Kuala Lumpur: Thailand shuttler Ratchanok Intanon who became the youngest women’s singles World Champion ever after she won the Championships in 2013 at the age of 18, has had a strong season so far. She clinched the Thailand Masters 2016 title in February, won last week’s India Open and she was in fantastic form to outlast Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan in straight-sets to lift the Malaysia Open crown on Sunday.
The 21-year-old Ratchanok got into her rhythm a little bit slower early in the first set, before she recomposed herself and surged ahead to take the first set 21-14. Ratchanok got the better of Tai most of the second set, as she stamped her authority in the pivotal second set to beat Tai 21-15 at the Malawati Stadium.
The Malaysia Open was Ratchanok’s first career back-to-back title after she defeated Li Xuerui to win the Indian Open last week.
Her next target will be the Superseries Singapore Open, which starts on Tuesday.
In mixed doubles, Indonesian pair Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir secured Indonesia’s only title at the Malaysia Open after beating local favorites Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying 23-21, 13-21, 21-16 in an exhilarating match that lasted 81 minutes.
Yu Yang and Tang Yuanting emerged victorious in the women’s doubles final, seeing off Jung Kyung-Eun and Shin Seung-Chan of South Korea 21-11, 21-17 to claim the Malaysia Open title.
