BIRMINGHAM - Tai Tzu Ying, the women's top seed, became the first All-England Open champion in any discipline from Taiwan Sunday.
She was unpredictable but dangerous, with a smash clocked at 223 mph, and overcame Ratchanok Intanon, the gifted former world champion from Thailand, despite trailing by five points in the second game.
The match also had a twist in the tail. Ratchanok seemed about to level the match at 20-18 in the second game when her sliced smash was called in. But a video replay appeal summoned an image showing the shuttle one inch out and, buoyed by the adrenaline of this escape, Tai snatched three more points and the match, winning 21-16, 22-20.
China captured only one title, the mixed doubles, through Lu Kai and Juang Yaqiong, which equalled the lowest total in two decades for the sport's most successful country.
It left head coach Li Yongbo, who earlier claimed that the fallow period "doesn't mean we are going to fall behind," still seeking evidence to support his assertion.
Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia's veteran world number one, captured the All-England Open men's title with a trampling 21-12, 21-10 win over China's unseeded Shi Yuqi.
It was Lee's fourth All-England title, which equals the achievement of Morten Frost, the Dane who is his coaching director in Kuala Lumpur.