Korea Open: China’s Lu Guangzu ends badminton title drought after beating Lee Chia-hao in final

World number 13 Lu, the tournament’s number seven seed, came through a hard-fought tussle 21-16, 20-22, 21-18 to lift his first trophy since the Canada Open in 2018.

This was Lu Guangzu’s first trophy since the Canada Open in 2018. | Photo Credit: AFP

China’s Lu Guangzu won his first title on badminton’s world tour in six years when he beat Taiwan’s Lee Chia-hao in the Korea Open final on Sunday.

World number 13 Lu, the tournament’s number seven seed, came through a hard-fought tussle 21-16, 20-22, 21-18 to lift his first trophy since the Canada Open in 2018.

World number 30 Lee was unseeded in Seoul.

China’s world number one Shi Yuqi was eliminated in the quarter-finals, while Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen, who won his second straight Olympic gold in Paris last month, did not compete.

In the women’s tournament, South Korea’s number seven seed Kim Ga-eun won by walkover against second-seeded Chinese opponent Wang Zhiyi.

In mixed doubles, Malaysia’s number four seeds Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei beat China’s unseeded Guo Xinwa and Li Qian 17-21, 21-13, 21-13.

Indonesia’s seventh-seeded Leo Rolly Carnando and Bagas Maulana upset South Korean top seeds Kang Min-hyuk and Seo Seung-jae in the men’s doubles final, winning 18-21, 21-9, 21-8.

In women’s doubles, South Korea’s sixth-seeded Jeong Na-eun and Kim Hye-jeong beat Malaysian number four seeds Pearly Tan and Muralitharan Thinaah 21-12, 21-11.