(*credit image: sports.yahoo.com)
Local favorite Chou Tien Chen lived up to his top billing to clinch the men's singles title in the USD500,000 Yonex Chinese Taipei Open which ended at the Arena in Taipei on Sunday with an easy 21-12, 21-13 win over unseeded Korean youngster Heo Kwang Hee in the final.
It is Tien Chen's third title this year after winning the Indonesia Open and the Thailand Open. For his win in front of his home fans, the World No 2 pocketed USD37,500 in prize money with the loser taking home USD19,000.
The women's singles final saw Korean number one woman shuttler end a two-year drought to take the women's singles title as she strolled to a rather easy 21-11, 21-19 win over Canada's Michelle Li in only 34 minutes.
Seeded fourth and ranked No 12 in the world Ji Hyun also took home USD37,500 in prize money while Michelle, a former Commonwealth Games champion, settled home USD19,000 for her efforts.
However, it was the women's and men's doubles finals that kept the badminton fans at the Arena that kept them entertained.
Former World No 1 Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong kept their cool and saved five championship points to clinch the men's doubles title – defeating unseeded Koreans Choi Solgyu-Seo Seung Jae in the final after being hopelessly placed at 8-17 and 16-20 at one stage in the decider.
The Malaysian professionals kept their cool under pressure and won the 62-minute thriller 21-19, 15-21, 23-21 and walk away with the hefty USD39,500 in prize money for their second title this year.
They won the Thailand Masters in January.
The women's doubles final was another thriller with Thailand's No 4 seeds Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongaji saving four match points to deny Korean third seeds Kim So Yeong-Kong Hee Yong with a hard-fought 21-19, 18-21, 28-26 win in an absorbing 84-minutes.
The mixed doubles title went to Hong Kong China's No 4 seeds Tang Chu Man-Tse Ying Suet who needed only 38 minutes to down Korea's No 2 seeds Seo Seung Jae-Chae Yujung 21-18, 21-10.
In the process, Chun Man-Ying Suet became the first from their country to win a title in Taipei in 12 years.
RESULTS (ALL FINALS)
Mixed doubles
Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Suet (HKG)) beat Seo Seung Jae-Chae Yujung (KOR) 21-18, 21-10
Women's singles
Sung Ji-Hyun (KOR) beat Michelle Li (CAN) 21-11, 21-9
Women's doubles
Jongkolphan Kititharakul-Rawinda Prajongai (THA) beat Kim So Yeong-Kong Hee Yong (KOR) 21-19, 18-21, 28-26
Men's singles
Chou Tien Chen (TPE) beat Heo Kwang Hee (KOR) 21-12, 21-13
Men's doubles
Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Keong (MAS) beat Choi Solgyu-Seo Seung Jae (KOR) 21-19, 15-21, 23-21
