PETALING JAYA: It was heartbreak for favourites Chen Yufei and An Se-young, but pure delight for Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi (pic), who beamed with joy after clinching her third women’s singles crown at the World Championships.
The Japanese star was at her brilliant best, dismantling long-time rival Chen Yufei 21-9, 21-13 in a commanding display at the Adidas Arena in Port de la Chapelle, Paris, yesterday.
For Yamaguchi, the triumph was all the sweeter as it came after a spell of struggles – a superb turnaround that saw her reclaim her place among the sport’s finest.
Yamaguchi, who added to her titles in 2021 and 2022, became only the second women’s singles player to win the crown thrice after Spain’s Carolina Marin’s success in 2014, 2015 and 2018.
For Yufei, who appeared to struggle with an ankle injury, her hopes of winning her first world title was dashed.
Meanwhile, Olympic Games champion Se-young’s bid to defend her title was cut short by Yufei in the semi-finals a day earlier.
World No. 1 Se-young, who captured the gold in 2023 in Copenhagen, could not raise her game this time and went down 15-21, 17-21.
