Author: Yonex

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Roland-Garros 2023: Champion Oda makes history

Paris, FRANCE – Just a month after turning 17, Yonex ambassador Tokito Oda (JPN) made history at Roland-Garros as the youngest ever man in any discipline to win a Grand Slam. 

Oda’s phenomenal victory in the men’s wheelchair singles, which also propelled him to World No. 1 for the first time, was among the highlights for Team Yonex on the clay. The unstoppable, unplayable Diede de Groot (NED) won a 10th consecutive Grand Slam in the women’s wheelchair singles while Casper Ruud (NOR) reached the final of the men’s singles for the second straight year, with Yonex players featuring in 10 different finals.  

Dream win for Oda 

Two dreams came true for Tokito Oda in the final of the men’s wheelchair singles. With his 6-1, 6-4 victory over Britain’s Alfie Hewett, the teenager claimed his first Grand Slam singles title and also replaced his opponent at the top of the rankings. It was just 12 months ago that Oda made his debut at the Grand Slams when he was 16 years old and he was the youngest ever competitor at the wheelchair events. At the age of 17 years and 33 days, Oda has created history in Paris again, this time by becoming the youngest man in any discipline to win a Grand Slam. No wonder the Yonex athlete felt as though it was the happiest day of his life. 

Perfect 10 for De Groot 

Dropping just two games for a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Japan’s Yui Kamiji, Diede de Groot claimed her 10th consecutive Grand Slam singles title and is now halfway to a possible third successive calendar-year Grand Slam. In 2021 and 2022, the Dutchwoman became the first player in any discipline to achieve the Grand Slam – winning all four majors in a season – two years in a row. After winning this year’s Australian Open, she has now added the Roland-Garros title as well. De Groot also extended two other streaks with her 18th Grand Slam singles title – this was her third consecutive triumph at Paris, and her fourth overall, and took her winning streak at tour level to 103 matches. 

Second straight final for Ruud

For the second year in a row, head-to-toe Yonex ambassador Casper Ruud appeared in the final at Roland-Garros, coming close to becoming the first Norwegian man to win a Grand Slam singles title. It was also his third final from the past five Grand Slams as he also featured in the final of the 2022 US Open. Ruud had played superb tennis to win six matches in Paris, including beating Denmark’s Holger Rune in the quarter-finals and Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the last four, and he maintained a high level in the final during his 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 defeat to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic. 

Busy weekend for Team Yonex 

Yonex ambassador Sander Gille (BEL) reached the final of the men’s doubles while another Yonex athlete, Taylor Townsend (USA), featured in the final of the women’s doubles. Diede de Groot came close to winning a second title at Roland-Garros as she was in the women’s wheelchair doubles final while Yonex ambassador Martin De La Puente (ESP) / Gustavo Fernandez (ARG) appeared in the final of the men’s wheelchair doubles. Team Yonex’s Heath Davidson (AUS) was in the quad doubles final while another Yonex athlete, Juan Carlos Prado Angelo (BOL), reached the final of the boys’ singles. In the girls’ doubles, Team Yonex also dominated into the finals, with Tyra Caterina Grant (USA) claiming victory and Sarah Saito (JPN) taking the runner up position.

Tokito Oda (JPN) | EZONE 100L / POLYTOUR SPIN / POLYTOUR PRO 125

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Roland-Garros 2023: De Groot wins 100th match in a row

Paris, FRANCE – The extraordinary, seemingly unstoppable Diede de Groot (NED) has won her 100th consecutive tour-level match with the women’s wheelchair tennis icon hitting triple figures in her opening appearance at Roland-Garros. 

Taking less than an hour to defeat French wild card Emmanuelle Morch 6-2, 6-2 in the first round, the Yonex ambassador remains undefeated since 2021, and the World No. 1 also has not lost at a Grand Slam tournament since Roland-Garros 2020. 

