Revenge for Jeong and Sooyoung in World Championship Rematch

Korea’s Jeong Jaegun and Yu Sooyoung have advanced to the men’s WH 1 – WH 2 semi-finals, beating World Champions Rick Hellmann and Thomas Wandschneider 21, 21 to 16, 16.

 

In a repeat of the 2022 semi-finals in Tokyo, the Koreans avenged their loss to their German counterparts, in a similarly tight game to their previous encounter.

 

The match began as competitive as expected. Hellmann and Wandschneider almost collided at one point, but the 60-year-old veteran took control to place a pinpoint drop shot to take a 4-2 lead.

Hellmann would produce an almost identical shot to extend the lead to 7-3, but three quick points from the Korean team levelled up an even encounter.

Drop shots and accurate serving were proving to be the key for both pairs, with Wandschneider especially finding the mark with his serve. A powerful clear from Sooyoung though would create a three-point gap between the teams, enough to see the first set through at 21 to 16.

 

A poor serve from the German team gave Jeong and Sooyoung their first points of the second set, after their opponents had raced into a four-point lead.

Communication was becoming a concern for the World Champions, however, creating enough of an opportunity for the Koreans to close the gap to one point at 5 to 4.

 

Jeong and Sooyoung pushed on from this moment, forcing quick rallies to take a 12 to 9 lead. These rallies were forcing the German team to work at an extreme pace, this suited the Koreans who extended their lead to 18 to 11.

 

A brief comeback from Wandschneider and Hellmann was in vain as Jeong and Sooyoung prevailed 21 to 16, a statement result for the Korean team to take into tomorrow’s semi-final.