Taiwan badminton athlete Chou Tien-chen clinched the men’s singles title at the Korea Open Sept. 30 in Seoul with a 21-13, 21-16 victory over Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia.
The world No. 4 controlled the 39-minute encounter to claim his third Badminton World Federation championship of the season and US$45,000 in prize money. He is the first Taiwan athlete to win a singles crown at the Korea Open in 19 years.
In the first set, Chou initially struggled to get to grips with his No. 14-ranked opponent. After falling to an 8-5 deficit, the 28-year-old started to find his rhythm, winning seven points in a row before ultimately sealing the 17-minute set with a smash.
Following a cagey opening to the second set that saw the players tied at 8-8, Chou started to pull clear with clever net play, sharp-angled attacks and varied shot selection. The tiring Sugiarto wilted under the pressure, allowing the Taiwan star to romp home to the title.
Speaking in a postgame interview, Chou dedicated his victory to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi Sept. 28. “I was praying for them before the match,” he said.
Chou expressed surprise at the win as he had not planned to contest the tournament. He also shared his excitement at competing in the Oct. 2-7 Chinese Taipei Open.
“I think my performance there will be good,” he said. “It’s been a hectic season but we all knew our schedule … so we know how to prepare.”
Chou is in a rich vein of form, clinching the men’s singles titles at the German Open in March and the Singapore Open in July. He also won silver at the Asian Games in August in Indonesia. (KWS-E)
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