Spain's Carolina Marin stuns Li Xuerui to win women's singles title at world championships

Spain’s Carolina Marin pulled off a monumental upset as she beat Chinese world number one Li Xuerui to win the women’s singles title at the World Championships in Copenhagen on Sunday.

The 21-year-old ninth seed recovered from dropping the opening game to the top seed and Olympic champion to complete an incredible 17-21, 21-17, 21-18 victory and earn her country its first ever major title in the sport.

“I don’t have any words...it was a fantastic match,” said Marin. “She played amazing rallies in the first set and her strokes are so good.

“My coach told me if I wanted to win I had to fight until the end. I fought  to the end, that’s what I did. I feel so excited.”

Asked whether she felt nerves with victory in sight, Marin replied: “Not so  much. I wanted to enjoy it in my first final and I did that.”

Li had rarely looked in trouble during her run to the final and she again looked at ease with her terrific stroke play proving too much for the tenacious Marin in the opening game.

However, the Spaniard was undeterred and came out positively at the start of the second set as she established an early lead before Li reeled her back in.