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Chinese-Taipei pair repeats as women’s doubles champs
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Posted on Jun 21 2023
No. 1 seeds Hsu Ya Ching, right, and Lin Wan Ching of Chinese-Taipei repeated as the women’s doubles champions of the last badminton qualifier, the TakeCare Saipan International 2023, at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium Sunday afternoon. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
No. 1 seeds Hsu Ya Ching and Lin Wan Ching of Chinese-Taipei’s repeated as women’s doubles champions after the finale of the TakeCare Saipan International 2023 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium Sunday afternoon.
They held onto their doubles supremacy after they defeated Japan’s Sayaka Hobara and Yui Suizu in two exciting sets.
Both Hsu and Lin were also the women’s doubles champions in the first badminton qualifier, the Crowne Plaza Northern Marianas Open 2023, last June 11 after they defeated No. 4 seed Lee Yu Lim and Shin Seung Chan of South Korea.
Hsu and Lin showed everyone why they were the No. 1 seeds and why they won last qualifier’s finals, as they displayed great coordination and teamwork in their returns and defense.
The USA’s Presley Smith, right, and mixed doubles partner Allison Lee won the mixed doubles championship in the TakeCare Saipan International 2023 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium Sunday afternoon. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Hobara and Suizu had a difficult time penetrating Hsu and Lin’s impenetrable defense as they themselves caused errors in their volleys. Hsu and Lin had the upper hand throughout much of the first set and crushed Hobara and Suizu easily, 21-10.
The second set was not as easy this time around as Hobara and Suizu recuperated and changed their approach. The game went back and forth and both teams had great saves and also missed opportunities, but the set only lengthened when Hobara and Suizu put up a good fight.
Hsu and Lin tried to hold off Hobara and Suizu with their swift attacks and speedy footwork, but Hobara and Suizu countered it with their anticipation and well placed returns to make it a close game.
However, Hsu and Lin prevailed and ceased Hobara and Suizu’s run for a third set when Hsu and Lin won by just 3 points, 21-18.
In the mixed pairs finals, USA’s Presley Smith and Allison Lee challenged Chinese-Taipei’s Wei Chun Wei and Nicole Gonzales Chan and won in a grueling three-set match, 20-22, 21-18, 21-14.
It was the first time a country other than Chinese-Taipei, Japan, and South Korea made it to the finals of both qualifiers, so Smith and Lee made sure they grabbed the championship—but not without a huge undertaking against Chinese-Taipei.
