Yudai Okimoto
Japanese shuttlers made a clean sweep of all five titles at stake at the Canada Open badminton championships at the Markham Pan Am centre.
Two of the finals – men’s singles and the women’s doubles – were all-Japanese affair.
Yudai Okimoto claimed his first career BWF Tour men’s singles title when he defeated teammate Riki Takei 21-13, 21-3.
The 21-year-old was beaten in both his previous two final appearances at the Malaysian Super 100 and Korea Masters last year. The win over Takei also made up for Okimoto’s defeat to the former in the final of the Saipan International last year.
Hinata Suzuki-Nao Yamakita defeated compatriots Kaho Osawa-Mai Tanabe 21-15, 21-16 to lift the women’s doubles title.
Having only forged their partnership last year, it was also second Tour title after the Korea Masters win last year.
Former world junior champion Riko Gunji pulled off an upset 21-15, 15-21, 21-6 win over second seeded Line Christophersen of Denmark fo the women’s singles title.
It was her first Tour victory in two years and also her biggest tournament victory. The 23-year-old’s last and only other Tour victory at the lower ranked Indonesia Masters.
The men’s doubles crown was captured by Hiroki Okamura-Kyohei Yamashita, who defeated Danish siblings Christian Faust Kjaer-Rasmus Kjaer 13-21, 21-10, 21-17 in the final.
The win was their second this season after winning the US Open earlier this year. The pair had also made the final of the Orleans Masters this season.
Akira Koga-Natsu Saito ensured a perfect day for the Japanese when they gunned down the Taiwanse duo of Liu Kuang Heng-Hsu Yin-Hui 21-17, 17-21, 21-17 in the mixed doubles final.
FINAL RESULTS
Men’s singles: Yudai Okimoto (Jpn) bt Riki Takei (Jpn) 21-13, 21-3
Men’s doubles: Hiroki Okamura-Kyohei Yamashita (Jpn) bt Christian Faust Kjaer-Rasmus Kjaer (Den) 13-21, 21-10, 21-17
Women’s singles: Riko Gunji (Jpn) bt Line Christophersen (Den) 21-15, 15-21, 21-6
Women’s doubles: Hinata Suzuki-Nao Yamakita (Jpn) bt Kaho Osawa-Mai Tanabe (Jpn) 21-15, 21-16
Mixed doubles: Akira Koga-Natsu Saito (Jpn) bt Liu Kuang Heng-Hsu Yin-Hui (Tpe) 21-17, 17-21, 21-17
