Gold medalists Seo Seung Jae (rear 2nd L)/Chae Yu Jung (front 2nd L) of South Korea, silver medalists Zheng Siwei (rear 1st L)/Huang Yaqiong (front 1st L) of China and bronze medalists Watanabe Yuta (rear 2nd R)/Higashino Arisa (front 2nd R) of Japan, Jiang Zhenbang (rear 1st R)/Wei Yaxin of China pose during the awarding ceremony after the mixed doubles final match at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
COPENHAGEN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Top seeds Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China missed their chance to win a record fourth World Championships mixed doubles title, losing to South Korea's Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung for the first time in 10 encounters here on Sunday.
Fifth-seeded Seo and Chae needed 59 minutes to claim the victory 21-17, 10-21, 21-18, while 25-year-old Seo has the chance to win another title, as he will pair with Kang Min-hyuk in the men's doubles final later.
The defending champions of China bounced back in the second game to pull the match into the decider. They saved three match points from 20-15 in the third game, only to see Seo's powerful smashing end their chances. ■
Zheng Siwei (R)/Huang Yaqiong of China compete during the mixed doubles final match against Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Zheng Siwei (L)/Huang Yaqiong of China react during the mixed doubles final match against Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Zheng Siwei (R)/Huang Yaqiong of China compete during the mixed doubles final match against Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Zheng Siwei (L)/Huang Yaqiong of China compete during the mixed doubles final match against Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Seo Seung Jae (L)/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea celebrate after winning the mixed doubles final match against Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong of China at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Zheng Siwei (R)/Huang Yaqiong of China react during the mixed doubles final match against Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Zhang Jun (C), president of the Chinese Badminton Association, instructs Zheng Siwei (R)/Huang Yaqiong of China during the mixed doubles final match against Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Zheng Siwei (L)/Huang Yaqiong of China react during the mixed doubles final match against Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Seo Seung Jae (R)/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea celebrate after winning the mixed doubles final match against Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong of China at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Seo Seung Jae (R)/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea compete during the mixed doubles final match against Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong of China at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Zheng Siwei (L)/Huang Yaqiong of China compete during the mixed doubles final match against Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Zheng Siwei (R)/Huang Yaqiong of China react during the mixed doubles final match against Seo Seung Jae/Chae Yu Jung of South Korea at the BWF World Championships 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Aug. 27, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
