BWF Malaysia Open 2024: Anders Antonsen and An Se-young claim singles titles in Kuala Lumpur - Results
Antonsen defeated Viktor Axelsen's conqueror Shi Yuqi to clinch his first Super 1000 title, with women's world number one An edging out Tai Tzu Ying.
Badminton
Anders Antonsen claimed his first BWF World Tour Super 1000 title on Sunday (14 January) at the Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur.
The Dane defeated Shi Yuqi of People's Republic of China 21-14, 21-13 in 54 minutes to secure the biggest honour of his career so far, and celebrated by gleefully throwing his shirt into the crowd and smashing a shuttle into the net.
It was an emotional success for Antonsen who has endured numerous injury setbacks over the last couple of years.
Shi knocked out badminton world number one Viktor Axelsen on Saturday, but was unable to display that level of performance for the second day running.
Antonsen led 11-8 at the mid-game interval, but the seventh seed won three of the next four points to close the gap to one.
At 16-14, the opener could have gone either way. But increased intensity from Antonsen, and some untimely errors from the Chinese shuttler, saw him reel off the next five points in succession to take the first game.
With Antonsen in full flow, Shi struggled to stay in the match. He did show flashes of his best form but his opponent's consistent high level proved too much.
The world number nine won seven consecutive points to go 12-4 up in the second game, and he was able to stay clear with a long serve from Shi on match point ending the contest.
The women's singles final went to three games with Republic of Korea's world number one An Se-young getting the better of Tai Tzu Ying 21-10, 10-21, 21-18.
An was runner-up 12 months ago, and Tai - who won their previous meeting in last month's BWF World Tour semi-finals - looked like consigning the Korean to the same fate as she raced away with the opening game.
The reigning world champion, despite having extensive strapping on her right leg, fought back in the second with Tai appearing to concede it early in order to conserve her energy for the decider.
There was little to separate the pair in the third, but a couple of mistakes from Tai saw An take an 11-9 lead into the changeover.
The Chinese Taipei shuttler impressed with her angles and touch at the net but could not quite get back on level terms. An's rapid reflexes and court coverage kept forcing Tai to play the extra shot, and she sealed her fourth Super 1000 title in 58 minutes.
The 21-year-old is the first Korean to win the Malaysia Open women's singles title. An will do well to match her tally of 10 titles from last year, although her main goal is gold at Paris 2024.
Watanabe Yuta and Higashino Arisa claimed Japan's first Malaysia Open mixed doubles title with Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning winning an all-Chinese women's doubles final.
In the closing men's doubles final, China's top seeds Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang overcame a slow start to defeat Indian pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
Finals results from BWF World Tour Super 1000 Malaysia Open 2024, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:
Mixed doubles: [2] Watanabe Yuta/Higashino Arisa (JPN) def. [7] Kim Won-ho/Jeong Na-eun (KOR) 21-18, 21-15.
Women's singles: [1] An Se-young (KOR) def. [4] Tai Tzu Ying (TPE) 10-21, 21-10, 21-18.
Women's doubles: Liu Shengshu/Tan Ning (CHN) def. Zhang Shuxian/Zheng Yu (CHN) 21-18, 21-18.
Men's singles: Anders Antonsen (DEN) def. [7] Shi Yuqi (CHN) 21-14, 21-13.
Men's doubles: [1] Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang (CHN) def. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty (IND) 9-21, 21-18, 21-17.