Kong Hee Yong Caps Knee Surgery Comeback With Dramatic 30-29 Japan Open Title Victory

Kong Hee Yong's return to competitive badminton following right knee surgery culminated in one of the most dramatic finals in recent BWF World Tour history. Partnering with Kim Hye Jeong, the South Korean duo captured the DAIHATSU Japan Open 2026 women's doubles title in Tokyo, completing a fairy-tale comeback that tested their absolute physical limits.[1][3]

The sixth-seeded Korean pair defeated China's second-seeded duo of Jia Yi Fan and Zhang Shu Xian in a grueling 14-21, 21-15, 30-29 thriller. The match, which lasted 1 hour and 39 minutes, required Kim and Kong to rally from a first-game deficit against one of the world's most formidable partnerships.[2][3][4]

For Kong, simply reaching the final was a monumental achievement. She had been sidelined since the Badminton Asia Team Championships in February 2026, undergoing surgery for a right knee injury followed by four months of intensive rehabilitation. The Super 750 event in Japan marked her first competitive appearance since the procedure.[1][5]

"I didn't think I could reach the final after my surgery," an emotional Kong admitted following the victory. "I want to thank Kim, she helped me a lot here, and I'm so happy with this title." Her ability to cover the court and execute sudden attacking transitions showed no lingering signs of the injury.[1]

The third game of the final evolved into a historic marathon. After Kim and Kong built an early lead, the Chinese pair fiercely closed the gap, leading to a seesaw battle that reached a 20-20 deuce. From there, the two teams traded match points in an agonizing display of defensive resilience.[2][3]

Under BWF regulations, a game that reaches a 29-29 tie is decided by a sudden-death "golden point," as 30 is the maximum possible score. The teams battled through 10 consecutive deuces, saving six match points each, before Zhang Shu Xian hit a final kill shot just wide to seal the 30-29 victory for the Koreans.[1][3][6]

The rare 30-29 scoreline is an anomaly at the highest levels of professional badminton, requiring both extraordinary stamina and unwavering mental composure. Kim noted that their strategy in the tense final moments was simply mental discipline. "We made a lot of mistakes, but we just had to put it in the past and try not to repeat them," she explained.[1][3]

The triumph immediately re-establishes Kim and Kong among the world's elite pairs ahead of the upcoming BWF World Championships and the 2026 Asian Games. By conquering a grueling 99-minute final in her first tournament back, Kong has proven that modern sports science and sheer athletic willpower can overcome even the most daunting injury setbacks.[3][5]