Chinese women's badminton player Li Xuerui. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese badminton star Li Xuerui led the China women's badminton team to a 3-1 victory over South Korea in the final of the 2016 Uber Cup in a match held at the Kunshan Sports Centre in Jiangsu, China on Saturday, May 21.
It was the 14th Uber Cup win for the hosts as it was also the third time in the last four editions that the team met the South Koreans in the final of the said tournament, Xinhuanet reported.
In their head-to-head history, South Korea won the title in 2010, 3-1, during the Kuala Lumpur competitions while China bagged the next one in 2012, 3-0, in Wuhan. The Koreans broke the series in 2014 as they failed to advance in the final, with China winning again versus Japan in New Delhi, 3-1, before claiming their third straight title this year.
The 25-year-old Li came from behind to beat her rival, Sung Ji-hyun, in the first singles match, 14-21, 21-13, and 21-10, initiating the Chinese onslaught. The current world no. 3 dropped the first set as she settled down to find her true form before taking the last two sets in convincing fashion.
"Every step in the team match is one step for myself," the 2012 London Olympics gold medalist said after the match, as per the Express Tribune.
South Korea made it 1-1 as they took the first doubles match with the pair of Jung Kyung-eun and Shin Seung-chan nipped the Chinese duo of Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei, 16-21, 21-17, and 25-23.
After spitting the first two sets, the Koreans outlasted the Chinese in the hard-fought third set that needed additional rallies to decide. The match lasted 94 minutes.
However, China took the next two matches to come away with the country's third consecutive Uber Cup championship.
World no. 6 Wang Shixian dominated Kim Hyo-min in straight sets, 21-13, 21-12, in the second singles match to push China to only one point away from the title.
Tang Yuanting and Chen Qingchen sealed the victory in the second doubles match with a 21-14, 21-16 victory over Chang Ye-na and Lee So-hee.
