India Open: Tai Tzu Ying beats Olympic champ to win women's singles title

Tai Tzu Ying beat Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei of China to clinch her maiden India Open title with a straight-sets win

In the Olympic year, Chinese Taipei badminton legend Tai Tzu Ying overcame her Malaysian Open final loss by winning the India Open 2024 women’s singles title against reigning Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei of China in straight sets 21-16, 21-12 on Sunday, January 21.

Ying, who last competed at the India Open when it was the Super Series tournament in 2016, said that she was able to come back in the first set because of the support that she received from the audience present at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi.

“I was behind in the first set and with the audience support she was able to fight back,” said the 29-year-old while speaking at the mixed zone to the reporters after her match.

 

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Ying, who is yet to win her elusive gold at the Olympic and Badminton World Federation (BWF) Championship, won her 32nd title when she lifted the India Open 2024.

Easy win for Tai Tzu Ying

Ying, who had decided to call it quits after 2024 in the world of badminton, is on a winning spree as she did not drop even a single set in the entire tournament, winning all her matches in straight games. Even in the final, she was 1-7 down in the first game but managed to win six consecutive points to make it seven all before going to column the set 21-16.

Naan Bread favourite of Ying

Thanking the fans for all their support, the three-time All-England open winner also said that she will fight for the gold medal in this year’s Olympics. Claiming that “naan” is her favourite Indian food, Ying said, “I like coming to India and I love the 'naan', we eat at breakfast every day.”

Talking about things that she would like to achieve in this season, Ying said, “I am not thinking too match and looking to prepare for Olympic and the games ahead of it.” Currently ranked world number three, Ying has never won an Olympic gold, although she has a silver from Tokyo 2020, where she lost in the final.