Mulheim: Two time Olympic champion Lin Dan of China was taking on 26-year-old Taiwanese Chou Tien Chen in the German Open finals at the RWE Sporthalle stadium in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany on Sunday.
Both players have a point to prove. Veteran Lin Dan has won all the most important badminton events amongst any other player in history and is eyeing a third gold medal at 2016 Rio Olympics; while Chou Tien Chen is still trying to cement a place in badminton history.
The Chinese badminton Superstar lost his first set 15-21 to No. 4 seed Chou Tien Chen. Both were neck and neck from the off in the second set, and Lin was trailed 14-16 before he reeled off 6 consecutive points and won the second set 21-17.
Lin Dan found his form in the decider, leading most of the game to seal his first title of 2016 with a 21-17 third set victory.
South Korea’s Ko Sung-hyun was the double winner of the day. He won the men’s doubles title alongside Shin Baek-Cheol by stunning No. 1 men’s doubles pair and fellow South Koreans Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong in a three-set thriller 20-22, 21-18, 21-17 that lasted 77 minutes.
Ko Sung-hyun then partnered with Kim Ha-Na to defend their reputation as the No. 1 mixed doubles pair by beating compatriots Shin Baek-Cheol and Chae Yoo Jung 21-19, 21-12 for the mixed doubles title.
In women’s competition, the London 2012 gold medalist Li Xuerui claimed the women’s singles title after she needed just 36 minutes to secure a 21-14, 21-17 victory against her countrywoman No. 4 seed Wang Shixian.
The China camp also picked up their third titles of the day when Huang Yaqiong and Tang Jinhua put up a superb performance to dismiss Thailand’s Puttita Supajirakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai 21-14, 21-18 for the women’s doubles title.
