The China Mail - Taiwan's Chou Tien-chen snatches China Open title at age 36

World number six Chou vanquished 27-year-old Toma Junior Popov of France in three games, 21-15, 7-21, 21-13, to claim his first Super 1000 title since winning the Indonesia Open in 2019.

The veteran needed just over an hour to seal the outcome in the championship matchup in Changzhou, eastern China.

When an official video review showed that a final return from Popov had dropped out of bounds, an exhausted and emotional Chou kneeled face-down on the court, hands outstretched in victory.

Popov, ranked 16th worldwide, had been chasing his first victory at a Super 1000 tournament.

His younger brother Christo, ranked fifth, was eliminated in the round of 16 at this year's China Open.

Earlier on Sunday, Japan's Akane Yamaguchi defeated host-country hope Chen Yufei to win the top prize in the women's singles final with an efficient 21-18, 21-16 performance.

The final pairing represented a rematch of last year's World Championship in Paris, which was also won by Yamaguchi.

26-year-old Yamaguchi is a three-time world champion and current world number three.

In women's doubles, hosts Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning of China defeated Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto of Japan in two games, 21-14, 21-19.

The men's doubles competition saw reigning champions Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri of Indonesia defend their title, beating South Korea's Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae in come-from-behind fashion 16-21, 21-19, 21-19.

In the mixed doubles final, an all-China matchup saw Guo Xinwa and Chen Fanghui take down compatriots Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping in a closely contested 25-23, 20-22, 21-15 marathon lasting 88 minutes.

L.Kwan--ThChM