Highlights, China Open SSP 2017: Chen Long ends 25-month Superseries title drought; Akane Yamaguchi wins
Catch all the live scores and updates from Final day action at the China Open Superseries Premier
 "Highlights, China Open SSP 2017: Chen Long ends 25-month Superseries title drought; Akane Yamaguchi wins")
21-14! There is pin-drop silence in the crowd after yet another Axelsen winner leaves Chen Long baffled. The Dane has enforced a decider in style.
We have now come to the end of the China Open Superseries Premier.
Chen Long reclaimed the crown after a brief hiatus while Akane Yamaguchi finally ended up on the right side of the results of a Superseries final. There were no surprises in the doubles division.
Thank you for being with us for the coverage over the past three days. Join us next week for Firstpost’s coverage of the Hong Kong Superseries from Friday.
Chen Long wins FOURTH #ChinaSSP title
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
He beats World No 1 Viktor Axelsen 21-16, 14-21, 21-13 in the final
A Superseries gold for Chen after 25 long months!
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL pic.twitter.com/NYH83f05FW
Chen Long’s 25-month wait for a Superseries title comes to an end in front of his home crowd. Long wins his 4th title at China with a 21-16, 14-21, 21-13 victory over World No 1 Viktor Axelsen
18-12! A wonderful net exchange comes to a close with Viktor Axelsen hitting a jump smash to win the point and serve
16-9! One more net play and one more point for Chen Long. The Chinese shuttler has been dominating net proceedings in the decider leaving Axelsen baffled quite a bit
14-8! Chen Long wins three successive points post the interval. Every Axelsen lift is met with a powerful smash and a drop shot from the Dane is met with a cross-court winner by Long.
11-8! Axelsen is focusing on Chen Long’s weakness and is hitting towards the back but the former World No 1 holds on to the lead to go into the mid-game break of the decider with a three-point advantage
9-4! Viktor Axelsen wins back the serve with a cross-court winner but Chen Long’s defensive strategy seems to working like clockwork as the Dane is tested near the net
8-3! A 39-shot rally ends in favour of #ChenLong
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
His defence has been impenetrable so far in the decider
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP
6-3! A wonderful rally ends in favour of Viktor Axelsen as net plays spoilsport in Chen Long’s lift. The Olympic champion leads
The net seems to do a lot of damage in the decider as Axelsen's lifts is failing to cross the net. #ChenLong leads 5-2!
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP
3-2! Axelsen wins that contentious point. The judges call it a fault but Chen Long and the crowds clearly think otherwise
2-1! The mid-net play that got Axelsen the point in the previous rally fails him this time as Chen Long takes the lead in the decider
19-12! Axelsen has dictated the pace of the second game and is cramping up Chen Long not allowing him to play his natural free-flowing game
16-10! Axelsen is playing shots from the frontcourt, which is causing problems for a defensive Chen. The drift hasn’t helped the Chinese ace.
11-7! Axelsen opens up a four-point lead over Chen at the mid-game break of the second game
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP
9-6! Chen is finding it difficult to lift the shuttle from the sidelines now. Axelsen has targeted the backhand side and if he manages to unsettle the Chinese, we will be in for a decider!
3-3! No such luck this time for Axelsen as Chen Long wins back the serve after an Axelsen cross-court smash fails to get past his side of the court
3-1! Axelsen takes the lead with a backhand winner and a shot that hits the net but lands safely enough to give him one more point
An acrobatic Chen Long is looking the better player so far and the Olympic champion takes the opening game 21-16 against Viktor Axelsen. #ChinaSSP
— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) November 19, 2017
21-16! Chen Long finishes the game with an angled smash placed perfectly. Axelsen needs to hit the ground running in the second game to enforce a decider. The Dane should apply pressure from the first shot and not allow Chen Long to have a lead like in the first game where the scores read 7-1 at one point.
20-16! The Dane stays alive in the match with that cross-court winner. Chen Long is one point away from clinching the opening game of the men’s singles Final
18-15! A lucky break for Chen Long as an Axelsen backhand meets the net before entering Chen’s half
17-14! A 27-shot rally comes to an end with Axelsen unable to retrieve a Chen Long drop shot to give the Chinese shuttler the serve
16-14! Three successive points for the Dane has reduced the deficit to just two points now.
