Taiwanese badminton ace Tai Tzu-ying was well beaten in the women’s singles final at the Perodua Malaysia Masters yesterday.
Tai, the No. 2 women’s singles player in the world, was overpowered by China’s Chen Yufei 17-21, 10-21 in a match that last only 37 minutes.
As a result, Tai failed to reclaim the world No. 1 spot she lost to Chen last year.
Photo: AP
In the first game, Tai took an early 8-5 lead, but Chen scored four consecutive points to seize the lead.
Chen grew in confidence in the second game, racing to an 11-6 lead, with Tai unable to get back into the match.
Tai praised Chen’s strong strokes, but said that she had made too many mistakes to win the match.
Tai and Chen had played each other 16 times prior to yesterday’s match, with Tai leading 14-2.
Tai lost to her Chinese opponent in the final of the women’s singles at the All England Open Championships in March last year and at the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals in China last year.
In the men’s final, Kento Momota of Japan defeated Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen 24-22, 21-11.
In the women’s doubles, Li Wenmei and Zheng Yu of China beat compatriots Du Yue and Li Yinhui 21-19, 16-21, 21-19, while South Korea’s Kim Gi-jung and Lee Yong-dae won the men’s doubles 21-14, 21-16 against Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen of China.
In the mixed doubles, Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China beat compatriots Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping 21-19, 21-12.
The Malaysia Masters is the first big badminton tournament of the year.
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