World number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia overcame a spirited challenge from Danish ace Peter Gade to clinch the Indian Open Super Series men’s singles title on Sunday. In the women’s singles, Thailand’s unseeded 19-year-old Porntip Buranaprasertsuk pulled off an upset 21-13, 21-16 victory over Korean third seed Youn Joo Bae for her first ever Super Series crown.
Top-seeded Lee was stretched to three games by the world number six before claiming a 21-12, 12-21, 21-15 win in an enthralling title clash at the Siri Fort Sports Complex. It was Lee’s 12th victory in 13 meetings with Gade in Open tournaments and eighth Super Series title overall. The fierce contest was played out amid a slew of smashes and fine net play, enthralling a sizeable crowd that had turned up despite no Indian being left in the fray.
Gade, fought back brilliantly in the second game but lost steam in the third after arguing with the chair umpire over a line call just when the match was poised at a knife’s edge. “At 9-11 it was an important point,” said Gade, a former world number one and winner of the 16 Grand Prix titles. “It was one of the things that happen in the heat of the game. I was mentally fired up and it was a very close call. “I needed that point badly. He was up and I was lagging behind,” said the third seed, seeking his first Super Series title in two years.
Lee, enjoying top form after winning the All England crown last month, kept his cool in the crucial third and deciding game before sealing it with a smash that saw a desperate Gade fall on the court. “I lost focus in the second game,” said Lee, who had won the Commonwealth Games gold at the same venue last year. “It was very difficult to score points. Peter is vastly experienced, he plans very well for each game. He is a good player and does not give up easily. I knew I would have to fight hard against him.”
The first game saw Gade race to a 4-2 lead but it was not long before Lee caught up with the Danish veteran and snatched seven points on the trot on his way to a 21-12 win. Gade rallied superbly in the second game and was soon ahead 12-8 before taking it with an identical margin. The third game was a close fight before Lee broke away from a 9-9 deadlock to establish a three-point lead that he held on to win the match. In the women’s doubles final, Japanese top seeds Miyuki Maeda and Satoko Suetsuna beat compatriots Mizuki Fujii and Reika Kakiiwa 26-24, 21-15.
The mixed doubles, an all-Indonesia affair, saw Tantowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir defeat Fran Kurniawan and Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth 21-18, 23-21 in the final.
