BWF Swiss Open 2024: Carolina Marin and Lin Chun-Yi Basel win singles titles in Basel finals
Olympic badminton champion Carolina Marin ground out a 21-19, 13-21, 22-20 victory over Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in the women’s singles final of the BWF Swiss Open 2024 in Basel on Sunday (24 March).
The Spaniard highlighted her status as one of the best in the game, winning back-to-back titles, having clinched her second All England Open title last weekend.
The final was a true battle of attrition as neither of the women was willing to give an inch, with the match reaching a climactic tit-for-tat third game.
The 30-year-old Marin battled back into contention after her Indonesian opponent levelled matters with a roaring 21-13 win in the second game. Marin had to work hard to go 1-0 up after the first game, taking the lead for the first time at 12-11.
Tunjung's stellar performance in the second game gave her a fighting chance at upsetting the three-time world champion and set up a mouth-watering deciding third, which lived up to its billing.
The match was pushed to the edge, with Marin fighting her way back to snatch the victory after saving a championship point.
Earlier in the day, Chinese Thaipei’s Lin Chun-Yi delivered a gritty performance to beat compatriot and seasoned campaigner Chou Tien-Chen 7-21, 22-20, 23-21 in the men’s final.
The 34-year-old Chou dominated Lin in the opening salvos of the match, winning the first game by an impressive 21-7.
Li came out swinging in the second game, building a five-point lead (8-3), but this comfortable position proved short-lived, with Chou levelling the scores. At the game break, Li had restored a three-point lead (11-8).
The tenacious Chou then clawed his way back to take the lead for the first time in the second game. Chou looked set to seal the match, but Li then saved four championship points before winning the game to make it 1-1.
The veteran shuttler got his nose in front of the deciding game, but as it progressed, one sensed that he was running out of steam. Li moved ahead with Chou tracking too close for comfort.
Chou then levelled the scores at 15-15 before Lin wrestled the lead back, only for his more senior compatriot to save two championship points. But Li persevered to win the game and, with that, the title.