16-12! A brilliant cross-court winner leaves Chen Long stranded and gives Axelsen the point and serve.
13-9! A dipping cross-court jump smash falls just wide off Chen Long to give Axelsen his third successive point
13-7! A good exchange of cross-court shots comes to an end with Chen Long damaging his racquet and conceding the point and serve to Axelsen
11-6! #ChenLong with the advantage at the mid-game break. He was cruising at one stage but #Axelsen has done his best to bring himself back into the game
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP
11-6! Chen Long goes into the mid-game break with a five-point advantage after a Axelsen backhand meets the net
8-2! Chen Long has got a dream start to the final. He is exhibiting excellent restraint and defence to get the better of the Dane so far.
4-0! What a rally and what a cross-court winner from Chen Long. The Chinese shuttler opens up an early lead against the Dane
Viktor Axelsen is yet to drop a game in this tournament so far. However in contrast, Chen Long had to overcome the quarter-final and semi-final matches in tough three-game encounters.
This will be the 12th meeting between both these players and Chen Long holds a 9-2 advantage.
Chen Long, 3-time former champion of China Open takes on Viktor Axelsen, who aims to become the second Dane to win the title after Jan O Jorgensen in 2016
It is time for the Final match of the day.
The men’s singles match will see World No 1 Viktor Axelsen take on Olympic Champion Chen Long
The fifth seeded Chinese pair of Zhang Siwei and Huang Yaqiong outclass their Danish opponents to win 21-15, 21-11
11-2! Zheng and Huang have completely outclassed their Danish opponents in the second game of the mixed doubles Final
The fifth seeded pair of Zheng and Huang win the opening game 21-15.
In the final doubles match of the day Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen and Christinna Pedersen face fifth seeded Chinese pair of Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong
World Champions Chen Qingchen and Jia Yufei win #ChinaOpen2017 🏆 21-7, 18-21, 21-14
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP pic.twitter.com/nHnqTvOFxJ
On the 3rd game point opportunity, the Korean pair of Kim and Lee clinch the second game 21-18 to push this Finals into the decider
20-16! Chen and Jia have indeed pulled off something extraordinary. They have managed to reduce the deficit considerably but it is game point opportunity for the Korean pair of Kim and Lee
16-8! The Koreans have managed a turnaround in the second game. The match is now in their favour and a decider seems to be definitely on the cards unless the Chinese pair conjure a trick or two to overcome the deficit
Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yifan have clinched the opening game 21-7! in 15 minutes. The World Champions have completely overpowered their Korean opponents
15-5! Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yifan have raced to a 10-point lead in the opening game. The Koreans are unable to make any sort of inroads into this match.
7-2! The World Champions from China have taken an early lead in the women’s doubles final
It is time for the women’s doubles Final action.
The second seeded Chinese pair of Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan take on the Korean pair of Hye Rin Kim and Lee So Hee
Indonesia's Kevin Sanjaya and Marcus Gideon win 21-19, 21-11 to successfully defend their China Open Superseries Premier 🏆
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP pic.twitter.com/3bUQezpiJB
Defending Champions Kevin Sanjaya and Marcus Gideon win 21-18, 21-11 to retain the title against the same opponents from 2016 China Open.
17-10! Fantastic net-play from Kevin pushes the Indonesians closer to yet another victory at the China Open
15-10! A mis-hit from Mathias Boe gives the Indonesian pair a 5-point advantage in the second game of the men’s doubles Final
11-8! Marcus and Kevin have increased the pace of the game and are unsettling the Danish pair. The Indonesians go into the mid-game interval with a 3-point lead.
5-3! The Danes with the lead in the second game. Mathias hit a serve fault to lose the serve in the previous point but won it back with a well-directed backhand winner
The Indonesian top seeded pair of Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Gideon win the opening game 21-19!
