Japan men’s team showed a lot of determination and courage as it staved off a strong Malaysian challenge to win the Thomas Cup. Japan’s 3-2 win on Sunday gave them their maiden men’s championship.
During the rubber, after both teams were locked 2-2, Takuma Ueda clinched the winner against Daren liew to win it for the Japanese.Earlier, it was world No. 1 lee Chong Wei who helped Malaysia draw first blood. The 31-year-old made the first game against Kenichi Tago, a one-sided affair as he gave away only 12 points to Tago, who had defeated world No. 2 Chen long in the semi-final. The world No. 4 Japanese didn’t play badly but rather it was the sheer class of Chong Wei which ran through him.
Unlike long, Chong Wei is a much-tougher opponent to crack with a strong all-round game and his high-jump crosscourt smashes were bombarded all over world No. 4 Tago.
In the second game though, the Japanese player showed improvement and got help from faults of Chong Wei to lead 15-10 at a time. But, that was also the beginning of a sudden change of fortune. Chong Wei, urged on by vociferous Malaysian supporters present at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in good numbers, got his rhythm back and stamped his authority to earn 10 points at a stretch while Tago could manage only a single, only to see the Malaysian maestro bowing his head and kissing the court after the win.
However Japan erased the one game deficit when world No. 3 doubles pair of Kenichi Hayakawa-Hiroyuki Endo registered a fighting 12-21, 21-17, 21-19 win over world No. 7 pair of Boon Heong Taan-Thien How Hoon in a 76-minute encounter.
Teen sensation Kento Momota tilted the match in Japan’s favour with a comprehensive victory over Wei Feng Chong. The world No. 14 Japanese’s 21-15, 21-17 win in 39 minutes against the world No. 27 Malaysian gave a 2-1 lead to Japan which they failed to sustain in their next encounter.
World No. 13 doubles pair of Kiego Sonoda-Takeshi Kamura lost 21-19, 17-21, 12-21 to a Malaysian unranked pair of V Sham Goh-Wee Kiong Taan in a 65-minute match which led to the decider which was won by world No. 25 Ueda 21-12, 18-21, 21-17 against liew, triggering wild celebration among the Japanese contingent.With this loss, Chong Wei continues his search for a gold at any world championships event.