India Open: An Se Young halts Akane Yamaguchi’s run to clinch women’s title

Facing
her
nemesis
for
the
15th
time,
Young
rallied
from
a
game
down
to
beat
Yamaguchi
15-21,
21-16,
21-12
for
her
fourth
win
in
the
duel.

The
first
game
saw
the
World
No.
1
Japanese
rule
the
roost
with
some
quick-fitted
movement
throughout
the
court
that
caught
Young
off
guard.
Yamaguchi
stretched
to
an
11-6
lead
by
the
break
of
the
first
game
and
soon
closed
it
at
21-15
with
a
similar
dominant
display.

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Open:
Indian
badminton
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World
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1
Viktor
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However,
what
once
appeared
to
be
a
Japanese
cakewalk,
soon
turned
into
a
fierce
even
battle
with
rallies
becoming
a
common
sight.
The
duo
was
locked
in
a
sea-saw
battle
with
the
score
reading
12-all
at
one
stage.
But
the
Korean’s
continued
intensity
was
too
hot
to
take
for
her
25-year-old
rival,
who
soon
gave
in
the
game
21-16
The
third
game
saw
the
duo
tiring
each
other
out
over
long
rallies
but
Young’s
ability
to
find
side-court
points
to
perfection
often
left
Yamaguchi
out
of
breath
as
the
Korean
pulled
up
a
gap
of
13-9
in
the
decider.

Korean
takes
charge
in
third
game

The
Japanese
often
tried
to
draw
Young
closer
to
the
net
but
the
latter
had
all
the
momentum
by
this
time
and
started
dictating
the
terms
of
the
game.
By
this
point,
Young
was
in
complete
control
of
her
shots
as
she
found
crucial
points
at
the
front
court
to
make
it
17-11.

Points
for
Yamaguchi
were
only
coming
through
Young’s
error,
which
was
a
rare
sight
on
the
day,
as
the
latter
soon
took
the
title
with
the
Japanese
committing
a
net
error.
“Yamaguchi
was
too
quick
in
the
first
game,
that’s
why
at
the
break
I
had
to
reflect
on
my
game
and
rethink
my
strategy.
I
had
self-belief
as
I
am
good
at
making
comebacks,”
said
the
champion
after
the
game.