After levelling the match, the up-and-coming Chinese player looked to be heading for a comfortable victory as she raced into a 16-5 lead in the decider, before nerves and her niggling back kicked in to give Yamaguchi a lifeline. The Japanese player used all her experience to claw her way back as Wang began to make unforced errors and Yamaguchi levelled at 19-19 after a lung-bursting 30-shot rally.
But Wang, who moments earlier had needed attention from the trainer at the side of the court, summoned up reserves of energy and forced Yamaguchi to go long to set up a first championship point. Another marathon rally followed, but when Yamaguchi netted, Wang collapsed on her back in exhaustion and elation as she became Asian champion for the first time.
The men’s final was a more straightforward affair with third-seeded Lee mostly in control throughout against Christie, the fourth seed. Christie fought back in the second game but failed to nail two game points, the 24-year-old Lee sealing the title on his first championship point when his opponent fired wide on a forehand. The Indonesian challenged the out call but a video review confirmed it and Lee collapsed on his back, before tearing off his top and hurling it into the crowd, followed by his racquet. On a good day for badminton superpower China, they also won the mixed doubles and women’s doubles crowns.
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