Tai Tzu-ying yesterday emphatically beat 19-year-old Tanya Hemanth at the Taipei Open.
Tai defeated the world No. 57 Indian 21-11, 21-6 in just 29 minutes at the University Of Taipei’s Tianmu Arena to move into the quarter-finals of the women’s singles.
It was her 17th consecutive win at the Taipei Open as she seeks her first BWF title this season.
Photo: CNA
Tai has won the Taipei Open four times and has a decade of experience over Hermanth, who started well in game 1. It was 11-8 at the break, but Tai put together a string of points to pull away and close out the game.
However, it was all one-way traffic from there as Tai shot out to 9-0 in game 2 and closed it out comfortably.
Tai won in Taipei in 2012, 2016, 2018 and last year. She lost to Li Xuerui of China in the semi-finals in 2015, but has not lost since in the years she has played the tournament.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
In the quarter-finals today, Tai faces Thailand’s Supanida Katethong, who beat Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh 21-15, 21-14.
Hemanth is not the youngest player seeking to unseat Tai. Thailand’s Pitchamon Opatniputh, who is just 16, also advanced to the quarter-finals with a 23-21, 21-17 win against Taiwan’s Huang Yu-hsun.
Opatniputh told the Central News Agency that this is her first trip to Taiwan and that she has fallen in love with fried squid in Taipei’s night markets.
Asked about her win yesterday, she said she was surprised to have made it this far.
“Actually, I originally expected to only be in the first round,” she said. “I didn’t expect to make it to the top eight. I feel very excited and proud.”
Opatniputh said that her father, a badminton coach, would take her to training, which is why she took up the sport.
“My goal is to move toward the top 10 in the world and win world championships and Olympic medals,” she said. “I have many idols, such as Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon and Tai Tzu-ying.”
“I hope I get to play Tai this time,” she added.
In the men’s singles, Taiwan’s Lin Chun-yi upset compatriot Chou Tien-chen 21-19, 11-21, 21-15.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS