China sweep three badminton titles in warm-up for Paris Olympics

China have completed an impeccable warm-up for the upcoming Paris Olympics by clinching three titles on the final day of the French Open. The event took place at the very venue where the creme de la creme of badminton will converge in July to compete for the ultimate glory in the sport. 

At the state-of-the-art Adidas Arena, the only purpose-built venue in the French capital for this summer's Games, Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping set the tone by delivering a masterclass performance against South Korea's Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung in the mixed doubles final. With a convincing scoreline of 21-16, 21-16, they claimed their first crown of the season.

Building on this momentum, the world's top-ranked pair of Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan made a sensational comeback in the women's doubles final. Despite trailing 20-15 in the decisive game, they exhibited tremendous resilience and ultimately triumphed over Japan's Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida with a thrilling 21-12, 19-21, 24-22 victory. 

After an unexpected exit in the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Open in early January, the dynamic duo of Chen and Jia had been sidelined due to injuries, putting their season on hold. However, their triumphant comeback in France was no easy feat as they faced numerous challenges along the way. Nevertheless, they persevered and managed to clinch their first title of 2024.

"When we faced match points, my focus wasn't on the fear of losing with each point dropped. Instead, I held onto the belief that if we could earn seven more points, we would emerge victorious. We never lost hope," an emotional Jia said after the hard-fought victory.

"During our winter training, both of us poured our hearts and souls into preparation, and this final win validates all the sacrifices we've made."

Later in the day, China's second-seeded player Shi Yuqi put the finishing touch on a perfect day for his country by narrowly defeating Thailand's world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn in a fiercely contested men's singles final.

Shi displayed his tenacity right from the start, orchestrating a remarkable turnaround in the first game when he found himself trailing. In the second game, despite facing the daunting challenge of squandering seven match points, he bravely navigated through the treacherous waters and ultimately emerged victorious with a nail-biting scoreline of 22-20, 21-19.  

With this win, along with his impressive performances in the previous four tournaments, where he reached the finals in all of them and claimed two titles and two runner-up positions, Shi has firmly established himself as a force to be reckoned with, showcasing his exceptional form ahead of the Olympics.

This victory marks Shi return to the top podium of the French Open after an eight-year hiatus, and he candidly expressed his aspirations for further success at the upcoming Olympic Games.  

"This tournament has provided me with valuable insights into maintaining my peak performance," he observed. "Overcoming the difficulties faced during the competition and defeating opponents who had previously bested me have been crucial for my mental preparation for the Olympics."