De Groot attempting to win a 10th major in a row 

De Groot’s dominance of women’s wheelchair tennis means the Dutchwoman has come to Paris looking for a 10th consecutive major singles title. In 2021 and 2022, she became the first tennis player in any discipline to achieve the calendar-year Grand Slam – winning all four majors in the season – two years in a row, and then she extended her streak to nine Grand Slams with her victory at this season’s Australian Open. 

Only two other players in the history of the sport – Shingo Kunieda with 12 titles in a row and Esther Vergeer with 11 consecutive majors – have longer winning streaks at the Grand Slams. 

Among other remarkable numbers, De Groot is also trying to win a third successive title at Roland-Garros and a fourth overall. 

Oda seeking history 

Just a year after making his first Grand Slam appearance at 2022 Roland-Garros, and still only 17 years old, Tokito Oda (JPN) is already the World No. 2 in the men’s wheelchair rankings. Oda, who won his opening match 6-1, 6-4 against another Japanese player, Daisuke Arai, is hoping to win a first major and also become the youngest World No. 1 in the history of men’s wheelchair tennis.   

Diede de Groot (NED) | VCORE 98 / REXIS COMFORT 125

Tokito Oda (JPN) | EZONE 100L / POLYTOUR SPIN / POLYTOUR PRO 125

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A Head-to-Toe Deal: A New Era for Rybakina and Yonex

Paris, FRANCE — A trailblazer in the tennis world, Elena Rybakina (KAZ), the first player representing Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam, signs to a full apparel and shoes deal with Yonex, in extension to her long-time racquet partnership.

The Top 10 WTA-ranked athlete will compete at the 2023 Roland-Garros, donning a head-to-toe look with the brand-new 2023 Paris collection by Yonex. 

Starting tennis at the age of five, the tennis icon held a successful career from her days in Juniors Singles play, reaching a career-high Juniors ranking of World No. 3.

At the age of 23, Rybakina continues her ascent in her professional career at World No.4, having already slated over 5 championships, including the prestigious 2022 Wimbledon championship title.

In this season alone, Rybakina has triumphed with two WTA 1000 titles, further enhancing her already impressive winning pedigree. She also currently holds the record for most aces ever hit in a WTA 1000 tournament, hitting 69 at the 2023 Miami Open with her VCORE 100 racquet. 

“We’ve been together from the beginning,” Rybakina says. “I have very good memories, and really happy to continue working with Yonex.” Yonex is committed to supporting Rybakina and all athletes in achieving their highest potential. With a longstanding history of quality manufacturing and innovation in sports, Yonex looks forward to this expanded partnership with this remarkable athlete and to supporting her journey at the highest level of tennis.

Rybakina’s gear

Racquet: VCORE 100

String: POLYTOUR FIRE 125

Apparel: Paris Collection

Footwear: TBD

Bag: Pro Series Racquet Bag

Overgrip: Super Grap

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2023 Australian Open: The first Grand Slam of the new tennis season is here

MELBOURNE, Australia – The 2023 Australian Open begins on Monday, Jan. 16 in Melbourne. Casper Ruud (Men’s Singles) is aiming for his maiden major title after a run to the US Open final in September, while Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis (Men’s Doubles) and Diede de Groot (Women’s Wheelchair Singles) are looking to defending their 2022 crowns.

 

Ruud leads Team Yonex 
One year after being forced to pull out of the AO due to an ankle injury, Casper Ruud (NOR) returns to Melbourne as the world No. 3. After his disappointment in Melbourne a year ago, Ruud made runs to the finals of both the French Open and US Open, creating history for his native Norway. This time in Melbourne, he will be aiming for his long-cherished Grand Slam title – and also has a shot at leaving Australia as the new world No.1.

Jessica is ready for the triumph 
The American is one of the most improved players in the past 12 months in women’s tennis. Jessica Pegula (USA) helped her country win the United Cup in the season opener with a 4-1 record, including a convincing 6-2 6-2 victory over world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Pegula is aiming for a deep run at the Australian Open after breaking into the top 10 in June.

NEW VCORE set to be revealed
Denis Shapovalov (CAN), Caroline Garcia (FRA) and Elena Rybakina (KAZ) will hit the match courts in Melbourne with a new weapon; The “VCORE” Yonex racquet.

American star Tiafoe shines in Melbourne 
Frances Tiafoe (USA) also played a key role in Team USA’s United Cup triumph to open the 2023 season. With an undisputed talent, the 24-year-old has been on the rise since a run to the US Open semi-finals last season, before helping Team World to its first-ever win in the Laver Cup. 

Will Nick Kyrgios/ Thanasi Kokkinakis make another Bromance?（AUS）
The victory of this duo last year was one of the most sensational stories in tennis in all of 2022. It was a monumental moment for both, but especially for Kyrgios, who has been under the spotlight for nearly a decade. The run was a precursor to his Wimbledon success, where he finished as runner-up in singles. Will the bromance capture Australia’s attention once again? 

Beating the heat at the AO with Yonex
Temperatures can sometimes soar to 100 degrees F/37C in Melbourne during the Australian Open. Yonex wear uses cutting-edge technology to support the players in their battle against the heat. The players’ tournament style apparel is equipped with the original VERY COOL feature, which keeps the inner temperature approximately 3℃ lower than the outside with xylitol’s cooling effect, allowing athletes to play comfortably in the midst of the summer heat. 

Official Partner of the Australian Open
The Yonex Stringing Team is the Official Stringing Team of the Australian Open for the 8th consecutive year. The 2023 team consists of 20 stringers from 11 countries and is dedicated to providing the world standard of racquet stringing and is supported by the Made-in-Japan PRECISION 9.0 machines that excel in precision stringing.

 

Casper Ruud (NOR) | EZONE / POLYTOUR SPIN / POLYTOUR PRO / Melbourne Collection / ECLIPSION

Jessica Pegula (USA) | EZONE

Denis Shapovalov (CAN) | VCORE / POLYTOUR STRIKE

Caroline Garcia (FRA) | VCORE / POLYTOUR STRIKE / Melbourne Collection

Elena Rybakina (KAZ) | VCORE / POLYTOUR FIRE

Frances Tiafoe (USA) | VCORE PRO / POLYTOUR PRO

Nick Kyrgios（AUS）| EZONE / POLYTOUR PRO

Thanasi Kokkinakis（AUS）| EZONE

 
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TEAM YONEX EXCELS AT US OPEN

TEAM YONEX EXCELS AT US OPEN

New York- Casper Ruud, the runner-up for the US Open and Roland-Garros this year marked his career-high ranking No.2.   

 When Casper Ruud saw the pictures of past champions lining the locker room of the US Open, he thought to himself: "There are more faces here than there are at other Grand Slams."

 He was right: if you compare the winners of each major tournament since 2010, the US Open has offered the greatest variety of champions. In these 12 years, only the so-called "Big 4" have won Wimbledon.  At the Australian Open, the past 12 titles have been split among only four champions. And at the Roland-Garros, only three players have lifted the trophy.

 But in New York, there have been seven champions in the past 12 tournaments. Moreover, four of them, including Andy Murray, grabbed their first career Grand Slam title at this tournament. "Then I should have a chance," Ruud told himself.

 With that hope as his driving force, Ruud marched to the final. He was close to grabbing the victory—a first major title that also would have earned him the world No. 1 ranking—but fell just short of that dream, falling in four sets in the final. "I'm proud of the match and the two weeks,” said Ruud, who jumps from No. 7 to No. 2 in the post-US Open ATP rankings. “I gave it all. I left it all out on the court."

 When he was asked "What have the Roland-Garros and this tournament taught you about what you need to do to take that next step and win one of these titles?" Ruud smiled softly. “In Roland-Garros, it was hard for me to believe that I could beat Rafa,” he said. “Today was not easier, but I believed it more. I think these two tournaments have sort of made my self-belief to win a Grand Slam grow".

 Frances Tiafoe and Caroline Garcia advanced to the Semifinals for the first time at Grand Slam tournaments.

 Another player who believed in his potential in this tournament. Frances Tiafoe lost to Alcaraz in the semifinals in a five-set battle.

