Two-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi completed her title quest at the Japan Open with a dynamic display of all-around badminton skills.
In the women's singles final, world No 5 Yamaguchi waltzed past Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan, winning 21-11, 21-10 on Sunday, August 25 at Yokohama Arena.
Yamaguchi overpowered her 14th-ranked opponent from start to finish in the 43-minute showdown.
As a result, the 27-year Fukui Prefecture native captured her fourth Japan Open singles titles. She previously won the badminton tournament in 2013, 2019 and 2022.
Yamaguchi improved to 12-2 in her career against Ongbamrungphan.
The Japanese standout, who was the world champion in 2021 and 2022, had a 42-21 advantage in rallies won in the one-sided match.
"Overall, I was able to stay proactive," Yamaguchi said after the title match, according to Agence France-Press. "I was in control of the game throughout."
She added, "I remained very positive throughout the match and wanted to perform better and better."
Acknowledging that Japanese fans helped give her a boost, Yamaguchi told reporters the final was enjoyable.
"It was very fun," she was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse. "I was able to stay relaxed and the results followed."
Badminton Star Endures Injury, Returns to Form
In March, Yamaguchi was the runner-up in back-to-back Badminton World Federation tournaments, the French Open and the All England Open.
But Yamaguchi sustained a hip injury in March, forcing her to pull out of the All England Open before the title match. The injury sidelined her for several weeks.
At the Paris Olympics, Yamaguchi was eliminated in the women's singles quarterfinals, falling to South Korea's top-seeded Se Young An, 15-21, 21-17, 21-8, on August 3.
It was Yamaguchi's third Olympics and the third time she was ousted in the quarterfinals.
Returning to winning form at the Japan Open provided a cathartic release for Yamaguchi.
"There were times where it was hard to enjoy playing and times where things didn't go well, but I've managed to move forward and make progress," Yamaguchi said after her ruthless performance on Sunday, according to Kyodo News.
Lanier Triumphs in Men's Badminton Singles Final
In Sunday's Japan Open men's final, French teenager Alex Lanier, ranked 29th in the world, beat Taiwan's Tien Chen Chou 21-17, 22-20 for his second BWF World Tour title.
The 19-year-old Lanier won his first title at the 2022 Canada Open.
En route to the title Lanier prevailed against world No 1 Yuqi Shi of China and Malaysia's Zii Jia Lee, the Paris 2024 bronze medalist.
Lanier, aiming for sustained success as a pro badminton player, said achieving victory at the Japan Open was important.
"I need to win these kinds of tournaments to be prepared for the world championship [in August 2025 in Paris]. And I will try to do my best in front of the French crowd also," Lanier, who didn't compete at the Paris Olympics, told reporters at Yokohama Arena.
"I'm just now focused on what I'm doing on court, how to play matches against the best ones in the world," he added, according to Agence France-Presse.
Up next: the Korea Open starts on Tuesday, August 27 in Seoul.
RELATED:
- Akane Yamaguchi Aims to Climb Back to Top of Badminton World in Paris
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- BADMINTON | Akane Yamaguchi Collects Tournament Title for Second Straight Week
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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