South Korea beat China to lift third Uber Cup
Horsens, May 3
South Korea delivered an inspiring team performance to beat defending champions China 3-1 and secure their third Uber Cup title in Horsens on Sunday. This win highlights their growing strength in women's team badminton.
South Korea had previously won the trophy in Kuala Lumpur (2010) and Bangkok (2022), both times defeating China. They rose to the occasion again at the Forum Horsens, creating another memorable victory.
The tie started with a strong showing from world No. 1 An Se-young. She set the tone by beating world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi 21-10, 21-13 in just 47 minutes, giving South Korea an early lead.
China, with 16 championships, responded quickly. The powerful world No. 1 doubles team of Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning proved too tough for Jeong Na-eun and Lee So-hee, winning 21-15, 21-12 in 53 minutes to even the match at 1-1.
The momentum shifted back in South Korea's favor during the second singles match. World No. 17 Kim Ga-eun played a composed and effective game to defeat world No. 4 Chen Yufei 21-19, 21-15 in 55 minutes, bringing her team closer to the title.
With the pressure rising, the crucial doubles match saw South Korea's Baek Ha-na and Kim Hye-jeong rise to the challenge. After losing the first game 16-21 to China's Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian, the Korean pair staged an impressive comeback, winning the next two games 21-10, 21-13, and sealing the tie in 85 minutes.
Earlier, Indian men's team returned from the Thomas & Uber Cup 2026 in Horsens, Denmark, with a bronze medal after they went down 0-3 against France in the semi-finals on Friday.
The 2022 champions, who had upset Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, had suffered a major setback ahead of their semifinal clash as their top singles player, Lakshya Sen, had to sit out due to an elbow injury.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Great to see women's badminton becoming so competitive globally! China has dominated for so long, but Korea's teamwork was impressive. India has a long way to go in women's team events—we need more depth beyond Saina and Sindhu. 🇮🇳
Impressive comeback by Baek Ha-na and Kim Hye-jeong after losing the first game! That's the spirit of champions. China's doubles team is strong, but Korea showed great resilience. India's bronze is commendable too, considering Lakshya was out.
Kim Ga-eun defeating Chen Yufei was the turning point! It shows that rankings don't always matter in team events. India's men's team needs to work on fitness and injury management—Lakshya's absence really hurt our chances. 😔
I'm happy for Korea, but China will bounce back—they always do. India's bronze is a decent result, but we must improve our bench strength. The women's team in particular needs investment and more tournaments abroad. Good effort overall though! 🙏
Fantastic performance by South Korea! An Se-young is a superstar in the making. India needs to take notes on how to build a strong team culture. The men's bronze is okay, but we should aim for gold in future. Badminton in India has potential! 🏸🇮🇳
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