Chou Tien-chen proved age is no obstacle as the Taiwanese veteran captured his maiden China Open men's singles title on Sunday, ending a 30-year wait for his country at one of badminton's biggest tournaments.
The 36-year-old battled past France's Toma Junior Popov 21-15, 7-21, 21-13 in a 64-minute final in Changzhou to claim the biggest title of his career in recent years. The victory also made him the oldest player to win a BWF World Tour Super 1000 tournament.
It was an emotional triumph for Chou, who admitted he never expected to reach the final after suffering a first-round exit at last week's Japan Open.
"It's unbelievable because I never thought I would reach the final, let alone become the champion," Chou said after the match.
"I'm really grateful and give all the glory to God. At my age, just being able to stay on court and compete is already very difficult."
The title also ended Taiwan's 30-year drought in the China Open men's singles event, with Fung Permadi having been the nation's last champion in 1996. It was Chou's first Super 1000 title since winning the Indonesia Open in 2019, underlining his remarkable longevity at the highest level.
Chou credited his support team for helping him remain competitive despite the physical demands of the sport, singling out his physiotherapist Victoria Kao while praising the work done behind the scenes.
He said the disappointment in Japan had motivated the team to identify areas for improvement before arriving in China, a decision that ultimately paid off.
"The key is to keep working hard every day and pay attention to the small details that can improve your performance," Chou said.
"Even after a defeat, you have to get back to training the next day. You have to keep your mindset positive, and that's really important."
The victory adds another memorable chapter to Chou's distinguished career and serves as a reminder that experience and perseverance can still overcome youth on badminton's biggest stage.
