Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei win thriller in Seoul

China’s Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei had to work hard before finally one of the best mixed doubles matches in years when they beat team mates Jiaming Tao-Tian Qing 21-17, 13-21, 21-19 to take home the VICTOR Korea Open Superseries Premier title on Sunday.

The win was the pair’s second win in three meetings against their compatriots with all three matches coming in Superseries finals. Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (right) won their first encounter in last year’s Japan Open before Jiaming Tao-Tian  Qing won at the China Open.

It was double heartache for Tian Qing, who lost the women’s final when she and Zhao Yunlei lost to team mates Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang.

Jiaming Tao-Tian Qing were also runners-up in Kuala Lumpur a week ago, the opening tournament of the new OSIM BWF World Superseries calendar.

In contras to the women’s singles’ final, the mixed doubles was a fast paced spectacle with all four players giving their all to be crowned champions.

It was filled with smashes, great defences and long rallies which kept the audience enthralled throughout the 69-minute match.

The opening game saw the teams exchange points with neither winning more than three points at a time. The breakthrough finally came when Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei were trailing 16-15.

The VICTOR BWF Super Series Finals winners upped the tempo with Zhang Nan in particular utilising his powerful smashes to good effect as he and Zhao Yunlei reeled off four points in a row to take a 19-16 lead.

Buoyant their run of points, they only conceded just one more point before closing out the first game 21-17.

The second game followed the opening tie with the players evenly matched until Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei let a 5-4 lead slip to a 9-5 deficit.

Sixth seeds Jiaming Tao-Tian Qing never looked back once they took the lead and turned the screws as the fifth seeds, eased off in anticipation of a rubber-game after falling from 12-9 to 16-9.

Jiaming Tao-Tian Qing then won five of the next nine points to force the first rubber-game of the day.

The decider was just as exciting with the match going down the wire until Tian Qing sent a return wide.

Result
Mixed doubles: Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (China) bt Jiaming Tao-Tian Qing (China) 21-17, 13-21, 21-19.

courtesy of BWF

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