Japanese tandem wins women's title at badminton worlds

Wakana Nagahara, right, and Mayu Matsumoto hug after winning the women's doubles final at the world championships in Nanjing, China, on Sunday. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

NANJING, China -- The tandem of Wakana Nagahara and Mayu Matsu-moto won the gold medal at the badminton world championships in Nanjing, China, on Sunday, beating another Japanese pair for the women's doubles title.

The duo, making its first appearance at worlds, defeated Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota -- the silver medalists at the 2017 worlds in Glasgow -- by coming from behind 19-21, 21-19, 22-20 in the final.

This is the first time in 41 years that a Japanese duo has won the doubles gold at the worlds since Etsuko Toganoo and Emiko Ueno accomplished the feat in 1977.

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