Andika Ramadiansyah and Nozomi Shimizu (AUS) won the mixed doubles title on finals day of the MAXX North Harbour International at Badminton North Harbour on Sunday, defeating Chinese Taipei’s Lin Bing-Wei and Liao Jui-Chi 21-10, 21-18. It is their first international title as a pair.
The top seeds were runners-up here last year, and Ramadiansyah was emotional afterwards.
“I’ve been waiting so long to be a champion, since we started playing together a year and a half ago. We got two finals and still couldn’t win, but today we finally did it and we won,” he said.
It was Shimizu’s second final of the day. She and Laudya Chelsea Griselda (AUS) won the first game of the women’s doubles final but lost to Chinese Taipei’s second seeds Hsieh Mi Yen and Yu Chien Hui 17-21, 21-11, 21-16.
“I just tried to really focus one point at a time. It was better than yesterday and I am so happy,” Shimizu said.
Shao and Lin take men’s doubles
Unseeded Shao Hua Chiu and Lin Bing-Wei (TPE) won the men’s doubles title in an all-Chinese Taipei final, defeating top seeds Huang Tsung-I and Lin Ting-Yu 21-19, 21-16. Huang and Lin made the faster start, but Shao and Lin worked their way back into the first game and took control.
Lin Bing-Wei also played the mixed doubles final, so it was a long day for him.
“This is our first time winning an international tournament as a pair, it is also my first international challenge I’ve won in my career. My partner Shao also performed really well this time and improved really quickly, so I am happy that we were able to achieve this result together,” he said.
Asked about the strongest part of their game, Shao pointed to the basics.
“I think our serve and receive was really strong, as well as our defense. We didn’t rush too much. When things got messy or difficult, my partner Lin Bing-Wei would help me stay composed and hold things together,” he said.
Lin saw the first game as the key moment.
“He has talked more about the tactical side, but I think the mindset was also really important. We were quite nervous at the beginning of the first game, but gradually we relaxed and played more freely. Especially because we were behind in the first game and then managed to come back and turn it around, I think that showed how we were able to adjust our mindset,” he said.
Tung defends women’s singles title
Reigning champion Tung Ciou-Tong (TPE) retained the women’s singles title, defeating compatriot Chen Su Yu 21-19, 11-21, 21-8. Tung lost the second game but took control in the decider.
“Since we’re both familiar with each other, we already know how each other likes to play. So in the end, it came down to how we could stay more consistent and react better to what was happening on court,” Tung said.
A second title here capped a year of work.
“I’m really happy to win it again and successfully defend the title. It also proves that all the hard work I’ve put in over the past year has paid off,” she said.
Miyashita upsets Wang
Japan’s Rei Miyashita won the men’s singles title, defeating defending champion and top seed Po-Wei Wang (TPE) 22-20, 21-19 in 55 minutes. Momentum swung between the two throughout the final.
Miyashita was unseeded. He began his week with the biggest upset of Day 1, when he knocked out last year’s runner-up Ting Yen-Chen (TPE).
“I was a bit nervous because it was the final, but I think I had more stamina than him, so I was able to be aggressive right to the last point,” Miyashita said.
