(Asiad) Badminton doubles champions find perfect time to get into flow state

ICHINOMIYA, Japan, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- Trailing 15-12 in the deciding third game with their Asian Games gold medal match knotted at 1-1 on Tuesday in Japan, the South Korean badminton doubles duo of Lee So-hee and Baek Hana felt their backs against the wall.

Lee and Baek, world No. 2, had just blown a 10-6 lead over Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning of China at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, just northwest of the main host city, Nagoya. But the South Koreans dug deep and won the frame 21-18, clinching a three-game victory over the world No. 1 tandem.

Only minutes afterward, though, Baek said she had no memory of how the third game played out.

"Honestly, I have no idea how things happened," she said, with the gold medal around her neck. "I just kept hitting shots without thinking at all. I think that is how we were able to eventually catch them."

In other words, Baek was in the zone, the transient state of optimal performance when she was hitting shots instinctively without conscious thinking.

And with Baek doing her thing and Lee putting on a strong defensive performance, the two became the first South Korean women's doubles team to win an Asiad title since 2002. Their current coach, Lee Kyung-won, was one half of that 2002 gold medal-winning team.

"Coach Lee still owns so many milestones for the women's doubles, and it feels great to be breaking them one at a time," Lee So-hee said. "I have not really thought about us being a team that thrives in tough situations. We had some luck on our side today."

From the get-go, the match was an instant classic. The two teams battled for 41 minutes in the first game before the Chinese side emerged with a 28-26 win. Lee and Baek failed to convert their five game points.

They engaged in another seesaw battle in the second game, with the South Koreans winning it 21-18 with a late push.

"This was such a tough match. If we had not overcome some big hurdles in the second game, we would not have had a chance to even play the third game," Baek said. "So-hee gave everything she had in the end to help us get the gold medal."

The two South Koreans won silver at the previous Asian Games in 2023, and Lee said she did not want a repeat of that performance. The South Koreans fell in straight games to Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan of China, despite holding leads in both games.

"Those memories flashed back during the third game when we got caught," Lee said. "But we managed to keep things close and match them shot for shot."

Lee admitted her leg started cramping up during the third game but it was not serious enough to slow her down.

"I tend to get cramps during matches, and I know how to keep them under control," she said. "And we were only a few points away from the gold medal. It would have been devastating if something like this determined the outcome of the match, because the Asian Games only take place once every four years. So I tried to battle through it the best I could."

Baek said although her legs did not cramp, she still found herself standing around in moments during the third game because of exhaustion.

"This was the most taxing match I have played at this event," she said. "I want to thank So-hee for having my back. She gave me the courage to keep going."

Lee responded: "I don't know about that. I think I got a free ride from Hana and she helped me get to the highest destination."

Lee and Baek have now beaten Liu and Tan twice this year -- in the world championships final in August and in Tuesday's gold medal match -- after losing the previous five in a row.

After the first of those two wins, Lee, the taller of the two, gave Baek a piggyback ride. It has been their signature, post-victory celebration. But on Tuesday, the two traded roles, with Baek putting Lee on her back.

"Before the Asian Games, I told So-hee I wanted to carry her on my back if we win gold here," Baek said with a smile. "I think an opportunity to do it can only come in a big competition like this. I am so happy I had a chance to do it today."