 Tiafoe’s coach, the former top-10 player Wayne Ferreira, said the key to Tiafoe's growth was a change to his diet. “Yeah, it seems simple, but he liked a lot of candy and chocolates and cookies,” Ferreira said with a laugh. "He'd eat at unusual times. He missed breakfast a lot, didn't really have a good set of times on when to eat before matches, what to eat after matches. You need a little guidance on that side, and he's done well on that side of it.”

 Tiafoe, eating right and hungrier than ever, hoped for immediate results, but of course it will take time. His new efforts and his talent were showing promise already in this tournament.

 “After getting this deep, I understand how much rest is important during two weeks of slams,” Tiafoe said. “Again, I didn't go out to dinner one time. I mean, I knew that, like, I'm definitely falling in love with the process and doing the work much more. I'm working smarter, I'm understanding getting my weaknesses stronger, breaking down my game a lot more.”

 Tiafoe said he was committed to learning as he grew. "I am a student of the game again.”

 Caroline Garcia also felt a spirit of learning as she experienced a breakthrough result. "I feel already that I can improve many things,” Garcia said. Garcia’s talent hadn’t always translated directly to results. But this summer, winning Cincinnati and reaching the semifinals of the U.S. Open, Garcia showed amazing progress, proving that she can be capable of anything.

 The biggest improvements to Garcia’s game were on her return, the lethal weapon that powered her to the semifinals. But after a career-best result in the semifinals, Garcia was focused on doing even better. “I have a very long list of things to improve,” she said with a smile, singling out one item on her list for special mention. “Today the backhand down the line was not working, and I needed it!” she said. “I think we will talk about it tomorrow and see, debrief about all the three weeks and see what we can do”.

 Diede De Groot is now the first tennis player in any discipline to complete the Grand Slam in back-to-back years.

 Fifth straight US Open women's wheelchair singles title.

Second Calendar women's wheelchair singles Grand Slam in a row.

Fifth US Open women's wheelchair doubles title.

 Once again, De Groot showed what a real champion she is.

 De Groot said ‘At the end of the first set, I already felt like, Okay, I'm relaxing a little bit more now, I'm easing up, or like I'm calming down a little bit. I think that helped me throughout the rest of the match.”

 Not only De Groot’s achievements, Team Yonex advanced to the finals in 12 categories and won four titles


 Casper’s Gear: EZONE100, POLYTOUR SPIN/PRO 130, ECLIPSION3, New York Collection apparels

 Frances’s Gear: VCORE PRO 97, POLYTOUR PRO 125

 Caroline’s Gear: VCORE 100, POLYTOUR STRIKE 120

 Diede’s Gear: VCORE98, REXIS COMFORT125

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US OPEN 2022 – RUUD REACHES FINAL

2022 US OPEN - CASPER RUUD REACHES MEN'S FINAL

New York - 5th seed Casper Ruud (NOR) defeated 27th seed Karen Khachanov 7-6, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to advance to the US Open final for the first time. Ruud is finalist at Roland Garros 2022 and reached two Grand Slam finals this year.  

 In the first set, there were some unforced errors seen but Ruud won an outstanding 55-shot rally in the tie break to win the set. Ruud kept the momentum in the second set and his shot accuracy improved, Ruud played a steady game and he did not lose a single point in his service games.

 In the third set, both players didn’t allow break and Khachanov earned this set and made the set count 2-1. However, in the fourth set, Ruud won five games straight from the second game and never lost his focus and aggressiveness to reach to the final match. Ruud’s excellency appeared in everywhere in the match, to earn win % on 1st serve 83%, net points won 87% and 53 winners.

 He will face with the Spaniard 3rd seed Carloz Alcaraz in the championship final match on Sunday to capture his maiden major title. Also, Ruud to be ranked No.1 in the following week if he defeats Alcaraz in the final.

 

Other final matches

We can’t miss great final matches in the wheelchair and quad divisions. Shingo Kunieda reaches to Singles final and is eying the first men’s wheelchair player to complete the calendar Grand Slam. Diede de Groot will play both in Singles and Doubles finals to capture her fifth US Open title in both categories. David Wagner in quad doubles to advance to the final for his tenth US Open title in the category.

