Gold medallist Chen Long (R) of China and silver medallist Ajay Jayaram of India pose on the podium during the awards ceremony following their men’s singles final at the Korea Open Superseries badminton tournament in Seoul yesterday. (AFP)

Agencies/Seoul

Men’s top seed Chen Long of China successfully defended his Korea Open title here yesterday, ending the run of unseeded tournament sensation Ajay Jayaram in the final.
In the women’s competition, the sixth-seeded South Korean Sung Ji-Hyun took the singles title, beating China’s Wang Yihan.
Chen’s victory came in straight games -- 21-14, 21-13 -- and the top seed never looked troubled during the 40-minute match against Jayaram who was ranked 30th in the world when the tournament began.
A day after Jayaram trounced the World No. 7 Chen Chou of Chinese Taipei with a sublime display of netplay, the Indian didn’t move as swiftly as he would expected. Although after trailing in early stages of both games, Jayaram’s brief comeback spells did signal a rejuvenation of sorts, but in the end the World No. 1 was in red-hot form. Long’s smashes were well-directed to say the least. They were either hit back at Jayaram’s body with full velocity, or made the Indian stretch. Initially, Jayaram and Long were locked at 9-11 in the first game, but the Chinese stormed away with a hefty lead, first making the Indian trail 14-18 before eventually sealing the game three points later.
The second game witnessed the same script as Jayaram continued to struggle catching up. After picking up a couple of points early on at the nets, Jayaram was left clueless to Long’s superior game as he broke off from 5-5 to lead 11-6 at the interval. The World No. 1 didn’t allow the Indian to recover and quickly grabbed an unassailable 20-12 match point lead. Even though Jayaram saved a point, the Chinese closed the issue in the next opportunity. The last time Jayaram made it to the last-four stage of a Superseries was in 2012 - in the China Masters. Thereafter, he lost the race for the London Olympics berth to Parupalli Kashyap, suffered injuries and was out of action for most part of the last three years. Jayaram, who started this tournament by stunning World No. 6 Viktor Axelsen in the first round, continued to punch above his weight.
On Saturday, he exacted revenge against Tien Chen who had beaten the Indian twice this year.
The Indian player had been an underdog from the very first round where he upset Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen.
In the women’s singles final, Sung managed a minor upset with a thrilling three-game win over the fourth-seeded Wang, 21-14, 17-21, 21-18.
In the all-Korean men’s doubles final, top seeds Lee Yong-Dae and Yoo Yeon-Seong were too strong for fellow countrymen Kim Gi-Jung and Kim Sa-Rang, winning 21-16, 21-12.
And two games were also enough for Indonesian sixth seeds Nitya Krishinda Maheswari and Greysia Polii who won the women’s doubles title, beating South Korea’s Chang Ye-Na and Lee So-Hee 21-15, 21-18.  In the mixed doubles final, Chinese top seeds Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei comfortably beat Indonesian second seeds Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir 21-16, 21-15.
FINAL RESULTS
Men’s singles: Chen Long (Chn) bt Ajay Jayaram (Ind) 21-14, 21-13; Doubles: Lee Yong Dae-Yoo Yeon Seong (Kor) bt Kim Gi Jung-Kim Sa Rang (Kor) 21-16, 21-12; Women’s singles: Sung Ji Hyun (Kor) bt Wang Yihan (Chn) 21-14, 17-21, 21-18; Doubles: Nitya Krishinda Maheswari-Greysia Polii (Ina) bt Chang Ye Na-Lee So Hee (Kor) 21-15, 21-18; Mixed doubles: Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt Tontowi Ahmad-Lilyana Natsir (Ina) 21-16, 21-15