Indonesia and China triumphed in the men’s and women’s team events of the 2016 Happening Hyderabad Badminton Asia Team Championships that concluded yesterday.

Japan ended up on the losing side but gave a fighting display in both finals.

The Japanese were desperately close to knocking out China in the women’s team final. Nozomi Okuhara gave them a great start beating Wang Shixian 17-21 21-16 21-15 in 76 minutes. Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi then struck another blow, winning the crucial first doubles over Luo Ying/Tian Qing 21-12 21-16.

Sayaka Sato nearly made it 3-0, but fell in a close match, 22-20 21-19 to Sun Yu. The Chinese made it 2-2 with Luo Yu/Tang Yuanting breezing past Naoko Fukuman/Kurumi Yonao. Youth Olympic Games champion He Bingjiao admirably stepped up to the plate in the decider and made it past Yui Hashimoto 21-18 21-12 to give China the title.

The men’s team final was a see-saw affair that eventually went Indonesia’s way. Dubai World Superseries Finals champion Kento Momota routed Ihsan Moulana Mustofa 21-17 21-7 to give Japan the lead. However, Indonesia levelled through Angga Pratama/Ricky Karanda Suwardi (featured image) and went ahead with Ginting Anthony beating Sho Sasaki.

Japan’s second doubles pair of Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda struck back, beating Berry Angriawan/Ryan Agung Saputra. The decider, between Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie and Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto, went three games before Christie swung it for his country, 14-21 21-19 21-13.

Earlier, in the men’s team semi-finals, Indonesia overcame India 3-1 and Japan blanked Korea 3-0. The women’s team semi-finals saw China whip Korea 3-0 and Japan get past Thailand by the same margin.

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