Copenhagen: The crowd in the Royal Arena in Copenhagen bore witness to a day of remarkable triumphs on Sunday, as Seo Seung Jae emerged as the standout star of the 2023 World Championships, securing not one, but two world titles. Despite the unfortunate loss of the home pair Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in the men’s doubles final, the arena resounded with echoes of victory as Kang Min Hyuk and Seo Seung Jae etched their names in history by seizing their first world championship titles.
The clash between Kang Min Hyuk/Seo Seung Jae and Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen held the audience spellbound, with both pairs vying for supremacy in the 2023 World Championships final. This showdown proved a spectacle of grit and tenacity, a true test of their mettle. Undeterred by the Danish pair’s home advantage and the fervent support of their local fans, Kang/Seo orchestrated a stunning comeback, prevailing against all odds with a thrilling scoreline of 14-21, 21-15, 21-17.
Highlights of Kang Min Hyuk/Seo Seung Jae vs. Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen in the 2023 World Championships final:
This victory reverberated as a moment of resurgence for Korean men’s doubles, breaking a nine-year hiatus since the 2014 triumph of Ko Sung-hyun and Shin Baek-cheol, who had also triumphed on Copenhagen’s stage. The illustrious legacy of Korean prowess in men’s doubles further extends back to Ha Tae-kwon and Kim Dong-moon in 1999, and earlier, Park Joo-bong and Kim Moon-soo in 1991, and all of these Korean men’s pairs clinched their championships on the lucky courts of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Seo Seung Jae, a true force to be reckoned with, took center stage as the day’s undisputed hero. Not only did he spearhead the victory in men’s doubles alongside Kang Min Hyuk, but he also made history by clinching the mixed doubles world championship alongside his partner Chae Yu-jung. Remarkably, the last time a player accomplished the feat of securing two world championship titles on the same day was none other than another Korean player, Kim Dong Moon. Back in 1999, Kim not only secured the men’s doubles title with Ha Tae-kwon but also clinched the mixed doubles championship alongside Ra Kyung-min.
In the fiercely contested mixed doubles final, Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yu-jung exhibited unwavering determination, battling to secure a hard-fought victory against the reigning World No. 1 pair, Zheng Siwei and Huang YaQiong of China. Their remarkable triumph, sealed with a final score of 17-21, 21-10, 21-18, marked their first conquest over the Chinese duo in their tenth encounter.
Highlights of Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu-jung vs. Zheng Siwei/Huang YaQiong in the 2023 World Championships final:
Seo Seung-jae’s masterful display underscored his unparalleled versatility and dominance on the court, etching his name as a double champion. This day of triumph not only showcased his excellence in mixed doubles but also affirmed his dominance in the men’s doubles domain.
The arena continued to witness historic moments as the women’s doubles final unfolded. The World No. 1 pair, Jia Yifan and Chen Qingchen, registered their names in history by clinching their fourth World Championships title. With a commanding performance, they defeated Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti with a score of 21-16, 21-12. Their triumph solidified their status as the most successful women’s doubles pair in World Championships history, adding to their previous victories in 2017, 2021, and 2022.
