Lin Chun-Yi and An Se Young clinch men's and women's singles titles at India Open
New Delhi (PTI): Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-Yi claimed his maiden Super 750 title in men's singles, while world number one An Se Young of South Korea underlined her supremacy by securing the women’s singles crown at the USD 950,000 India Open here on Sunday.
The 26-year-old Lin, currently ranked 12, completed a sharp turnaround from an early exit at last week’s Malaysia Open Super 1000, powering his way to the men’s singles title with a 21-10, 21-18 win over third seed Jonatan Christie in the final.
In women’s singles, top seed and defending champion An Se Young was once again in control as she defeated China’s world number two Wang Zhiyi 21-13, 21-11 to claim her second title of the season.
In doubles, China’s top-seeded women’s pair of Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning secured the title with a 21-11, 21-18 victory over Japan’s fifth-seeded Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Matsumoto in a 58-minute final.
Paris Olympics silver medallist combination of Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang of China rallied from a game down to beat Japan’s world No. 22 Hiroki Midorikawa and Kyohei Yamashita 17-21 25-23 21-16 in the men's doubles final.
The mixed doubles crown went to Thailand’s third-seeded Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Supissara Paewsampran, who edged Denmark’s Mathias Christiansen and Alexandra Bøje 19-21, 25-23, 21-18.
Lin vs Jonatan
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Lin, who had come close to winning a super 750 title at China Masters in September, arrived in India nursing a muscle strain sustained in Kuala Lumpur, which had initially made walking difficult, but chose to compete and made the most of the opportunity.
The left-handed shuttler produced an attacking game, troubling Jonatan with his pace. The Indonesian also failed to negotiate the drift in the hall as he missed his touch, allowing the left-handed Taiwanese to go on a rampage, opening up an 11-5 lead and then reeling off another seven points to run away with the opening game.
In the second game, Jonatan put up a better fight and had leads of 6-4, 9-7 and 18-15 but Lin was always breathing down his neck and wrested back the momentum in the final stages with six straight points to seal the issue.
"I think I played pretty well today. I didn’t feel much pressure and I felt like I was playing happily," Lin said.
"I didn’t feel very good in Malaysia, but in India I felt freer on court."
The Chinese Taipei shuttler, who comes from a farming family, said the title had boosted his confidence.
“I’m very happy to win my first Super 750 title. It shows that I can stand on my own feet. My goal is to be in the top 10 in the world this year. Perseverance is the key, whether I win or lose,” he said.
Away from badminton, Lin said competitive video games help him unwind.
"I like games where there are two sides attacking and defending each other, like PUBG or Counter-Strike," he added.
An vs Wang
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In the women’s singles final, An was never under serious pressure as she cruised to her 18th win in 22 meetings against China’s Wang Zhiyi, including all nine finals the two have contested in 2025.
An moved effortlessly around the court, repeatedly pushing Wang onto the back foot with her control and precision to race to a 7-1 lead before stretching it to 15-9. Wang briefly recovered to 13-15 but An reeled off the final six points to pocket the opening game.
The second game followed a similar script as An stayed composed and built a steady 11-7 advantage. Wang struggled with consistency, frequently finding the net or missing the lines, allowing the contest to wrap up quickly.
"I’m really glad I won. The last two weeks have been very tiring, but I’m a winner and I’m very happy,” An said while acknowledging the sizeable crowd. “I know it was going to be a difficult match, but I tried to endure everything.”
Asked about her sustained success, An said she remains focused on her attacking play.
“I know every player will try their best to beat me, but I’ll also do my best not to lose. I try to focus on attacking and giving my best."
Korea’s singles coach Lee Hyun-il said An has consciously worked towards becoming more aggressive on court.
“She wants to play a more attacking game, so we train accordingly. We focus on power and weight management,” Lee said, adding that An has also been working with a mental trainer.
“She has taken up consultancy to improve the mental side of her game. It’s based on her needs.”
Asked about An’s approach to coaching, Lee said her commitment stands out.
“It’s not just about listening to the coach. She wants to do her best, so she tries everything the coaches suggest. That’s how she maintains her level.”
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Three new cubs born to Cheetah Gamini in MP's Kuno Park; India's count rises to 38
Sheopur (MP) (PTI): Cheetah 'Gamini' has given birth to three cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, taking the number of these big cats in India to 38, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Wednesday.
Describing it as a "roaring" success of the government's ambitious Cheetah re-introduction programme, Yadav said it is a powerful symbol of the country’s determined and historic conservation effort.
Gamini was translocated to India from South Africa as part of the ambitious project launched in September 2022 to revive the population of the world's fastest land animal in India, which had gone extinct decades ago.
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Yadav, in a post on X, said, “Kuno welcomes three new cubs - A roaring new chapter at Kuno on the occasion of completion of 3 years of arrival of cheetahs from South Africa. Celebrations echo through Kuno National Park as Gamini, the South African cheetah and second-time mother, has brought 3 new cubs into the world."
This joyful arrival marks the ninth successful cheetah litter on Indian soil and takes the number of surviving Indian-born cubs to 27, he said.
With these newest additions, India's total cheetah population has now reached 38 - a powerful symbol of the country's determined and historic conservation effort, Yadav highlighted.
Each birth strengthens the foundation of Project Cheetah and reflects the passion, perseverance, and round-the-clock dedication of the field staff and veterinary teams who have nurtured this dream into reality, he said.
"A moment of pride for Kuno, and for India—may Gamini and her three little sprinters grow strong and carry the nation’s cheetah revival story forward with speed and grace," the minister added.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav noted that Madhya Pradesh is a powerful centre for cheetah reintroduction.
This is a historic achievement for the entire country in the direction of wildlife conservation, biodiversity, and environmental balance, the CM said in a post on X.
It is a matter of immense joy that under Project Cheetah, the female cheetah ‘Gamini’ who arrived from South Africa has given birth to three cubs, he said.
"With the completion of three years of cheetahs’ arrival at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district, this is the 9th successful birth (of a litter). The total number of cheetahs in India has now increased to 38," Yadav added.
Earlier this month, cheetah Aasha, translocated to India from Namibia, gave birth to five cubs in KNP.
