The two pairs had met 15 times before the final, with Zheng and Huang – twice world champions and the No 1 ranked team – winning on 13 occasions.

But Wang and Huang claimed bragging rights when it mattered, edging a close match 21-17, 17-21, 21-19 to secure the gold.

“My mind went blank after the final point – it still hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Wang.

“I had to tell myself, ‘If you want to win this gold medal, first you have to win over yourself’.”

The win gave China their fourth Olympic gold in mixed doubles, putting the country back on top after Indonesia’s Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir had won the title at the 2016 Rio Games.

But Wang and Huang had to come through a tense final game to claim the prize, with Huang saying the last few points “could have gone either way”.

“It was a great match and everyone was at their best, mentally, physically and tactically,” said Huang.

“We won the first game and they won the second game – we were trying to figure out each other’s minds.”

Japan’s Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino won bronze, beating Hong Kong’s Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet 21-17, 23-21.