China's Wang Zhiyi displays her trophy after beating South Korea's An Se-young in the women's singles final at Denmark Open in Odense, Denmark, October 20, 2024. /CFP
China's Wang Zhiyi ended badminton's Denmark Open on a high note on Sunday night by pulling off a remarkable upset against South Korea's Olympic champion An Se-young in the women's singles final.
Despite with Wang trailing in their head-to-head record with just two wins in ten against the world number two, the 24-year-old showed no signs of pressure against the world no. 2, securing a dominant victory 21-10, 21-12. Notably, Wang's flawless performance in the Denmark Open, where she didn't drop a single game, marked her first ever title win in the tournament.
"This victory is a validation for me, providing me with a clear focus for my future training," beamed Wang after her breakthrough. "I will maintain my dedication and discipline, aiming for further breakthroughs in upcoming competitions."
China's Feng Yanzhe (front) and Huang Dongping in action during the mixed doubles final in the Denmark Open in Odense, Denmark, October 20, 2024. /CFP
In the mixed doubles event, China took both the gold and silver medals, with top seeds Huang Dongping and Feng Yanzhe defending their title by outclassing their teammates Wei Yaxin and Jiang Zhenbang 2-1. Despite a shaky start, Huang and Feng rallied back to win the next two games and clinch the victory.
The men's doubles final saw top seeds Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang triumph over the second-seeded Danish duo Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, in straight games of 21-18, 21-17.
In the women's doubles final, top seeds Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning fell short against the fourth-seeded Japanese pair Rin Iwanaga and Kei Nakanishi, settling for the silver medal 18-21, 14-21.