In Junior side, Lucie Havlickova is appearing on both Girl’s Singles and Doubles finals. Havlickova and Diana Shnaider to compete with Carolina Kuhl and Ella Seidel in Doubles final.

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NEW TALENT AT 2022 JAPAN OPEN

NEW TALENT BURSTS FORTH AT THE 2022 JAPAN OPEN

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OSAKA, Japan — The Daihatsu YONEX Japan Open 2022 came to a close on Sunday, September 4th where we saw new talents take the stage and build a name for themselves. More than fresh faces made an appearance at this year’s Japan Open, however. The new ARCSABER 7 made its debut with Dechapol Puavaranukroh (THA) and Gabriela Stoeva (BUL) after its worldwide release in August.

 

Final’s day kicked off with some new energetic faces in the women’s doubles finals. Korean pair Jeong Na Eun and Kim Hye Jeong (KOR) took on Baek Ha Na and Lee Lu Lim (KOR) for an extremely close fought match. Korean pairs played neck and neck throughout both games, but in the end Jeong Na Eun and Kim Hye Jeong claimed their first 750 level major title with a score of 23-21,28-26.

 

Following women’s doubles was the highly anticipated mixed doubles match between 2021 World Champions Sapsiree Taerattanachai and Dechapol Puavaranukroh (THA) and Olympic bronze medalists Arisa Higashino and Yuta Watanabe (JPN). Dechapol Puavaranukroh debuted the brand new ARCSABER 7 alongside partner Sapsiree Taerattanachai, who currently uses the ARCSABER 11. After three intense games the Thai pair claimed the victory with a score of 16-21, 23-21, 21-18.

 

Men’s doubles followed with newly paired Wang Chang and Liang Wei Keng (CHN) facing off against veterans Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (DEN). Wang Chang and Liang Wei Ken started off strong, determined to prove themselves against the older more experienced pair. After three quick games, the young ambitious pair did just that with their first ever world tour title and a victorious score of 21-18, 13-21, 21-17.

 

In women’s singles, World No.1 and recent champion of the 2022 World Championships, Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) matched up against 2021 World Tour Finals champion, An Se Young (KOR) for the last match of the day. With Akane Yamaguchi’s pure focus and the crowd in her corner she could not be matched. In two swift games she claimed victory with a score of 21-9, 21-15 and cemented back-to-back triumphs in her home nation.

 

Yonex is a proud supporter of the world’s best athletes and actively provides the expertise of the Yonex Stringing Team, as well as premium on-court equipment such as court mats, net poles, and shuttlecocks.

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2022 US OPEN

2022 US OPEN - RUUD, TIAFOE AND GARCIA REACH SEMIFINALS

New York- The US Open Singles quarterfinals completed on Day 10. 5th seed Casper Ruud (NOR), 22th seed Frances Tiafoe (USA) and 17th seed Caroline Garcia (FRA) advanced to the semifinals for the first time at the US Open.  
 
Casper Ruud has beat 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini and become the first Norwegian player to advance to a US Open semifinal. The first two sets were in his control, he didn’t allow any break chances and won 5 games straight for the first set. In the third set, Bellettini was on the attack but Ruud was able to fight off his challenge and finished the match in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4). Ruud has earned eight titles for clay court but he proved that he developed more confidence on hard-court matches.  
Ruud will next face 27th seed Karen Khachanov.  
 
Caroline Garcia gets a win over the American teenager Coco Gauff to reach to her first US Open semi-finals. She has won in straight sets in all rounds of this tournament and never loosen her aggressive play at the quarterfinal. In the first set, Garcia won the first four games consecutively and her net play was also outstanding, which marked 81% net points won. She completed the match in straight set again, 6-3, 6-4.  
Her next opponent will be No.5 seed Ons Jabeur.  
 
