Incheon, South Korea – Team Yonex continued their successful fall campaign, claiming four golds and four silvers at the Korea Open, with Kento Momota (JPN) leading the charge, winning his eighth Tour title this season.
It was a clash of the world’s best in men’s singles, as World No.1 Momota met No. 2, Chou Tien Chen (TPE). Momota led most of the way through the first game but Chen was able to draw even at 17 all. From there the two seemed more closely matched but Momota eventually went on to win 21-19, 21-17.
In men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto (INA) were given some trouble by the top pair from Japan, Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda, but would eventually find themselves on top 21-19, 21-17, in just under 40 minutes.
Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong (KOR), winners at the DAIHATSU YONEX Japan Open 2019, faced Korean compatriots Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan in women’s doubles. After dropping the first game 13-21, it seemed they were destined to fall to their higher-ranked counterparts, but they fought vigorously to narrow wins in the second and third games to take the match 13-21, 21-19, 21-17.
The biggest upset of the day however went to Thai mixed doubles pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai. Avenging their World Championship loss to the World No. 1 pair Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong (CHN). In just 34 minutes, they blew past their opponents 21-14, 21-13, becoming the first Thais in any category to win at the Korean open.
Full match results
Kento Momota: ASTROX 99, AEROBITE, POWER CUSHION 65 Z 2
Muhammad Rian Ardianto: NANOFLARE 800, BG65, POWER CUSHION 65 Z 2
Fajar Alfian: ASTROX 88 D, BG80, POWER CUSHION 65 Z 2
Kim So Yeong: ASTROX 88 D, BG66 ULTIMAX, POWER CUSHION AERUS 3
Kong Hee Yong: DUORA 10 LT, BG66 ULTIMAX, POWER CUSHION AERUS 3
Dechapol Puavaranukroh: ASTROX 88 S, BG65 TITANIUM, POWER CUSHION 65 Z 2
Sapsiree Taerattanachai: ARCSABER 11, BG65 TITANIUM, POWER CUSHION ECLIPSION Z 2
Photos: Badminton Photo