SUZHOU, Jiangsu: China claimed a record 13th Sudirman Cup title on Sunday (May 21), defeating South Korea on home soil at the first major sporting event in the country since the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
Cheered on by a raucous crowd brandishing red and white thundersticks and loud horns in the eastern city of Suzhou, China made short work of the Korean side, beating them 3-0.
Chen Yufei defeated world number two An Se Young 21-16, 22-20 in the women’s singles to seal victory, prompting the packed stadium to erupt in cheers and the entire Chinese team to rush onto the court to dance in a circle.
The tournament is one of badminton’s most important, and the stakes are higher than usual this year because performances will count towards qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
China had come through a tricky semi-final against Japan on Saturday, with the men’s doubles pair of Liu Yuchen and Ou Xuanyi saving four match points before finally prevailing.
South Korea beat Malaysia 3-1 on their way to the final on Saturday.
