CHINA’S WENG HONG YANG STUNS JONATAN CHRISTIE TO CLAIM MEN’S SINGLES CROWN

China’s Weng Hong Yang stunned Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie to claim the men’s singles crown of the Korea Open Badminton Championships 2022 on Sunday.

China’s Weng Hong Yang, ranked 156 in the world, produced one of the finest comebacks of the tournament, to defeat world No. 8 Jonatan Christie in the men’s singles final of the Super 500 event by 12-21, 21-19, 21-15. As expected, Christie took the first game rather easily by 21-12. But Weng pushed hard in the second game to take the two-point lead at the break.

Jonatan Christie then quickly cancelled out Weng’s lead after the break as the two shuttlers kept exchanging points with the score tied at 15-15. But the higher-ranked Indonesian slowly inched ahead, taking two points followed by a long shot from Weng. Christie was leading 19-15 but then he lost the next three as Weng levelled at 19-19. The Chinese then forced the decider by winning the remaining two points.

In the third game, the Chinese took an 11-7 lead at the break. Christie tried to create a comeback as both shuttlers were separated by a point at 15-16 but in the end, it was Weng who prevailed.

The mixed doubles crown went to second seeds Tan Kian Meng and Lai Pei Jing from Malaysia while the women’s doubles title was claimed by the home side of Jeong Na Eun and Kim Hye Jeong.

Later, Korea’s Kang Minhyuk and Seo Seungjae came from a game down to beat defending men’s doubles champions Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto in a thriller.