■Nathan Shiga: March 18

Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino of Japan trounced Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China 15-21, 22-20, 21-16 in the mixed doubles final of the Badminton British Open in Birmingham, March 18. That was Japan’s maiden triumph ever.

The All England Championships is over a century old and known to be a reputed international event in the game challenged by players of world repute. Japan had three teams in women’s singles and doubles and also mixed doubles advanced into the finals.

In the final game of the mixed doubles against the hard-hitting Chinese, Watanabe and Higashino lost the first set 15-21 in a wild slugfest. In the second set, Watanabe demonstrated a brilliant combination of faints and jumping smashes for a straight 6-point streak to lead the set to a clean win.

Arisa Higashino charged her way aggressively in the final set to exhibit her share of brilliance to tame the Chinese pair, fast moving back and forth throughout the set. The pair grabbed the final set 21-16.

After the game, Watanabe told the press how pleased he was to have played his best game ever in such great event, Higashino expressing her delight to have beaten the pair she had lost time and again thus far. “It was to me a very valuable game”, she said.

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