Lin Dan and Xie Xingfang, the boyfriend-girlfriend badminton players who each sit atop the world rankings, became champions together at the All-England Open for the second successive year on Sunday.

Lin showed himself arguably the most popular of the many Chinese champions as he won his third All-England Open title in four years at the British national indoor arena.

The elastic and acrobatic left-hander received a great reception from the English crowd after his 21-13, 21-12 victory over his compatriot, Chen Yu, the sixth seed.

He got another one when he gave Xie a kiss by the podium when she received her trophy after winning 21-6, 21-13 against Pi Hongyang, the China-raised surprise finalist who now plays for France.

Xie's overwhelming win - the twig-thin champion with the brilliantly light movement looked the best player this week by an increasing distance - made her only the third woman since World War Two to have won three successive singles titles.

There was never any doubt that she would achieve it, and she agreed this was the best she had played. More of the questions, however, were directed towards her relationship with Lin.

Together they have now won ten titles, she believes, something which is of great value, because they are able to support, and console each other.

Asked what makes them so successful, she said: "Both of us are very good players and we have come up together. The main thing is not to be nervous and to have the mental strength in the middle of a match to face the challenges.

Lin reserved his most authoritative display for the final, having twice been taken the full distance earlier in the tournament, and having looked in real trouble in the third game of his quarter-final against Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro.

But now Lin has again made himself popular for his ability to project spectacular winners from difficult round-the-head positions, to play the rallies in a variety for different ways, and to express his feelings.

Several times he dived dramatically along the floor, once he queried a line decision with the umpire, and at the end he moved towards the crowd and applauded them before running back to embrace his opponent.

Afterwards he said he hoped to celebrate by doing some shopping, and on being told that shops close early on Sundays in the UK he joked: "I had better leave now then!"

（Agencies） 

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