Chou Tien-chen retained the Arctic Open men’s singles crown on Sunday, and in doing so shattered a record Lee Chong Wei held for seven years.
Chou, who is also the tournament's defending champion, beat Thailand’s world number three Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-11, 13-21, 21-19 in an epic battle to claim the Super 500 title.
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In doing so, the Chinese Taipei ace also claimed a long-standing record held by Lee.
At 35-years-old and 277 days, Chen has become the oldest men’s singles champion at a World Tour event (Super 500 & above).
The world number nine shattered Lee’s record, which he kept for seven years when he won the 2018 Malaysia Open.
Lee was 35-years-old and 254 days when he beat Kento Momota to the title, which was also the Malaysian’s final silverware before retiring the following year.
Lin Dan was the third oldest men’s singles winner of top-tier events when he won the 2019 Malaysia Open aged 35 and 176 days.
Chou’s victory is even more incredible by the fact he played with a bloody left foot in the final.
Chou certainly has been one of the standout badminton stories.
He not only overcame early-stage colon cancer two years ago, but has continued to defy age and fitness in a physically demanding discipline.
The Arctic Open is Chou’s first title of the year, but it was also his third final of the season having finished second at the Taipei Open and Indonesia Open.
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