BADMINTON/Taiwanese twins win BWF Canada Open men's doubles gold

Taipei, July 7 (CNA) Taiwan's twin brothers Lee Fang-jen (李芳任) and Lee Fang-chih (李芳至) defeated compatriots Chang Ko-chi (張課琦) and Po Li-wei (柏禮維) 21-19, 21-19 to claim the men's doubles title at the BWF Canada Open in Markham, Ontario, on Sunday (local time).

The top-seeded twin brothers won their first BWF Super 300 badminton gold and secured the first Canadian Open men's doubles title for Taiwan since 2014.

The Lee brothers had lost four of their previous six meetings against Chang and Po, despite holding a higher world ranking -- No. 22 compared to No. 77.

The title match was another tough battle. After the first game was tied at 17-17, the twins pulled ahead with a late 4-2 spurt to clinch it.

Chang and Po led 17-13 in the second game, but the twin brothers surged back with a commanding 8-2 rally to claim the win.

Coach Lee Sung-yuan (李松遠) told CNA that the brothers won thanks to their strong chemistry and faster pace, which "put pressure on their opponents through better overall offensive control."

"Their performance in recent games has been stable and improving. The title is definitely a morale boost for them," the coach said, adding that the win would also improve their world ranking and increase their chances of making next year's Asian Games national team, after coming up short in previous Super 300 semifinals and finals.

Lee Fang-jen and Lee Fang-chih, born two minutes apart, did not start playing competitive badminton until junior high and began partnering in doubles during high school, according to coach Lee Sung-yuan.

The 27-year-old brothers have very different personalities and playing styles on and off the court, the coach said, and have undergone great transformation since Lee began coaching them in 2016, when they were 18.

The elder brother, Fang-jen, was more dominant and emotional early in their careers, but the roles have since reversed, the coach said.

On the court, Lee Sung-yuan added, Fang-jen thrives on power and quickness, while younger brother Fang-chih relies more on finesse.