Indonesian men’s doubles badminton players Kevin Sanjaya and Marcus Gideon won the China Open 2019 title after defeating fellow compatriots Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan.
The all Indonesian final took place at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Changzhou on Sunday 22nd September.
Kevin and Marcus defeated Hendra and Ahsan in three sets (21-18, 17-21, and 21-15). Marcus praised Ahsan and Hendra for their fighting spirit, despite being unfit. He also claimed that the final match was a very tight one. Earlier, Ahsan had sought medical help during the third China Open match.
“I didn’t play well today. I don’t know whether it’s because of the competitors or the wind chill, which caused the shuttlecock to move. It made me uncomfortable. However, Ahsan and Hendra are very experienced players. Despite being unfit, Ahsan made it into the finals,” Marcus is quoted as saying by the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) on their website.
The China Open title is the fifth one for the Kevin/Marcus pairing this year. Previously, the pair, who currently hold the world number one title for men’s doubles, have managed to win the Malaysia Masters, Indonesia Masters, Indonesia Open, and Japan Open.
Meanwhile, Ahsan expressed his satisfaction with the runner up position. He admitted that he was in pain during the game.
“I am grateful to have been able to reach the finals, despite my poor condition. I was in agony, as the pain had crawled up from my legs to affect my thighs. I find it difficult enough to defeat them while healthy, let alone when injured. Kevin and Marcus are brilliant players,” Ahsan added.
Due to Ahsan’s injuries, he and his partner Hendra have decided to skip the Korea Open tournament, which is set to take place in Incheon, South Korea, between 24-29th October. Hendra added that their current focus is Ahsan’s health. After he recovers, only then will they be able to focus on upcoming tournaments.
Source: CNN
Image: Bola.com