17-14! A number of solid rallies but the Indonesian pair emerge on the right side to hold on to the lead in the opening game of the men’s doubles final
11-10! The Danish pair of Boe and Mogensen go into the mid-game break with a slender one point advantage over the Indonesian top seeds
9-8! The top seeded Indonesian pair take the lead after two miscued leaves by Mathias Boe
8-6! The Danish pair hold a 2-point advantage in the opening game of the men’s doubles Final
It is time for the men’s doubles action in a repeat of last year’s China Open Superseries Premier.
Top seeded Indonesian pair of Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Gideon take on Denmark’s Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen
#AkaneYamaguchi beats Chinese qualifier #GaoFangjie 21-13, 21-15 in 41 minutes to win her first Superseries 🏆 this year
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP pic.twitter.com/iVwSaufpHa
Akane Yamaguchi wins 21- 13, 21-15 to take her first Superseries title in 2017 after featuring in three consecutive finals. Chinese qualifier Gao Fangjie’s dream run comes to an end, but what an incredible run!
20-15! Championship point for Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi
19-15! Gao Fangjie lunges forward to receive the drop shot from Yamaguchi but she falls just short as the Japanese shuttler is two points away from winning the title
18-13! #AkaneYamaguchi thwarts a comeback from #GaoFangjie to win three consecutive points to go three points away from winning the title
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP
16-13! Yet another challenge from Gao Fangjie but this time it is not in her favour as Yamaguchi serves with a 3-point advantage
15-12! A good challenge by Gao Fangjie to continue her points winning spree as Yamaguchi misjudges a leave
15-9! Yamaguchi has won four successive points after the break to widen the lead and go closer to winning the China Open Superseries Premier title
11-9! Yamaguchi goes into the mid-game interval with a two-point advantage. Gao Fangje is matching the World No 5 stride for stride
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP
9-9! A backhand shot from Yamaguchi after quite a long rally meets the net to give Gao Fangjie the opportunity to level the scores
7-6! After Yamaguchi's five successive points, Fangjie hits back with three of her own to reduce the deficit to a solitary point
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) November 19, 2017
LIVE: https://t.co/jUq9VxfEYL#ChinaSSP
7-3! Five consecutive points for Yamaguchi gives her a four-point advantage in the 2nd game.
3-3! A well-contested rally comes to a close when Gao Fangjie’s shot meets the net to hand Yamaguchi the point and serve
2-2! Gao Fangjie is playing a lot of cross shots and seems much more assured in the 2nd game.
Akane Yamaguchi wins the opening game 21-13! in 17 minutes. Gao Fangjie seemed a bit overwhelmed by the big stage but looked better in the finishing moments of the opening game to promise a comparatively more intense second game
17-9! Yamaguchi races to a eight-point lead. She has dominated proceedings so far in the opening game. The inexperience of the young Gao Fangjie is showing in this game
13-8! An enforced error from gao Fangjie allows Yamaguchi to hold on ot the lead in the opening game of the women’s singles final.
11-7! That cross-court drop shot from Yamaguchi goes just wide off Fangjie and the Japanese shuttler follows it up with an exquisitely executed drop shot to go into the mid-game break with a 4-point advantage
5-4! Both players were trading points on each other’s serve, but the qualifier from China plays a deceptive drop shot to take the lead
The Danes are dazzling in China!
— Premier Badminton League (@PBLIndiaLive) November 18, 2017
Viktor Axelsen, Mathias Boe and Christinna Pedersen are one win away from the #ChinaSSP title in their respective categories! ✌️ pic.twitter.com/MJ8ZjLVXER
The women’s singles final kickstarts the proceedings of the day.
The qualifier from China, Gao Fangjie, takes on 5th seed Akane Yamaguchi in the first match of the day. This is the first meeting between both these players.
Hello and welcome to Firstpost’s coverage of the finals of China Open Superseries Premier action at Fuzhou.
The men’s singles division didn’t quite pull off a lot of surprises and mostly stuck to the script as World No 1 Viktor Axelsen will take on former World Champion and Olympic Champion Chen Long in the final.
The women’s divsion has been a different ball game altogether with China’s World No 89 Gao Fangjie upset top seeds PV Sindhu and Carolina Marin on her way to the China Open SSP final where she will face Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi.
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