Li Shifeng reclaimed the top spot on the podium after a year, clinching victory at the 2024 Japan Masters.
The world No. 9 had reached three finals since winning the 2023 Asian Games last October but had to settle for runner-up finishes each time. On Sunday, however, Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao was unable to derail him, as Li dominated with a commanding 21-10, 21-13 victory.
“It was important for me to win this, and it meant that I was able to set a high standard. Today everything went according to plan,” said the champion.
Leong, who had a remarkable tournament with wins over top players like Lakshya Sen, Koki Watanabe, Kodai Naraoka, and Jonatan Christie – all in grueling three-game matches – expressed pride in his performance.
“I did my best to get here,” said Leong. “I did my best today and I gave everything I had. He’s a tough opponent; it’s very difficult to get points from him. I hope making this final helps build my confidence. I beat high-ranked opponents from the first round, and I can’t believe I beat four of them this week.”
In the women’s singles, Akane Yamaguchi claimed her second title on home soil this year. Following her Japan Open triumph, she secured the Kumamoto Masters title with a dominant performance. Facing Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, who had previously posed challenges, Yamaguchi swept the match decisively, winning 21-12, 21-12. This marked her 27th career title.
“When I play at home it motivates me because my parents and fans cheer for me and that gives me a lot of energy and that helps me keep calm and focus. I just kept probing my opponent’s weakness until I was able to get the advantage.” Said Yamaguchi following her triumph.
Meanwhile, Tunjung shared her story after her defeat against Yamaguchi: “It was not easy to get to this point, so I’m grateful whatever the result, because this is the best I could do. My rival knows my weaknesses, and she played a lot to the back, where I couldn’t reach it. Yesterday I was fine, but it was a hard match and I was tired, so I couldn’t do my best today.”
Other Highlights
- New mixed doubles pairing Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran celebrated their first title together in just their third tournament as a pair. They narrowly defeated Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue 21-16, 10-21, 21-17.
- In women’s doubles, debutants Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto fell short against Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning. The world No. 2 Chinese duo claimed their fifth title of the year with an emphatic 21-15, 21-5 win.
- In men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto returned to winning form. The pair captured their first title since the All England in March, overcoming Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi in an exciting 21-15, 17-21, 21-17 final.
Photo: PBSI
