The 23-year-old, an Olympic silver medallist at Rio 2016, triumphed 21-19, 21-19 over Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara at the Tianhe Gymnasium to claim what is her first title of the year in the last event of 2018.

Before today’s victory, the Indian had fallen at the final hurdle in four previous tournaments, including the BWF World Championships and the Asian Games.

That combined with her silver from Rio 2016 and from the World Championships last year, meant Sindhu was "carrying heavy baggage" as the BWF put it, as she entered today’s final.

Following the victory, a clearly emotional Sindhu savoured the winning feeling.

"I’m really proud," she said.

"The year has ended on a beautiful note.

"People have been asking me the same question, why I always lose in the final?

"Now I can say I won the gold and I’m proud of it.

"I think the question won’t come again."

In the men’s singles China’s Shi Yuqi reversed the result of the World Championship final earlier this year, beating Japan’s Kento Momota to claim the men’s title.

He won 21-12, 21-11, inflicting Momota’s worst defeat of the season against a player he had never previously beaten.

"I’m thrilled as I’d never beaten Momota and to do it on this stage is very special," Yuqi said.

"To come through a strong group and then to win the title is very special."

In the doubles, world champions China's Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen ended their fantastic season with victory in the men’s final, while Japan's Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi won the women’s event.

They beat the pairs of Japan's Hiroyuki Endo and Yuta Watanabe, and South Korea's Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan, by scores of 21-15, 21-11 and 21-12, 22-20 respectively.

In the mixed event meanwhile, the title was claimed by Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping of China, who beat team-mates Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong 23-21, 16-21, 21-18.