First World Tour title for Febriana-Amalia with Australia Open crown
There’s nothing like persistence and all the hardwork over the last several months finally bore fruit for Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma-Amalia Cahaya Pratiwi from Indonesia landed the Women’s Doubles title Sathio Group Australia Open at the Quaycentre in Sydney, Australia on Sunday.
However, Febriana-Amalia were made to work hard for their triumph over Malaysian pair Lai Pei Jing-Lim Chiew Sien before they were able to chalk first ever Super500 HSBC BWF World Tour crown after coming close at the Spain Masters and then the Thailand Open earlier this year.
Pei Jing-Chiew Sien certainly did not make it easy in the final when they took the first set 21-12 before Febriana-Amalia clawed back to take the next two sets 21-7, 21-13 in the duel that lasted 74 minutes.
Indonesia’s hope for a second title at the Sathio Group Australia Open fell short in the Men’s Doubles when Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan could not get the better of an in-form He Ji Ting-Ren Xiang Yu from China.
Top seed Ji Ting-Xiang Yu was just a tad too formidable all week long as they crushed Ahsan-Hendra in the final in straight set 21-11, 21-10.
Indonesia were also denied in the final of the Women’s Singles when seventh seeded Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo could not hold out against a determined Aya Ohori from Japan.
The second seeded Aya showed her quality to emerge champion of the Australia Open 17-21, 21-19, 21-16 to add to the Thailand Open title she won earlier in the year.
In the meantime, Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia picked up his second World Tour title this year by taking the Men’s Singles crown of the Sathio Group Australia Open after taking the Thailand Open earlier in May.
Up against Kodai Naraoka from Japan, the 26-year-old from Kedah took the first set 21-19 before conceding the second set 11-21.
However, Zii Jia had enough in the tank to win the third set 21-18 for the title.
In the all-China final of the Mixed Doubles, Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin were made to work hard for their win before they were able to ride out 21-12, 16-21, 21-12 winners over Guo Xin Wa-Chen Fang Hui.
FULLTIME RESULTS
MEN’S SINGLES: Lee Zii Jia (Malaysia) bt Kodai Naraoka (Japan) 21-19, 11-21, 21-18
MEN’S DOUBLES: He Ji Ting-Ren Xiang Yu (China) bt Mohammad Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan (Indonesia) 21-11, 21-10
WOMEN’S SINGLES: Aya Ohori (Japan) bt Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo (Indonesia) 17-21, 21, 21-16
WOMEN’S DOUBLES: Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma-Amalia Cahaya Pratiwi (Indonesia) bt Lai Pei Jing-Lim Chiew Sien (Malaysia) 12-21, 21-7, 21-13
MIXED DOUBLES: Jiang Zhen Bang-Wei Ya Xin (China) bt Guo Xin Wa-Chen Fang Hui (China) 21-12, 16-21, 21-12
