Olympic champion Chen Long ends 12-month drought by winning badminton’s French Open title
- The 30-year-old Rio champion remains China’s biggest hope for next year’s Tokyo Olympics
- Chen has lost four times in the opening round this year but the return of coach Li Mao seems to have strengthened his game
Is struggling Olympic champion Chen Long finally back on the right track after lifting his first tour title in 12 months?
At Sunday’s French Open final, the 2016 Rio singles champion from China needed almost an hour to overcome Jonatan Christie, of Indonesia, 21-19, 21-12 and successfully defend the title he won last year. It is his first victory of 2019.
With time hardly on the side of 36-year-old Lin Dan and up-and-coming Shi Yuqi still troubled by injuries, Chen remains the biggest hope for China at next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.
However, the 30-year-old appears at long last to be regaining the form and commitment that earned him the men’s singles crown in Rio three years ago.
Chen lost four times in the opening round this year, including a dismal defeat by Rasmus Gemke, of Denmark, at the prestigious All England Open in March.
But with the return of coach Li Mao in September, the player seems to have regained impetus. For the second week in a row, he reached the final, having lost to world number one Kento Momota, of Japan, in the Denmark Open title match in Odense the previous week.