South Korea responded swiftly in the women's singles match, where reigning Olympic champion An Se-young outlasted China's Wang Zhiyi 21-17, 21-16, leveling the score at 1-1 after a hard-fought fight.

China regained momentum in the men's singles as Shi Yuqi delivered a dominant performance against Jeon Hyeok-jin. Shi overwhelmed his opponent with back-to-back 21-5 victories, putting China one win away from the title.

In the decisive women's doubles match, Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning capitalized on the opportunity, defeating their Korean opponents 21-14, 21-17 to seal the 3-1 triumph and spark celebrations among the home crowd in Xiamen.

Sixteen teams competed in this year's Sudirman Cup, with China entering as the top seed. The squad featured a blend of experienced veterans and emerging talents.

China cruised through the group stage to top their pool, then dispatched Malaysia 3-0 in the quarterfinals and swept Japan by the same scoreline in the semifinals, setting the stage for the final clash against South Korea.

This year's tournament marked the first major international event of the new Olympic cycle leading to the 2028 Los Angeles Games. China's successful title defense not only reinforces their dominance in world badminton but also signals a strong start to their new Olympic journey.

liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn