Korea Masters: Baek/Lee Prevail in 110-Minute Thriller
Baek Ha Na and Lee Yu Rim, still early in their second stint together, won a marathon battle against Du Yue and Li Wen Mei to enter the final of the 2022 Gwangju YONEX Korea Masters today.
· BWF STAFF
Ranked No.17 in 2018 before the pair split, only to rejoin late last year, the young Korean pair showed sterling qualities to get the better of the Chinese, 21-18 19-21 21-16. While there were several rallies that went over 50 shots, the piece de resistance was a 195-shot rally early in the third game that the Koreans won.
They managed a narrow lead after the mid-game interval, defending for long periods, and eventually frustrating the big-hitting Li Wen Mei into making errors. The tall Chinese slipped up towards the end of the match, and a couple of her errors allowed the Koreans to clinch the finals spot on their second match point.
It will be an all-Korean battle in the women’s doubles final, with senior compatriots Kim Soyeong/Kong Heeyong having beaten another Korean pair, Eom Hye Won/Kim Bo Ryeong, in the other semifinal in straight games.