CHENGDU:
China lifted the Uber Cup for the 16th time when they swept Indonesia 3-0 in Sunday’s final to complete an unbeaten run to the badminton women’s team title.
He Bingjiao’s 10-21, 21-15, 21-17 victory against Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo completed a perfect 24-0 match record for hosts China on home soil at the Thomas and Uber Cup finals in Chengdu this week.
It enabled them to regain the title they lost to South Korea two years ago in Thailand.
Indonesia’s slim chances hinged on Gregoria Mariska Tunjung breaking through in the opening singles against Chen Yufei.
But Chen never allowed her opponent into the contest in a comprehensive 21-7, 21-16 win that put China 1-0 up in the best-of-five match final after just 38 minutes.
“I didn’t feel that comfortable although I have played such matches before,” said Chen.
“I still feel stressed, and maybe my opponent was. I always feel pressured in finals.
“I have lost to her before. What I did was watch a lot of matches that I’d lost to her. It’s not going to help if I only watch matches that I won.”
Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan did not give Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti and Ribka Sugiarto a sniff in a 39-minute doubles demolition.
“The scariest thing is when people think you should win,” said Chen Qingchen.
“Things become different when you assume you can win. The only thing we need to do is prepare and be humble.”
Their 21-11, 21-8 canter set up He for the Cup-winning victory in the second singles.
“During the last three years we experienced failures, and I’m happy that we could regain the title,” said He.
China’s men will play Indonesia later in the final of the men’s Thomas Cup.
