JAKARTA: Denmark’s Jan O. Jorgensen won his first ever Indonesia Open badminton title on Sunday, defeating Japan’s Kenichi Tago in a closely-fought battle that came down to composure and confidence.
In an emotional victory, Jorgensen sank to the floor and cried after his 21-18, 21-18 win in the final of the men’s singles in Jakarta before running over to his opponent to hug and exchange T-shirts.
“Amazing game once again I had today. I can’t believe I won the Indonesia Open,” he told reporters after the match.
“This is by far my biggest achievement in my career: my first super series tournament in Asia. I guess I just made history today.”
Besides winning a trophy and cash prize of 56,250, Jorgensen said the title also meant he was “one of the greatest from Denmark”, adding: “That’s a really big thing for me.”
The 44-minute match featured lengthy rallies and play at the net which saw both players fiercely fighting for each point.
However Tago appeared to have lost his composure in the second set, returning Jorgensen’s powerful smashes either too long or into the net, on which the latter capitalised to seal his victory. — AFP