Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-chen becomes oldest Super 1000 winner at badminton’s China Open
World No 6 beats Toma Junior Popov of France in three games to claim first elite title since winning Indonesia Open in 2019
Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-chen overpowered his opponent in the China Open men’s singles final on Sunday, becoming the oldest tournament champion in the Super 1000 category at age 36.
World No 6 Chou vanquished 27-year-old Toma Junior Popov of France in three games, 21-15, 7-21, 21-13, to claim his first elite-tier title since winning the Indonesia Open in 2019.
The veteran needed just over an hour to seal the outcome in the championship match-up in Changzhou, eastern China.
When an official video review showed that a final return from Popov had dropped out of bounds, an exhausted and emotional Chou knelt face-down on the court, hands outstretched in victory.
Popov, ranked 16th worldwide, had been chasing his first victory at a Super 1000 tournament.
His younger brother Christo, ranked fifth, was eliminated in the round of 16 at this year’s China Open.