China wrest back Uber Cup

Wang Yihan is in tears after winning the first match against Sung Ji Hyun

Wuhan: Badminton powerhouse China righted a perceived wrong when they ran all over defending champions Korea to win back the Uber Cup, the women’s team title, in front of home fans on Saturday. Korea have a chance to make amends on Sunday in the Thomas Cup final, but they’re up against one of the greatest teams in history.Over the last two years, China’s loss to Korea in the final of the last edition was a result that rankled the team. While in 2010, China had fielded a transitional team, this time they arrived with all players in top form. When the home team qualified for yet another final, it was their chance to seek redemption – and they achieved in the most authoritative way possible.

World No.1 Wang Yihan achieved in dreamlike fashion an incredible task – she was down four match points in the first singles against Sung Ji Hyun. Two years back, it was her loss in the first match that had set up Korea’s win.This time, the world No.1 showed steely determination to claw back from the near-impossible situation, and then decimated her rival in the third game to draw first blood for China.

From then on, there would be only one winner. Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli, the world No.1 pair, demolished the challenge of Ha Jung Eun/ Kim Min Jung 21-15 21-13. Then world No.2 Wang Xin dealt with Bae Youn Joo equally ruthlessly, disposing her off in 39 minutes to help the team regain the title it lost in 2010. What made it even more special for China was that they won the title without losing a single match on the way – losing just four games and winning 38 in 19 matches.

No player will savour it more than Wang Yihan.

Uber Cup final: China beat Korea 3-0Wang Yihan bt Sung Ji Hyun 14-21 22-20 21-13 (1: 27 min)Yu Yang/ Wang Xiaoli bt Kim Min Jung/ Ha Eun Jung 21-15 21-13Wang Xin bt Bae Youn Joo 21-10 21-16