The men from Japan hold their medals and Thomas Cup trophy up high after causing yet another upset to defeat Malaysia 3-2 in the final held at the Siri Fort Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, India, today. - AFP pic, May 25, 2014.Japan continued their giant-killing run all the way to the final, upsetting Malaysia 3-2 to lift the Thomas Cup for the first time ever.
The shuttlers from the Land of the Rising Sun had already caused a stunning upset in the semifinals when they defeated China 3-0, to make their first ever appearance in the final.
Not many had given the Japanese a prayer against Malaysia, the five-time winners of the Thomas Cup and with 15 final appearances under their belt.
However, at the Siri Fort Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, the plucky Japanese shuttlers proved their win over China was no fluke.
The Thomas Cup victory was also balm as the Japanese women had lost the Uber Cup final to China yesterday.
If it is any consolation, badminton fans were the winners as players from both countries gave stellar performances that ultimately led to the fifth and deciding match – the third singles between Liew Daren and Takuma Ueda.
It was an uphill battle to begin with for Liew as he is ranked 66th in the world while Ueda is ranked 25th.
Ueda took the first set 21-12, then Liew mounted what was the greatest fightback of the final, coming back from 10-16 to 17-17 and going on to win 21-18. That is 11 points against two from the Japanese in the last 20 minutes of that second set.
The rubber set was the ultimate nail-biter as Liew and Ueda kept up with each other, earning points alternately, all the way through to point 17, then the Japanese went on to win 21-17. It 
Hiroyuki Endo (left) and Kenichi Hayakawa celebrate after they defeated Malaysia's Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How in the crucial first doubles to tie the score at 1-1 after two matches in the Thomas Cup final in New Delhi today. – Reuters pic, May 25, 2014.was game over for Malaysia and kudos to Japan after a final that lasted more than six hours altogether.
Hiroyuki Endo (left) and Kenichi Hayakawa celebrate after they defeated Malaysia's Tan Boon Heong and Hoon Thien How in the crucial first doubles to tie the score at 1-1 after two matches in the Thomas Cup final in New Delhi today. – Reuters pic, May 25, 2014.was game over for Malaysia and kudos to Japan after a final that lasted more than six hours altogether.
This was a see-saw final with both Malaysia and Japan holding the lead at different junctures.
Malaysia's failure to capitalise on the fine start from world number one Datuk Lee Chong Wei, saw the Japanese come back to lead the series 2-1.
In that first match, Lee defeated Japan's Kenichi Tago in straight sets. Despite the pressure on the world number one as the first Malaysian combatant of the night, he won in under an hour with a score of 21-12, 21-16.
Tago gave a bit of a fight in the first set going toe-to-toe with Lee but the Malaysian broke away to take an unassailable lead after the halfway mark.
In the second set, the Japanese raised his game and was leading by five points at one juncture. Lee then caught up by scoring six consecutive points, and he never looked back as he then went on to win the set and the match.
The next two matches were two the Malaysians will want to forget fast.
The leading Malaysian doubles pair of Hoon Thien How and Tan Boon Heong lost to Japan's Kenichi Hayakawa and Hiroyuki Endo despite taking the first set in a convincing manner, winning 21-12.
It was a close battle thereafter, and for all their best efforts, the duo were still unable to resist the Japanese pair from going on to win the next two sets 17-21, 18-21.
In the second singles match, Chong Wei Feng, who had been a revelation for Malaysia in the tournament so far, lost to Kento Momota in straight sets 15-21, 17-21.
It may have been a case of nerves for Chong, as he had won all his previous matches in the tournament, in which he was making his debut.
It ultimately fell to the seco
Lee started the campaign for Malaysia in the final against Japan in smashing fashion, but alas he was not to put his hands on the Thomas Cup. - Reuters pic, May 25, 2014.nd Malaysian doubles pair of Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong to keep the nation's hopes alive.
Lee started the campaign for Malaysia in the final against Japan in smashing fashion, but alas he was not to put his hands on the Thomas Cup. - Reuters pic, May 25, 2014.nd Malaysian doubles pair of Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong to keep the nation's hopes alive.
They came from a set down to defeat Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda. The score of 19-21, 21-17, 21-12 showed just how tight the first two sets were as the points in those two sets were being racked at almost equal pace by both pairs.
Goh and Tan then sealed the all-important game for Malaysia with a commanding performance to put Malaysia and Japan tied at two points apiece in this most fitting finale to this year's Thomas Cup tournament.
Malaysia has qualified for the final three times since they last triumphed in 1992 but came unstuck each time against Indonesia, the last time being in 2002.
Despite a nation willing them on, Malaysia ultimately failed to lift the Thomas Cup again despite the gallant efforts of the players.
The results of the Thomas Cup final are as follows:
Lee Chong Wei defeated Kenichi Tago – 21-12, 21-16;
Hoon Thien How-Tan Boon Heong lost to Kenichi Hayakawa-Hiroyuki Endo – 21-12, 17-21, 19-21;
Chong Wei Feng lost to Kento Momota – 15-21, 17-21
Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong defeated Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda – 19-21, 21-17, 21-12
Daren Liew lost to Takuma Ueda – 12-21, 21-18, 17-21. – May 25, 2014.
Malaysian Insider
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