China wrest Uber Cup from Japan, lift trophy for record 15th time

[superadmin]

AARHUS (Denmark): China wrested the Uber Cup from Japan after defeating the defending champions 3-1 in the final played at the Ceres Arena here on Saturday night (early Sunday morning Malaysian time).

The win also helped China lift the trophy for a record 15th time, after having won nine times between 1998 and 2016, before Japan emerged victorious in the 2018 edition in Bangkok where China were stunned 3-2 by host Thailand in the semi-finals.

Japan, who had been aiming for their seventh Uber Cup, started well when world number five Akane Yamaguchi beat Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei 21-18, 21-10.

However, China’s women’s doubles Olympic gold medallists, Chen Qing Chen-Jia Yi Fan ensured the match stayed within their grip by defeating Yuki Fukushima-Mayu Matsumoto 29-27, 15-21, 21-18 in an epic battle that lasted close to two hours.

China, the most successful nation in the women’s team championship, then took the lead when world number nine He Bing Jiao ousted Sayaka Takahashi in straight sets, winning 21-9, 21-18.


- More -