SS FINALS 2011 – A come-from-behind victory for Wang Yihan

Wang Yihan lived down her semi-final loss last year, her initial loss this year, and the loss of her first game on Sunday to finally take the Super Series Finals title.  She was the first of two first-time winners on a day when all doubles titles went to defending champions.

By Emzi Regala, Badzine Correspondent.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Her shaky start in the final of the 2011 Li-Ning BWF Super Series Finals brought some serious looks of concern from her coach but Wang Yihan (pictured below) proved to the world why she is world number 1 by coming back after losing the first game, overcoming strong opposition from India’s Saina Nehwal (pictured left with Wang) to win convincingly 18-21, 21-13, 21-13.

Saina, who was consistently playing well in the Super Series Finals, found herself with an early lead at the first game interval 11-5. Wang managed to stick close, with her sharp-angled drop shots, but Saina held her composure to capture the opening game 21-18.

After a very tight first half, Wang Yihan capitalized on several wide lifts by Saina as she broke away in the second game and nabbed it 21-13 to force a third and final game, to the delight of the Chinese crowd.  The World Champion raised her fist up high in the air at every point earned against the resilient Saina. However, at the end of 1 hour and 11 minutes, Wang Yihan stepped onto the championship podium to claim her first Super Series Finals gold.

Lin Dan’s straight-game victory over Chen Long sends a strong message to the Prince that Super Dan’s reign is far from over.  Perhaps the most improved player of the year, Chen Long managed to keep pace with Lin Dan in the first half of both games but couldn’t find a way to solve Lin Dan tactical plays, succumbing 12-21 16-21 to the World Champion.

Champions Retain Titles!

Defending champions Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli harvested their 8^th gold medal of the year at the Super Series level after successfully defending their title against Korea’s Kim Min Jung and Ha Jung Eun (pictured left with Wang/Yu) 21-8, 21-12, solidifying the dominance they have enjoyed all year in the women’s doubles badminton world.

The mixed doubles finals match displayed superb defense and control over the net by another pair of defending champions Zhang Nan / Zhao Yunlei. Zhao Yunlei faked a lift to the opposite side of Xu Chen sending the male opponent diving to save the bird. Xu Chen / Ma Jin bowed out with a runner-up finish as the World Champions took it 21-13, 21-15.

Denmark’s Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen (pictured right) exhibited the true mark of champions when they saved 6 game points to eventually take the first game 25-23 against China’s Chai Biao / Guo Zhendong.  The loss must have taken the heart away of their Chinese opponents as the Danes went on to win an easy second game 21-7 to record their second consecutive title.

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