage to deny their younger teammates any real foothold in the final.
While Kang/Ki’s fairytale run fell just short, the unseeded pair, ranked outside the world’s top 20 coming into the tournament, emerged as one of the biggest positives of the week, reaching their first Asian Championships final and reinforcing Korea’s depth in the discipline.
The victory also capped a strong campaign for the Korean camp, who finished with three titles in Ningbo, including women’s singles through An Se Young and mixed doubles via Kim Jae Hyeon/Jang Hae Jeong.
WOMEN’S DOUBLES
Li/Luo claim women’s doubles crown after injury heartbreak for Liu/Tan
China’s Li Yi Jing/Luo Xu Min captured their first Badminton Asia Championships title in unfortunate circumstances after defending champions Liu Sheng Shu/Tan Ning were forced to retire early in the final.
The top-seeded Liu/Tan, who were favourites to secure back-to-back titles, pulled out with the score at 8-5 in the opening game after Tan sustained a knee injury, bringing a premature end to the contest.
For Li/Luo, it marked a breakthrough triumph on the continental stage, capping a consistent week in which they had earlier defeated Japan’s Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto in the semifinals.
Despite the anti-climactic finish, the result ensured China maintained its stronghold in the women’s doubles event, with Li/Luo stepping up to seize their biggest career title to date.
