Badminton

Nguyễn Thùy Linh wins the Vietnam International Challenge title on March 26 in Hà Nội. — Photo thanhnien.vn

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Thùy Linh won the Ciputra Hanoi-Yonex Sunrise Vietnam International Challenge 2023 on Sunday, beating Japan's Asuka Takahashi 2-1 in the women's singles final at the Tây Hồ District Gymnasium.

National No. 1 Linh received strong support from local fans since the beginning of the tournament which saw her coming from behind to win over strong rivals including Japan's Hirari Mizui, the No. 4 seed, in the quarter-finals.

It was a sweet revenge for the Vietnamese, who reached her career highest position in the world rankings at No. 40 last week, after she lost to Takahashi in the Thailand Badminton Challenge final on March 12.

In the final on Sunday, she was really confident and set up her domination early in the first set before quickly winnning 21-7.

The second set saw Takahashi fighting back strongly. She made Linh work hard to resist her attacks, just as she did in the Thai event. Takahashi leveled the score with a 21-15 win.

In the third set, Linh succeeded with net drops, Takahashi struggled but failed to solve the problem while she made many errors, leading to a 21-12 win for the host athlete.

The Tokyo Olympian took 4,000 points and US$1,200 for the championship title.

In the men's singles final, Việt Nam's Lê Đức Phát lost 14-21, 15-21 to Takuma Obayashi of Japan. 

However, his presence in the final was a surprise as he was a qualifier who beat No. 1 Heo Kwang Hee of South Korea in round three and Malaysian Yeoh Seng Zoe, No. 11, in the first round.

Phát pocketed 3,400 points and $750 as the second-placed athlete.

In other classes, Jin Yong and Na Sung-seung of South Korea won the men's doubles; their teammates Lee Yu-lim and Shin Seung-chan secured the women’s doubles and Indonesians Jafar Hidayatullah and Aisyah Salsabila Putri Pranata bagged the mixed doubles crown. — VNS