Lee So-hee and Baek Hana eye Asian Games success after world badminton title

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Aug. 25 (Yonhap) -- Having won their first world badminton title together, the women's doubles team of Lee So-hee and Baek Hana said Tuesday their confidence is running high ahead of next month's Asian Games.

Lee and Baek took down the top-seeded team from China, Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning, 21-15, 21-15, in the women's doubles final at the world championships in New Delhi on Sunday. It was South Korea's first world title in the women's doubles since 1995.

Lee, 32, had previously won a bronze and a silver at world championships with a different partner, Shin Seung-chan, before completing her medal collection with the gold with Baek.

"I only dreamed about winning a world title and it means so much to have it come true," Lee told reporters at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. "I want to thank Hana for helping me realize this dream at 32."

Baek, 25, responded: "I had no medal from world championships and I finally got one thanks to So-hee."

Lee and Baek were not considered a gold medal favorite before the competition. They had not won any international event this season and they had lost their five previous meetings against the Liu-Tan tandem.

Finally toppling the formidable Chinese team will be a major confidence boost ahead of the Asian Games, which begin Sept. 19 in Japan.

"Because we were able to beat them in the world championships final, we saw hope that we can do the same against them at the Asian Games," Lee said.

Baek added: "We finally ended our losing streak against them and I think we will be able to go into our next meeting against them with more confidence."

Despite their poor recent history against Liu and Tan, Lee and Baek were hardly threatened in the final.

They won the first five points of the first game and never trailed. In the second game, they broke away from a 4-4 tie to build a 10-5 lead. After the Chinese team cut it to 13-12, the South Koreans scored five consecutive points to pull away. They clinched the gold medal in 51 minutes.

"Hana was great with her net play. It made us easy to score points," Lee said.

Baek deferred credit to her teammate.

"She is a tremendous offensive player and I wanted to create chances for her," Baek said. "She was incredible and I was just trying to hold up my end of the bargain."