Ginting tops Sakai to win Indonesian Masters
Indonesian shuttler Anthony Sinisuka Ginting defeated Japan's Kazumasa Sakai 21-13, 21-12 to win the Indonesian Masters on Sunday.
Ginting, 21, was in commanding form in front of a boisterous home crowd at Jakarta's Istora Senayan Stadium, seizing the title after 33 minutes of play.
The 27-year-old Sakai, who overcame world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark on his way to the final, put in a gutsy effort but was no match for the quick-footed Indonesian.
"Thank God, I'm really grateful to be able to get my first title in Indonesia," Ginting said after the match.
"It was a tight game early on."
The result catapults the world No. 16 into the top 10 in the rankings.
In the women's singles, world No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying was too strong for India's Saina Nehwal.
The Chinese Taipei shuttler — who has now won the past seven encounters between the pair — dispatched Nehwal in under 30 minutes, smashing her way to a 21-9, 21-13 victory.
Tai, who was the crowd favorite, hopes to repeat her form in this year's marquee events.
"My 2018 target is the world xhampionships and Asian Games because those two tournaments are the biggest," she said.
China's Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong defeated Indonesia's Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir 21-14, 21-11 to claim the mixed doubles title.
Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (right) of Indonesia poses with his gold medal on the podium with runner-up Kazumasa Sakai of Japan following their men's singles final at the Indonesia Masters in Jakarta on January 28, 2018.
