Top-ranked Tai Tzu-ying won a crucial match against former world champion Ratchanok Intanon on Friday, ensuring the Taiwanese star a place in the semi-finals of badminton’s World Tour Finals in Bangkok.
The two players – both celebrated for their graceful style of play – had already met on court last week, with Tai winning a gruelling three-set game. Deja vu set in Friday as they faced off again, this time with a bruising first 23-25 set that had both players scrambling for game point before Ratchanok pulled through. But she lost steam, and Tai easily trounced her 21-12, 21-9, in a game that lasted just shy of an hour.
“I tried to calm myself (during the first set), but I made two mistakes in a row and lost the game,” said Tai. “After that though my opponent made more mistakes.”
Tai will be playing against South Korean teen prodigy An Se-young in the semi-finals.
Here is the semifinal lineup for tomorrow.
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