China Open: Liu/Tan Complete Unprecedented Treble
Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning marked a watershed season at their home event VICTOR China Open 2026 on Sunday.
· PREM KUMAR
The world No.1s etched their names into the history books after becoming the first women’s pair to capture three Super 1000 titles in a season since the HSBC BWF World Tour was introduced in 2018, sealing the milestone with a 21-14 21-19 victory over Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto.
The triumph carried extra significance as the Chinese pair avenged their only defeat in a Super 1000 final, against the same Japanese duo at last month’s Indonesia Open. It also saw Liu and Tan emulate Wang Xiaoli/Yu Yang as the last home partnership to successfully defend the women’s doubles title in 2012, while extending China’s dominance in the event to a fifth consecutive edition.
“Preparations were very thorough. And from the previous two matches, we were able to control the drift and manage the court conditions,” said Liu. “Some difficulties were encountered but we figured out solutions together.”