Frances Tiafoe made another big win to defeat ninth seed Andrey Rublev. Tiafoe’s remarkable run showed excellent performance everywhere, 18 service aces, 76% net points won, and 46 winners. After winning the first and second sets in a tiebreaker, Tiafoe took advantage of the only break of service in the match Tiafoe broke for the first time in the third set and won in straight sets 7-6(3), 7-6(0), 6-4. Tiafoe said ‘This is wild, this is crazy’ after the match. He is the American Semifinalist for the first time in 16 years and will face 3rd seed Carlos Alcaraz on 9th Friday. 
 
Singles Quarterfinal Results 
[5] Casper Ruud (NOR) def. Matteo Berrettini, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4) 
[17] Caroline Garcia (FRA) def. Coco Gauff, 6-3, 6-4 
[22] Frances Tiafoe (USA) vs. Andrey Rublev 7-6(3), 7-6(0), 6-4

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EZONE OSAKA – AN OSAKA SISTER ORIGINAL

EZONE OSAKA - AN OSAKA SISTER ORIGINAL

TOKYO — Yonex Co., Ltd. is proud to announce the OSAKA EZONE racquet and PRO  SERIES BAG, launching August 25, 2022.

Naomi Osaka and her sister, Mari, collaborated with Yonex’s Research & Development team to create a one-of-a-kind cosmetic for the racquet and bag.

“My sister and I have always talked about designing a racquet and to see it come to life is really special – the design is so detailed and unique,” said Naomi.

First, the sisters considered their childhood, where their mother visualized the duo as dragons. After all, dragons represent great power, good luck, and strength.

Mari began sketching the dragon and found that a spiritual spider lily would complete the design. The spider lily also represents strength and beauty because “the power of a woman is that she can combine the two,” said Mari. Then came the color selection: gold and purple, a luxurious blend for power and ambition.

“The dragons represent an unwavering, fighting spirit,” said Mari. “I hope the racquet gives Naomi strength and confidence every time she steps on the court even when I’m not with her.”

Naomi will debut the OSAKA EZONE racquet and bag at the Silicon Valley Classic, a WTA 500 event in San Jose, California. Naomi’s summer schedule also includes stops in Toronto and Cincinnati before making her way to New York where she is a two-time US Open champion.

“I’m so excited to finally be able to use the OSAKA EZONE and bag in competition,” said Naomi, who will pair the OSAKA EZONE 98 with POLYTOUR STRIKE 125 string in iron gray to match her racquet.

The OSAKA EZONE is an added colorway to the 7th-generation EZONE series, which is crafted for power and comfort. The OSAKA EZONE series will feature a 98, 100, 100L and 100SL option.

The OSAKA Pro Series Racquet bag will be available in 6 or 9 racket variations.

“It was an incredible experience to make my and Naomi’s vision come to life with the team at Yonex,” Mari added. “I really enjoyed the process and hope that anyone who uses our racquet will find their inner strength to play at their very best.”


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Thomas and Uber Cup Finals: History in the making

Thomas and Uber Cup Finals: History in the making

  • Bangkok, Thailand – The 2022 Uber Cup finals came to a close on Saturday, May 14th where Korea dethroned China and ended a 12-year Uber Cup draught. The Uber Cup finals were followed soon after by the 2022 Thomas Cup finals on Sunday, May 15th where India made history winning their very first Thomas Cup and becoming the sixth country to achieve this in the tournament’s 73-year history.

    India faced off against the previous year’s champions, Indonesia. In three inspiring matches the India team, including men’s doubles Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (IND) and men’s singles’ Lakshya Sen (IND) secured the title, marking the team’s first win ever. “Best achievement by far in Indian badminton history. To call yourself a top badminton playing nation you have to have strength in singles and doubles and India has that now and that’s the reason for our triumph.” Stated India’s coach, Vimal Kumar.

    Uber Cup finals concluded with Korea dethroning the reigning champions, China with a 3-2 victory. Final’s day kicked off with a powerful women’s singles matchup between An Se Young (KOR) and Olympic gold medalist, Chen Yu Fei (CHN). An Se Young fought hard claiming the first match, but Chen Yu Fei came determined to win after her swift defeat last year to Akane Yamaguchi (JPN). After dropping the first match Chen Yu Fei came back and finished strong, ending the game with a score of 17-21, 21-15, 22-20.


