BANGKOK: World number two Tai Tzu-ying(pix) gained some revenge over Olympic champion Chen Yufei on Sunday by winning the Thailand Open women’s singles final 21-15, 17-21, 21-12.
Their encounter was a rematch of last year’s Tokyo Olympics final where Tai, who was the world number one at the time, could only come away with silver.
The Taiwanese 27-year-old, who lost the Thailand Open final to Spain’s Carolina Marin last year, was off to a fast start as she sped into a nine-point lead in the first game against China’s world number four Chen and took it 21-15.
Chen, who was part of the Chinese women’s team which was narrowly defeated by South Korea in last week’s Uber Cup final in Bangkok, forced the match to a decider.
But Tai quickly opened up a seven-point lead and rode the momentum to claim victory.
Malaysia’s world number six Lee Zii Jia faces China’s Li Shifeng in the men’s singles final later on Sunday.-AFP