Badminton fans witnessed a dramatic final in the men's world title on Sunday as Indonesia's H. Hendrawan beat world number two Pete Gade.
Hendrawan, silver medallist at the Sydney Olympics, won in a match that lasted a little over an hour.
Gade struggled to recover from a terrible start that saw him fall 7-0 behind in the first game.
But he appeared to have refound his form when he took a 5-0 lead in the second. Hendrawan, however, stormed back to take the next 10 points.
People look at me as the 'old man' but I have proved today I am not
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| H. Hendrawan |
The Dane managed to pull back to 12-12 but then squandered two game points handing the title to Hendrawan.
Hendrawan, 29, and a familiar face on the circuit, was lucky to make the final having trailed compatriot Taufik Hidayat in their match on Saturday.
Hidayat was forced to retire with a groin injury gifting Hendrawan his place in Sunday's final.
"That was a present for me yesterday, but today I gave myself a present," said the new titleholder.
"People look at me as the 'old man' but I have proved today I am not."
Gade, the only European to mount a serious challenge to the Asian domination of the tournament, was disappointed with his performance.
"I have only lost one match in two weeks but unfortunately it was today's final," he said.
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