Badminton Day 1 Review: surprises come early
(BEIJING, August 9) -- Without any seeded or top-ranking shuttlers in Day 1 of the Badminton Women's Singles Top 64 and Men's Singles Top 64, the Badminton competition of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was off to a quiet start.
Ranking 13th in the world, Poland's 27-year-old Przemyslaw Wacha was the biggest name today in Men's Singles. He comfortably beat 20-year old Raul Must of Estonia 21-14, 21-15 in just 33 minutes. "He is young but he is a good player. I lost to him two years ago in the European championships and I am very glad to win today," Wacha commented on his opponent. "I felt nervous at the beginning. It took me around 10 minutes to get into the game." Wacha was the bronze medal winner at the 2008 European Badminton Championships.
World No. 13 Juliane Schenk was heartbroken after the results came out for the Women's Singles. Facing World No. 21 Maria Kristin Yulianti of Indonesia, Schenk barely took the first game 21-18, and was completely pounded in the second game 21-13. In the final game, she couldn't hold her nerve, eventually losing the game 22-20. "I tried everything and it was very close, this was a very important game for me. Of course I am disappointed but that is how it goes," said Schenk after the match. "I plan to play on. If I still have fun on the court, I will continue."
Women's singles world No. 12 Yip Pui Yin and World No. 14 Great Britain's Tracey Hallam had a close encounter, but the result turned out to be a little bit surprise as Hallam won the match cleanly 21-15, 21-17. "I'm very happy about the match. It was a tough match to start of with. Both games were very close. I got the result I wanted. I think I'll remember this match forever," Hallam said after the match. Yip had trouble in adjusting to Hallam's left-hand play: "Tracy is a left-handed player and I am not familiar with her style of play. My opponent is stronger and more experienced than me. I was not a big enough threat for her."
In other notable Men's Singles matches, World No. 20 Andrew Smith of Great Britain beat Petr Koukal of Czech Republic 10-21, 21-12, 21-15.
World No. 24 Marc Zwiebler of Germany took out Ireland's Scott Evans in a three-game thriller: 21-18, 18-21, 21-19.
In other notable Women's Singles matches, World No. 11 Jun Jae-Youn of Republic of Korea easily defeated Poland's Kamila Augustyn 21-15, 21-5.
World No. 15 Saina Nehwal of India enjoyed her win over Ella Karachkova of Russia 21-9, 21-8.
World No. 16 Petya Nedelcheva of Bulgaria cruised past Sweden's Sara Persson 21-10, 21-10.
World No. 20 Eriko Hirose of Japan had an easy match against Ragna Björg Ingólfsdóttir of Iceland who retired in the second game when losing 19-7.
World No. 13 Juliane Schenk was heartbroken after the results came out for the Women's Singles. Facing World No. 21 Maria Kristin Yulianti of Indonesia, Schenk barely took the first game 21-18, and was completely pounded in the second game 21-13. In the final game, she couldn't hold her nerve, eventually losing the game 22-20. "I tried everything and it was very close, this was a very important game for me. Of course I am disappointed but that is how it goes," said Schenk after the match. "I plan to play on. If I still have fun on the court, I will continue."
Women's singles world No. 12 Yip Pui Yin and World No. 14 Great Britain's Tracey Hallam had a close encounter, but the result turned out to be a little bit surprise as Hallam won the match cleanly 21-15, 21-17. "I'm very happy about the match. It was a tough match to start of with. Both games were very close. I got the result I wanted. I think I'll remember this match forever," Hallam said after the match. Yip had trouble in adjusting to Hallam's left-hand play: "Tracy is a left-handed player and I am not familiar with her style of play. My opponent is stronger and more experienced than me. I was not a big enough threat for her."
In other notable Men's Singles matches, World No. 20 Andrew Smith of Great Britain beat Petr Koukal of Czech Republic 10-21, 21-12, 21-15.
World No. 24 Marc Zwiebler of Germany took out Ireland's Scott Evans in a three-game thriller: 21-18, 18-21, 21-19.
In other notable Women's Singles matches, World No. 11 Jun Jae-Youn of Republic of Korea easily defeated Poland's Kamila Augustyn 21-15, 21-5.
World No. 15 Saina Nehwal of India enjoyed her win over Ella Karachkova of Russia 21-9, 21-8.
World No. 16 Petya Nedelcheva of Bulgaria cruised past Sweden's Sara Persson 21-10, 21-10.
World No. 20 Eriko Hirose of Japan had an easy match against Ragna Björg Ingólfsdóttir of Iceland who retired in the second game when losing 19-7.