In the end, FUKUSHIMA/MATSUMOTO prevail
The last time a Japanese pair won the women's doubles at the Yonex French Open was in 2018. The winners were Mayu MATSUMOTO and her long-time partner Wakana NAGAHARA. Seven years later, the Hokkaido native has once again made her mark, alongside Yuki Fukushima, her new partner for the past year.
While the Japanese pair had not lost a single set so far, the LI/LUO pair (No. 8) found a way through. With the score tied at the halfway point of the first set, the Chinese pair stepped up their game to take the lead (15-11). In control, they did not let their guard down and eventually won (21-17). It was then that the Japanese pair's strategy changed significantly.
More experienced (aged 30 and 32), they chose to make each rally last as long as possible against the young Chinese team, where each player is aged 23. The aim seemed to be to tire them out. It worked well for them as they led from start to finish in this set (21-18). After an hour of play, they levelled the match and headed into a decisive set.
The powerful MATSUMOTO and explosive FUKUSHIMA continue to wreak havoc (8/3). Solid in defence, they control both their emotions and their game (16/12). A gap that will never be closed. A final shuttlecock into the net gives victory to the Japanese players (21/15) after 95 minutes of effort, the longest match of the tournament.
Winners of the Malaysia Open in January and finalists at the All England in March, FUKUSHIMA/MATSUMOTO claim their second title of the year. Meanwhile, the LI/LUO duo are still waiting for their first title of the year.
MATSUMOTO : « It was an incredibly tough match where neither side gave an inch, but I'm delighted to have won the title in France again after such a long time. »
FUKUSHIMA : « The first game was particularly tough, and I felt uncomfortable. For the second and third games, I resolved to just go for it, so I switched my mindset before returning to the court. During the match, we tried to be patient and discussed our tactics often. That approach led to our first title in a month, and I'm thrilled about it. »
