French teenager Alex Lanier captured his first major badminton trophy at the Japan Open yesterday, beating experienced Taiwanese shuttler Chou Tien-chen 21-17, 22-20.
The 19-year-old reached the men’s singles final after beating Chinese world No. 1 Shi Yuqi and Paris Olympics bronze medalist Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia.
Lanier, ranked 29th in the world, said he played the best badminton of his career and pledged to “achieve something really huge” at the World Championship in Paris next year.
Photo: AFP
“I have no words actually,” he said of his victory at Yokohama Arena. “I want to be one of the best players.”
The Frenchman, who did not play in the Paris Games, credited his success to hard work over the summer to prepare for the Japan Open.
“I need to win these kinds of tournaments to be prepared for the World Championship, and I will try to do my best in front of the French crowd also,” he said. “I’m just now focused on what I’m doing on court, how to play matches against the best ones in the world.”
Home favorite and former world champion Akane Yamaguchi cruised to a 21-11, 21-10 victory over Thai challenger Busanan Ongbamrungphan in the women’s singles, regaining the crown for the fourth time in a 43-minute showdown.
“Overall, I was able to stay proactive. I was in control of the game throughout. I remained very positive throughout the match and wanted to perform better and better,” she said.
The cheers of the home fans also lifted her, Yamaguchi said.
“It was very fun. I was able to stay relaxed. And the results followed,” she said.
In the men’s doubles final, Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin of Malaysia beat Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae of South Korea 21-19, 21-15.
China’s Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning beat Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee of South Korea 21-18, 22-20 in the women’s doubles. The mixed doubles title went to Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin of China, who beat Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet 21-12, 21-12.
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