ASIAN JUNIOR Mixed Team 2013 Final – China back on top!

China won back its Asian Junior Mixed Team crown with three decisive match-ending games against their Korean challengers.

Story and photos (archives) by Don Hearn

China bounced back from their ignominious 0-3 defeat at the hands of first-time finalist Japan in last year’s edition to take their expected place on top of the podium for their 4th Asian Junior Mixed Team badminton title.

The first match of the day was crucial for the Koreans, who always depend heavily on their doubles in team competitions.  Defending Asian Junior mixed doubles champions were to take on Australian Open semi-finalists Huang Kaixiang and Chen Qingchen (pictured), who just turned 16 a couple of weeks ago.  The Koreans had beaten Chen and then-partner Liu Yuchen in the Asian Junior semi-finals last year at home in Gimcheon.

However, this year, without the home court advantage they enjoyed in 2012, Choi and Chae struggled and were completely dominated, particularly in the second game, where they failed to score in double digits and Huang and Chen put the first point on the board for China.

While Korea losing a mixed doubles point to China may not be that unusual, Korea winning one in boys’ singles is far less common but that’s exactly what happened.  German Junior Open champion Jeon Hyuk Jin (pictured) beat back one game point from China’s Lin Guipu in the first game before taking the second match 22-20, 21-17 and keeping Korea in it.

Next up, Li Junhui (pictured) was also able to exact some payback for last year.  Li and then partner Zhang Ningyi – who is still a junior but is competing in the U.S. Open this week – lost in the third round in Gimcheon in 2012 to none other than his opponents of the day Choi Sol Kyu and Park Se Woong.  This time, however, Li was paired with the almost-as-tall Liu Yuchen, with whom he reached the New Zealand Open final this spring.

After dropping the first game the twin Chinese towers built up a comfortable buffer in the second game and then ran away with the decider to put China ahead 2-1.

Finally, in the girls’ singles, Kim Hyo Min suffered a similar fate as she was unable to convert her only game point in the opener and then was completely outclassed in the second game by 16-year-old Qin Jinjing, winner of the Australian Youth Olympic festival this past winter.

Mixed team final result: China 3, Korea 1
XD: Huang Kaixiang / Chen Qingchen (CHN) beat Choi Sol Kyu / Chae Yoo Jung (KOR)  21-18, 21-9
BS: Lin Guipu (CHN) lost to Jeon Hyuk Jin (KOR)  20-22, 17-21
BD: Li Junhui / Liu Yuchen (CHN) beat Choi Sol Kyu / Park Se Woong (KOR)  18-21, 21-16, 21-8
GS: Qin Jinjing(CHN) beat Kim Hyo Min (KOR)  22-20, 21-12
GD: Chen Qingchen / He Jiaxin (CHN) vs. Kim Ji Won / Lee Sun Min (KOR) [not played]

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