Akane Has Her Revenge – Japan Open: Day 5
Akane Yamaguchi avenged her demoralising Sudirman Cup final loss to Chen Yu Fei, routing her Chinese rival today in the semifinals of the DAIHATSU YONEX Japan Open 2019.
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Yamaguchi’s win ensured the women’s singles title would return to Japan after 2015, when Nozomi Okuhara beat her in the final. The two protagonists will face off once again, with Yamaguchi in line to take her second title in two weeks, and Okuhara searching for her first crown this season.
There was an extra edge to Yamaguchi’s semifinal against Chen Yu Fei, for the Japanese had cracked in the high-pressure Sudirman Cup final in May from 11-6 up in the decider. Chen’s win had swung the tie for China, and denied Japan their first World Mixed Team Championships.
It was a different kind of contest today. Over the last two weeks, Yamaguchi appeared to have raised her already-high level, and she continued in the same vein, pouring on the pressure with her speed, sharpness of attack and retrieving brilliantly. It was the quality of her defence that wore down Chen, for her sure-shot winners kept coming back, and the Chinese was at a loss for ideas, losing 11 of 12 points to let the first game slip by in a trice. She was never in with a chance in the second, unable to keep the deep clears in.