Two-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi completed her title quest at the Japan Open with a dynamic display of all-around badminton skills.
In the women's singles final, world No 5 Yamaguchi waltzed past Thailand's Busanan Ongbamrungphan, winning 21-11, 21-10 on Sunday, August 25 at Yokohama Arena.
Yamaguchi overpowered her 14th-ranked opponent from start to finish in the 43-minute showdown.
As a result, the 27-year Fukui Prefecture native captured her fourth Japan Open singles titles. She previously won the badminton tournament in 2013, 2019 and 2022.
Yamaguchi improved to 12-2 in her career against Ongbamrungphan.
The Japanese standout, who was the world champion in 2021 and 2022, had a 42-21 advantage in rallies won in the one-sided match.
"Overall, I was able to stay proactive," Yamaguchi said after the title match, according to Agence France-Press. "I was in control of the game throughout."
She added, "I remained very positive throughout the match and wanted to perform better and better."
Acknowledging that Japanese fans helped give her a boost, Yamaguchi told reporters the final was enjoyable.
"It was very fun," she was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse. "I was able to stay relaxed and the results followed."
Badminton Star Endures Injury, Returns to Form
In March, Yamaguchi was the runner-up in back-to-back Badminton World Federation tournaments, the French Open and the All England Open.
But Yamaguchi sustained a hip injury in March, forcing her to pull out of the All England Open before the title match. The injury sidelined her for several weeks.
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