XIAMEN: China beat South Korea 3-1 in the Sudirman Cup final to capture a record-extending 14th title at the biennial mixed team competition in the Chinese city of Xiamen on Sunday.

Having won the last three Sudirman Cup editions, China were favourites against four-times winners South Korea and got off to a winning start from world number two mixed doubles pair Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping.

Feng and Huang recovered from a second game blip to beat South Korean duo Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung 21-16, 17-21, 21-15 in one hour and 24 minutes.

However, that lead did not last long as women’s top-ranked player and Paris Olympic champion An Se-young levelled the tie by defeating world number two Wang Zhiyi 21-17, 21-16.

An shifted gears when they were tied at 17-17 in the opening game to race away, and while the second game was once again a close affair, the 23-year-old maintained her composure to take the win in 57 minutes.

Roared on by the home crowd as they played their 16th straight Sudirman Cup final, China went 2-1 up after men’s world number one Shi Yuqi crushed 42nd-ranked Jeon Hyeok-jin 21-5, 21-5 in just 33 minutes.

All the pressure was on world number three women’s doubles pair Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee to keep the tie alive for the South Koreans, who last won the competition in 2017.

But top-ranked women’s double duo Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning had other plans, sealing the tie 3-1 with a 21-14, 21-17 victory, throwing their rackets on the ground in celebration in front of the adoring home support at the arena.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2025