Chinese badminton star Lin Dan. (Photo : Getty Images)
World no. 3 Lin Dan of China defeated compatriot and world no. 1 Chen Long in straight sets, 21-17, 23-21, to bag the 2016 China Masters Grand Prix Gold title in a match held at the Olympic Sports Center Xincheng Gymnasium in Jiangsu, China last Sunday.
It was the sixth China Masters crown for the 32-year-old Lin after winning the said event in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2014, via Sports 247.
Lin, also a six-time All-England champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, pulled off the victory over Chen in one hour and five minutes. It was the third badminton singles trophy he won in the same venue after taking the German Open and All-England titles in the previous month.
The match was quite close especially in the second set when Lin had to claw back from an 11-16 deficit and being 19-20 down to eventually win it at 23-21, extending his head-to-head record with the 27-year-old Chen to 8-2, as reported by The Star.
Lin defeated another countryman, Lin Guipu, 21-13, 21-15, in the semifinals while Chen survived a three-set thriller against Thailand's Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, 21-15, 19-21, 21-14, to earn the right to face his nemesis in the final round.
The Fujian, China native is now set to participate in the 2016 Asian Badminton Championships in Wuhan this week and could meet Malaysia's world no. 2 Lee Chong Wei, another one of his arch-rivals, in the semis of the said event.
Lin has won the Asian Badminton Championships four times in the past, claiming his titles in 2010 in New Delhi, 2011 in Chengdu, 2014 in Gimcheon, and last year also in Wuhan.
Meanwhile, in other results, China's Li Xuerui won the Women's Singles title over compatriot Sun Yu in three sets, 21-16, 19-21, and 21-6 to complete an All-China Singles triumph.
The Luo twins, Luo Ying and Luo Yu captured the Women's Doubles crown, 16-21, 21-15, and 21-18, over Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan also of China while the South Korean tandem of Lee Yong-dae and Yoo Yeon-seong beat countrymen Kim Gi-jung and Kim Sa-rang in the final of the Men's Doubles, 21-17, 21-14.
Finally, China's Xu Chen and Ma Jin triumphed in the Mixed Doubles category over Zheng Siwei and Chen Qingchen, 21-17, 21-15.
