The SATHIO GROUP Australian Open came to a close today, with five finals across the disciplines bringing the curtain down on a week of high-quality badminton. From dominant performances to nail-biting finishes, finals day delivered the drama befitting a tournament finale.
Mixed Doubles
Top seeds Feng Yan Zhe/Huang Dong Ping (CHN) claimed the mixed doubles title with a 21-17, 21-19 win over second seeds Guo Xin Wa/Chen Fang Hui (CHN) in an all-China final. Neither pair held control for long in either game — it was an even battle throughout, particularly in the second, where the margins were razor thin. In the end, it was Feng and Huang who handled the big moments just a fraction better, closing out the title in straight games.
Women’s Doubles
Top seeds Jia Yifan/Zhang Shuxian (CHN) were crowned women’s doubles champions, but they had to survive a serious scare from last year’s runners-up, Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma/Meilysa Trias Puspitasari (INA), before pulling away. The Indonesians raced to an early lead in the first game, only for Jia and Zhang to claw level at 18-18. From there, the top seeds edged ahead, but Kusuma/Puspitasari repeatedly hauled them back in, refusing to let the gap stick. Across the course of the game, Jia/Zhang held six game points before they were finally able to convert, eventually closing it out 24-22. The second game told a different story entirely — level at 7-7, it opened up completely, with the top seeds surging clear to win 21-13 and seal the title.
Women’s Singles
Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) defended her position at the top of the sport, defeating Pornpawee Chochuwong (THA) 22-20, 21-18 to claim the women’s singles title — her fourth consecutive final on the HSBC BWF World Tour this year. The opening game went the distance, with both players trading the lead deep into extra points before Yamaguchi edged it 22-20. The second game produced one of the standout moments of the final, Chochuwong surged into an 11-6 lead, looking every bit the player capable of upsetting the world champion. But Yamaguchi, true to her word about backing her ability in longer rallies, reeled off five consecutive points to level the score at 12-12, swinging the momentum decisively in her favour en route to a 21-18 finish.
“I’m quite happy with my tournament and the results, but I think I’m even happier with my performance itself,” said Yamaguchi to the BWF. “At the start of the second game, my opponent led quite a bit, however I knew I was good with longer rallies so I tried to stay calm. First of all, I’ve been in very good physical condition, and I think that helped. But also, competing against high-ranking players, I’m starting to think I need to be more on the attack, and that’s what I did today.”
For Chochuwong, reaching the final was itself a milestone after a difficult run with injury.
“I am happy to play in Australia this year, I really like Australia, and this is my third tournament back on the BWF tour,” said Chochuwong. “I am really happy with my performance but I will train harder and come back stronger.”
Men’s Singles
Alwi Farhan (INA) claimed the men’s singles title in straight games, defeating Dong Tian Yao (CHN) 21-13, 21-13. The second game looked set to be a far closer affair than the first, with Dong taking an early lead and holding onto it through to the interval. But Farhan settled after the break, reeling Dong in and ultimately pulling away to match his first-game margin and seal the title.
The win caps an emotional week for Farhan, who has battled both doubters and a recent return from injury to reach this point.
“I am so grateful and so happy. A lot of things have happened in the last period, I’ve been to the doctor before coming here,” Farhan said. “I came here with a lot of doubters and haters, but still believing I could prove them wrong. I’m so grateful. This is a long journey, and this means a lot to me, but the upcoming periods are much more difficult, so I hope I can stay humble, stay low-key, and keep listening to my coach and parents.”
On his approach to the final itself, Farhan had done his homework.
“I was studying his last matches, he was so clinical with the killing smash, so that’s what I tried to avoid. I didn’t lift too much, and that’s why I think I played well today,” he said. “There were a lot of things I proved to myself today. A lot of things were in my mind last night, but I proved to myself that I can win. At the elite level, it’s so difficult to keep your mindset and focus — that’s what I want to prove every day. I want to do 1% better every day, and that’s why I see so much progress in myself. I knew if I reached the final, I could break into the top 10 — that was my target coming here. A lot of things happened, a lot went through my mind, but I managed it well, so I’m very grateful.”
Men’s Doubles
After their epic three-game semifinal victory yesterday, Sabar Karyaman Gutama/Moh Reza Pahlevi Isfahani (INA) couldn’t quite find one more gear in the final, falling to fourth seeds Chen Bo Yang/Liu Yi (CHN) 21-15, 21-19. While the first game saw Chen and Liu establish themselves, the second was a different proposition entirely; a ridiculously tight contest defined by long rallies and gutsy saves. The lead changed hands continuously, right through to the final two points, before Chen and Liu finally got the job done to claim the title.
Tournament Wrap
And with that, the curtain falls on the SATHIO GROUP Australian Open for another year. Across the week, players from Chinese Taipei, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Japan, Hong Kong, Ireland, Korea, Malaysia, Belgium, Vietnam, China, Thailand, USA, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Ukraine, Peru, Hungary, England, Bulgaria, Germany, and Egypt all graced the courts, a true reflection of the global reach of this sport. To have a tournament of this calibre right here in our region is something truly special, and we can’t wait to do it all again next year.
