All England Open: Zheng/Huang retain mixed doubles title
The mixed doubles top seeds Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China retained their title at the All England Open Badminton Championships by beating Japanese duo Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino in straight sets on Sunday.
Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong (L) of China pose on the podium after winning the mixed doubles final against Watanabe Yuta/Higashino Arisa of Japan at All England Open Badminton Championships 2024 in Birmingham, Britain, March 17, 2024. (Xinhua)
Both pairs reached the final without dropping a set and couldn't be split in the opening stages before Zheng and Huang collected six points in a row to lead at 18-12.
After winning the first set 21-16, Zheng and Huang dominated the second set with attacking play and wrapped it up 21-11 to clinch their third title together at the All England Open.
In the women's singles final, Spaniard Carolina Marin fought extremely hard to win over Akane Yamaguchi 26-24 in the first set before the Japanese ace retired due to a hip injury while trailing 11-1 in the second set.
Indonesia's Jonatan Christie beat teammate Anthony Sinisuka Ginting 21-15, 21-14 to win the men's singles, and Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto added the men's doubles title to the Indonesian team later by defeating Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia 21-16, 21-16.
South Korea's Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee took the women's doubles gold as they outplayed Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida of Japan 21-19, 11-21 and 21-17.