Age proved no barrier for Chou Tien Chen on Sunday. The 36-year-old from Chinese Taipei captured the China Open men’s singles title in Changzhou. In doing so, he became the oldest player ever to win a BWF Super 1000 crown.
Chou Tien Chen Digs Deep in a Thrilling Final
The world No. 6 faced French rising star Toma Junior Popov in the showpiece. The Frenchman, nine years his junior, arrived as the tournament’s breakout story. Chou seized the opening game 21-15 with patient, precise play. However, Popov roared back to level the match by taking the second 21-7. The decider stayed tense, yet Chou lifted his tempo and closed it out 21-13. As a result, he sealed victory in 64 gripping minutes.
The win carried extra weight for several reasons. It marked his first title of the season and his first since last October. Moreover, it delivered only his second Super 1000 crown, seven years after the 2019 Indonesia Open.
A Run to Remember for Chou Tien Chen
Chou earned this title the hard way. In the quarterfinals, he finally toppled world No. 1 Shi Yuqi. That win snapped a painful nine-match losing streak against the home favourite. He recovered from a mid-match dip to prevail 21-14, 12-21, 21-15. Remarkably, Chou had beaten Shi just five times in their previous twenty meetings.
He then beat compatriot Lin Chun-Yi in an all-Taiwan semifinal. Therefore, his path to gold featured two of the tournament’s biggest names.
Popov leaves with pride intact, too. In fact, he became the first French singles player to reach a Super 1000 final. Ultimately, though, the day belonged to Chou Tien Chen, whose stamina and nerve continue to defy the years. Few singles players still contend for Super 1000 gold in their mid-thirties.