    Women’s singles were followed by a heated women’s doubles match between Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan (KOR) and Jia Yi Fan and Chen Qing Chen (CHN). Getting off to a slow start in the first game Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan found their rhythm in the second and third matches where they came back with a strong victory and reset the tone for the remaining matches.12-21, 21-18, 21-18.


    Determined to reset the scales, women’s singles He Bing Jiao (CHN) claimed victory over Kim Ga Eun (KOR) in two quick sets, 21-12, 21-13. Up next, determined to stay in the race was women’s doubles Kim Hye Jeong and Kong Hee Yong (KOR) who sealed victory over Huang Dong Ping and Li Wen Mei (CHN) in a hard-fought match of 22-20, 20-17.

    Wrapping up the day, underdog Sim Yu Jin (KOR), ranked world No. 46 carried the pressure of not only the critical fifth match but also going up against 15-time champions, team China and Wang Zhi Yi (CHN) world No. 15. Sim Yu Jin didn’t crumble under the pressure as most predicted but instead thrived under the spotlight claiming victory with a smashing score of 28-26, 18-21, 21-8.


    Team Korea’s victory was truly an unforgettable final. Coach Kim Chungho shared her thoughts on the teams well deserved triumph. “I believe we were able to win the championship because our players’ desire to win was stronger than any other country’s.”

    Indian fans went wild home and abroad watching the India team make quick work of the finals in a 3-0 victory over Indonesia marking their first Thomas Cup win ever. To kick the high-tension day off, men’s singles, Lakshya Sen (IND) faced off against Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (INA) in a magnificent first match. Lakshya started off slow in the first game but proved that he was the right man for the first spot of the day with a victory score of 8-21, 21-17, 21-16.


    Following Lakshya’s tone setting win, men’s doubles Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (IND) were determined not to let their lead go to waste in an intense nail-biting match against Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Mohammad Ahsan (INA). This highly anticipated match between two powerhouses ended in India’s favor after Ahsan’s critical errors in the second game gave Shetty and Rankireddy the edge they needed to push forward for a clear victory of 18-21, 23-21, 21-19. In the following men’s singles match, Shrikanth Kidambi (IND) knew it was imperative to take advantage of India’s 2-0 lead over Indonesia, the previous year’s champions. Without faltering he managed a swift victory and cemented the team’s victory with a score of 21-15, 23-21.


    Yonex is proud to sponsor and support Team Korea and Team India. Team Yonex members continuously inspire the badminton world and challenge us all to be Far Beyond Ordinary.

    Athlete gear:
    An Se Young | ASTROX 77, BG80, POWER CUSHION AERUS
    Chen Yu Fei | ASTROX 77, BG80, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Lee So Hee | NANOFLARE 700, BG80, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Shin Seung Chan | NANOFLARE 700, BG80, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Chen Qing Chen | ASTROX 100, AEROBITE, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Jia Yi Fan | NANOFLARE 800, BG80, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    He Bing Jiao | VOLTRIC Z FORCE 2, BG 66 ULTIMAX, POWER CUSHION COMFORT 3 WIDE
    Kim Ga Eun | ASTROX 77, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Kim Hye Jeong | NANOFLARE 700, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Kong Hee Yong | ASTROX 88 D, AEROBITE, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Huang Dong Ping | ASTROX 77, BG66 ULTIMAX, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Li Wen Mei | NANOFLARE 800, BG 80, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Sim Yu Jin | NANOFLARE 700, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Wang Zhi Yi | ASTROX 77, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Lakshya Sen | ASTROX 100, BG 80, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Chirag Shetty | DUORA Z-STRIKE, BG 80, POWER CUSHION 65 Z
    Satwiksairaj Rankireddy | VOLTRIC 80-E-tune, BG 80, POWER CUSHION 65 Z WIDE
    Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo | ASTROX 88 S PRO, AEROBITE BOOST, POWER CUSHION 65 Z