Badminton title slips away

Korea’s Ko Sung-hyun, right, and Kim Ha-na compete against Xu Chen and Ma Jin of China at the finals of the Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. [XINHUA/NEWSIS]

Korea came up short in its bid to reclaim its crown in mixed team badminton as it lost to world No. 1 China, 3-0, in the final of the Sudirman Cup World Mixed Team Championships in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

It is the first time since 2009 that Korea finished as high as runner-up in the event. Korea also lost to China at the 2009 final. Korea won the event three times as recently as in 2003, when Korea beat China in the final. Korea also won titles in 1991 and 1993.

It was China’s 9th world title.

At Putra Stadium, Korea’s mixed pair of Ko Sung-hyun and Kim Ha-na lost, 2-0 (21-13, 21-15) to Xu Chen and Ma Jin, followed by Lee Dong-keun’s 2-0 (21-15, 21-10) loss in the men’s single against Chen Long. In the men’s double event, Lee Yong-dae and Ko lost, 2-0 (21-19, 21-17) to Liu Xiaolong and Qiu Zihan.

Korea advanced to the final with victories over Germany in the quarterfinal and Thailand in the semifinal.

By Moon Gwang-lip [joe@joongang.co.kr]