Macau: China’s World No. 125 Zhao Jun Peng came into Sunday’s Macau Open final full of confidence, unleashing aggressive attacks against the struggling World No. 8 Chou Tien Chen to quickly clinch the opening set 21-11.
The second set was much closer as Chou was able to tie the score at 17-17, 19-19. The 20-year-old Zhao continued his relentless attack towards the end of second set, clinching his first Macau Open title which was also his maiden Grand Prix Gold trophy with 21-19 victory in the second set after Chou’s backhand return on the net was called long.
In women’s competition, China 2016 World Junior Champion Chen Yufei demolished her compatriot Chen Xiaoxin 21-13, 21-18 for the women’s singles title.
Unseeded Zhang Nan/Li Yinhui of China proved too strong for the No. 7 seeds Tang Chun Man/Tse Ying Suet of Hong Kong. Although Tang/Tse managed to save 6 match points in the second set, coming from 9-20 to narrow the gap at 15-20, the Chinese pair was able to halt the Hong Kong pair’s momentum to lift the mixed doubles title with 21-19, 21-15 victory in 47 minutes. This was also Zhan/Li’s first international title since there were paired together after the Rio Olympics.
No. 1 seeds Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan showed they are China’s most promising young women’s doubles pair by winning their third international title this year, dispatching Indonesia’s Anggia Shitta Awanda/Mahadewi Istirani Ni Ketut 21-15, 21-13 in the final. Chen/Jia have picked up French Open and Bitburger Open prior to lifting the Macau Open.
Second seeded Taiwanese duo Lee Yang/Lee Jhe-huei prevented a clean sweep by China in the Macau Open when they came from dropping a set to down China’s No.5 seeds Zhang Nan and Lu Kai 17-21, 21-18, 21-19 to win their first men’s doubles title in a Badminton World Federation (BWF) Grand Prix Gold event.
