Badminton
Lê Đức Phát of Việt Nam takes the title at the Lagos International Classics 2024 on August 31. VNS Photo
HÀ NỘI — Lê Đức Phát triumphed at the Lagos International Classics 2024 badminton tournament on August 31 in Nigeria.
The national No 2 defeated Indian Samarveer 21-10, 18-21, 22-20 in the men's singles category in 64 minutes.
Paris Olympian Phát, world No 68, was favoured prior to the final against his rival who placed No 362.
However, Samarveer has been dubbed the giant killer in this tournament as he beat many seeded players including No 2 Nguyễn Hải Đăng of Việt Nam, No 8 Rohan Nidha of England and African No 1 Anuoluwapo Juwon Opeyori of the host country, to earn his gold-medal match place.
Phát quickly won 21-10 in the first set, but Samarveer created many difficulties for him in the second, before winning 21-18.
The decisive set continued to thrill with both players fighting for every point. Phát once again scored five consecutive points to lead 10-5. However, Samarveer improved his play and equalised 13-13.
The climax of the match came when Phát led 20-18, but Samarveer saved two match points and levelled the score at 20-20. Minutes into the end of the game, the Vietnamese player secured two more points to win 22-20.
It was Phát's second win of the year after he topped the Uganda International Challenge in February.
Fellow Vietnamese player Đăng secured bronze after being stopped in the semi-final by Samarveer.
Women's player Vũ Thị Anh Thư was ousted during the quarter-final round.
The Lagos tournament, the largest event of its kind in Africa, was an international challenge-level event organised by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) with a total prize pool of US$15,000. VNS
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