Taiwan’s world No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying won the women’s singles at the Badminton Asia Championships April 30 in Wuhan, mainland China, earning the country its first gold in the 55-year history of the event involving the best players from across the region.
Tai, who finished with bronze at the 2015 edition of the championships, came from behind to defeat Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 18:21, 21:11, 21:18 and bag the winner’s check of US$24,375 (NT$735,000). The 59-minute encounter was the pair’s seventh meeting to date, with Tai now holding a 4-3 advantage in match play.
The victory over Yamaguchi was her sixth straight title and extends an unbeaten streak starting at the Yonex-Sunrise Hong Kong Open in November 2016 at which she took No. 1 in the Badminton World Federation rankings. One month later, Tai clinched the Dubai World Superseries Finals, following this up with victories at the Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships in March, and Celcom Axiata Malaysia Open and OUE Singapore Open in April.
Born in southern Taiwan’s Kaohsiung City, Tai has enjoyed a stellar career since debuting in 2009 and becoming the country’s youngest ever top-ranked player at age 16. She claimed bronze for the country at the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea and later the same year, was the first Taiwan winner of the women’s singles at the BWF Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals. (KWS-E)
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