Chinese badminton star Lin Dan celebrates after his victory against Lee Chong Wei from Malaysia to claim the men's singles title at the All-England championships on Sunday, March 8, 2009. [Photo: Xinhua/AFP]
China won all five titles in the open era at the All-England championships when Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng wrapped up the men's doubles 21-17, 21-15 against Korea's Han Sang Hoon and Hwang Ji Man on Monday at the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham.
China had won all five in a world championship before, but that was in Beijing back in 1987, and this, in European conditions, was a far tougher task. It was also the first clean sweep in the open or amateur eras since 1948.
The success which really made it possible was that of Wang Yihan, the young unseeded player from Shanghai, who beat Tine Rasmussen, the top-seeded titleholder from Denmark, 21-19, 21-23, 21-11, and became the first to win the women's singles at only the second attempt.
And the success which attracted the most attention was the repeat of the Olympic men's singles final, in which Lin Dan again beat Lee Chong Wei, the world number one from Malaysia, in straight games, though this was a closer match than the one at the Games.
The Chinese star beat the ambitious, hard-working Malaysian 21-19, 21-12 after beginning rather patchily, then grabbing his first important chance, and accelerating away impressively towards the end.
Earlier He Hanbin and Yu Yang had won the mixed doubles, and Zhang Yawen and Zhao Tingting the women's doubles.
Chinese badminton star Lin Dan plays against Lee Chong Wei (not shown in the picture) from Malaysia in the men's singles final at the All-England championships on Sunday, March 8, 2009. [Photo: Xinhua/AFP]
Fu Haifeng (L) and Cai Yun (R) of China celebrate winning their Men's Doubles match against Han Sang Hoon and Hwang Ji Man of Korea (both not pictured) during the All England Open Badminton Championships at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. [Photo: Xinhua/AFP]
China's Wang Yihan displays the All England Badminton Championship trophy after winning her women's singles final match against Wang Denmark's Tine Rasmussen (L) in the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England, Sunday, March 8, 2009. [Photo: sina.com.cn]
