The Sports Examiner

BADMINTON: First-time golds for Lee and Li at Macau Open

Canada's Michelle Li

You’re never too old to feel good about winning and two veteran players notched their first-ever BWF World Tour wins at the Macau Open in China.

Korea’s Hyun-Il Lee has been around a long time, winning a bronze medal in the World Championships way back in 2006. But at 38, he had never won a BWF World Tour event until now, dispatching China’s Zaqi Zhou, 21-9, 21-19 in the final.

Canada’s Michelle Li is only 27, but also a champion in her own right, having won he Commonwealth Games title in Gold Coast (AUS) earlier this year. But this was also her first BWF World Tour championship, as she came back to defeat China’s Yue Han in the final, 23-25, 21-17, 21-15.

The other competitors to watch were in the men’s Doubles, where Korea’s Gi Jung Kim and Yong Dae Lee won their second World Tour tournament of the season over countrymen Sung Hyun Ko and Baek Chol Sin, 17-21, 21-13, 21-19. Kim and Lee also won the Spanish Masters at the start of September and appear to be a duo on the way up. Summaries:

BWF World Tour Macau Open
Macau City (CHN) ~ 30 October-4 November 2018
(Full results here)

Men’s Singles: Hyun-Il Lee (KOR); 2. Zaqi Zhou (CHN); 3. Chia Hung Lu (TPE) and Sitthikom Thammasin (THA). Semis: Zhou d. Lu, 21-19, 13-21, 21-14; Lee d. Thammasin, 18-21, 21-17, 21-4. Final: Lee d. Zhou, 21-9, 21-19.

Men’s Doubles: 1. Gi Jung Kim/Yong Dae Lee (KOR); 2. Sung Hyun Ko/Baek Chol Shin (KOR); 3. Ching Yao Lu/Po Han Yang (TPE) and Ko-Chi Chang/Chia Pin Lu (TPE). Semis: Kim/Lee d. Lu/Yang, 19-21, 21-8, 25-23; Kp/Shin d. Chang/Lu, 21-14, 21-15. Final: Kim/Lee d. Ko/Shin, 17-21, 21-13, 21-19.

Women’s Singles: 1. Michelle Li (CAN); 2. Yue Han (CHN); 3. Ayumi Mine (JPN) and Ngan Yi Cheung (HKG). Semis: Li d. Mine, 21-15, 8-21, 21-13; Han d. Cheung, 22-20, 21-23, 21-7. Final: Li d. Han, 23-25, 21-17, 21-15.

Women’s Doubles: 1. Vivian Hoo/Cheng Wen Yap (MAS); 2. Misato Aratama/Akane Watanabe (JPN); 3. Yulfira Barkah/Jauza Fadhila Sugiarto (INA) and Nami Matsuyama/Chiharu Shida (JPN). Semis: Aratama/Watanabe d. Barkah/Sugiarto, 17-21, 21-14, 21-15; Hoo/Yap d. Matsuyama/Shida, 21-16, 21-17. Final: Hoo/Yap d. Aratama/Watanabe, 21-15, 22-20.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Chun Man Tang/Ying Suet Tse (HKG); 2. Chun Hei Reginald Lee/Hoi Wah Chau (HKG); 3. Pang Ron Hoo/Yee See Cheah (MAS) and Akbar Bintang Cahyono/Winny Oktavina Kandow (INA); Semis: Tang/Tse d. Hoo/Cheah, 21-16, 19-21, 21-11; Lee/Chau d. Cahyono/Kandow, 22-20, 21-10. Final: Tang/Tse d. Lee/Chau, 21-14, 21-15.

Exit mobile version