Anthony Ginting ended a two-and-a-half-year wait for a men’s singles title after he secured the Singapore Open title with a hard-fought 23-21, 21-17 over Japanese shuttler Kodai Naraoka in a thrilling final.

Ginting had been struggling for form for much of the year, with only two semi-final appearances to show prior to this Super 500 event.

In fact, he had lost three consecutive times to world number one Viktor Axelsen in the previous three tournaments in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Without Axelsen in Singapore, Ginting delivered his best form at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Naraoka was no slouch in the final and should have taken the opening game after holding two game points, but Ginting persevered to take the lead.

The second game was also a show of high quality badminton, with Naraoka living up to his underdog tag with some sensational retrievals and drop shots that won him admirers.

But Ginting’s pace and aggression proved the difference, as he went on to clinch victory after 53 minutes.

The world number six celebrated by smashing his racquet, a testament to the frustration he had to endure before this.

“This is one of my best career moments. I’m happy that my hard work has paid off after so long,” he said.

Ginting had disposed of home favourite Loh Kean Yew to reach the final.

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P. V. Sindhu, meanwhile, won the women’s singles title for her third trophy this season after she overcame China’s Wang Zhi Yi 21-9, 11-21, 21-15.

Dechapol Puavaranukroh-Sapsiree Taerratanachai won the mixed doubles title, while Indonesia picked up the men’s and women’s doubles titles as well through Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin and Apriyani Rahayu-Siti Fadia.