Axelsen breaks through, Tai repeats and Chen scores double in World Superseries Finals

Mixed doubles prize presentation. (AN photo)

DUBAI: In a long awaited triumph, Denmark鈥檚 Viktor Axelsen Sunday finally surmounted the one barrier that has stood in his way for many years 鈥� a first World Superseries title. It came on the grandest of stages, in the season-ending Dubai World Superseries Finals at the Hamdan Sports Complex that was packed by almost 9,000 spectators over the five days of competition.
And it was a repeat performance for Tai Tzu Ying who collected her second Dubai World Superseries title after winning here in 2014. Chinese teenager Chen Qingchen sealed her status as the most exciting doubles player on the circuit today, clinching the women鈥檚 and mixed doubles crowns, while Malaysia鈥檚 Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong gave a masterclass, winning the men鈥檚 doubles in convincing fashion.
Axelsen, in his second straight final, delivered what he has promised for so long, the men鈥檚 singles title with a hard-fought 21-14 6-21 21-17 result over China鈥檚 Tian Houwei.
鈥淲inning this title means the world to me,鈥� said Axelsen. 鈥淚鈥檝e been in many finals now鈥� it was a battle of nerves, especially in the third set, and I am happy I came out strongest in the end. It wasn鈥檛 beautiful, but it was enough from my side.鈥�
It was his newfound ability to stubbornly stay the course despite setbacks that won Axelsen the title. It could have slipped away 鈥� a couple of misjudgments and some easy net kills that were blown. But as he showed over the last couple of days, the Dane refused to cave in.
The third set was neck-and-neck, until Axelsen found his second wind 鈥� three big jump smashes on the line took him to match point; the title was won when he rifled a shot at his opponent鈥檚 body. Axelsen turned to his coach and clasped his head in his hands.
鈥淚 was really nervous in that third set, but in the end, I just said, 鈥榊ou know what, just stop this and just play with everything you got. Don鈥檛 act like a cry baby and just play the shot over the net鈥�, and that was enough in the end,鈥� added Axelsen.
The women鈥檚 singles final was a mismatch. Sung was a far cry from her energetic self in the semifinal victory over Pusarla V Sindhu; she was a step behind and too erratic to test Chinese Taipei鈥檚 Tai Tzu Ying who regained her 2014 women鈥檚 singles title with a 21-14 21-13 victory.
Tai had to do little but keep the shuttle in play, for Sung moved on leaden feet and her shots were too wayward. It was a day when she wasn鈥檛 required to be at her best 鈥� and she acknowledged as much: 鈥淚 think Sung wasn鈥檛 moving well today. Maybe she wasn鈥檛 quite fit; it wasn鈥檛 difficult to deal with her. I鈥檓 surprised at how smoothly it all went. I鈥檓 thrilled to win my second title here and I thank all the fans who cheered for me. I loved the atmosphere in there.鈥�
Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan won a rollercoaster of a match to win the women鈥檚 doubles title, edging past top seeds Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi in three games. Chen then returned for the mixed doubles with Zheng Siwei, and the pair buried the challenge of defending champion Chris Adcock-Gabrielle Adcock in just 30 minutes for 21-12 21-12 victory.
It was Chen, appropriately enough, who leapt up to fire the winner in both matches.
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited and very happy to win two titles,鈥� said Chen. 鈥淚 was very tired in the second match but I must thank my coach for his advice. I hope we will have more success in the coming months.鈥�
The women鈥檚 doubles final was fought on even keel until fortunes turned China鈥檚 way in the third. Matsutomo had been a challenge for her previous opponents with her roving presence at the net, but the Chinese completely took her out of the equation by sending the defensive shots high over her and keeping Takahashi on her toes. Matsutomo鈥檚 frustration showed as she fluffed a few sitters, and the Chinese had the first game in the bag.
The pattern changed in the second with Matsutomo exerting her presence once again; Jia Yifan was targeted, with the Japanese constantly flick-serving her and extracting defensive returns. Unfortunately for the Japanese, the tactic backfired in the decider when Matsutomo was faulted a couple of times; the rattled Japanese started to get shaky on serve and the momentum swung China鈥檚 way. Chen, the livewire on China鈥檚 side, set up three match points with a stunning pick-up at the front; the match was won on the next rally allowing the excitable Chinese to burst into celebration: 21-15 13-21 21-17.
England鈥檚 defending champions Chris and Gabrielle Adcock鈥檚 challenge in the mixed doubles lasted until midway in the first. Thereafter, their defenses were blown to bits by the fast-moving, hard-hitting and quick-thinking Zheng and Chen.
A day of superb badminton finished off with a masterclass from Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong, who took the men鈥檚 doubles title over Japan鈥檚 Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda.
Goh and Tan were a picture of unruffled calm, as they parried everything that Kamura and Sonoda threw their way. The Malaysians鈥� airtight defense gave the Japanese nothing to work with; while their own attack was judicious but deadly. The 21-14 21-19 result was achieved on the 40th minute, giving Goh and Tan the second World Superseries win of their career.