Top seeds Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning defended their women’s doubles title at the China Open, defeating Japan’s Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto 21–14, 21–19 in the final held in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.
Liu and Tan Secure Straight-Games Victory in Changzhou
Chinese badminton stars Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning captured the women’s doubles crown at the China Open on Sunday, defeating seasoned Japanese pair Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto in straight games. The top-seeded home favorites controlled the opening game before withstanding a late surge in the second frame to close out the match 21–14, 21–19 at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Changzhou.
The victory marks a successful title defense for Liu and Tan at the World Tour Super 1000 event, reinforcing their dominant status at the top of the international badminton rankings. Playing in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, the Chinese duo relied on aggressive net play and relentless pace to disrupt their opponents’ defensive structure from the opening rallies.
Controlling the Court Against Fukushima and Matsumoto
Fukushima and Matsumoto, a former world number-one pair renowned for their exceptional court coverage and resilience, struggled to find their rhythm early in the match. Liu and Tan capitalized on short lifts, dictating the tempo with powerful smashes and sharp interceptions.
The second game proved significantly tighter as the Japanese veterans adjusted their defensive positioning and forced unforced errors from the defending champions. Trailing late in the frame, Fukushima and Matsumoto mounted a brief comeback, narrowing the scoreline before Liu and Tan secured the crucial final points to seal the straight-games victory.
Next Stops on the Badminton World Tour
With the conclusion of the China Open in Changzhou, elite badminton players turn their focus toward the remaining legs of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour. Players are gathering ranking points required to qualify for the prestigious season-ending BWF World Tour Finals, making every tournament performance critical for the global elite.
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