Badminton World Championships: Hong Kong’s Yip Pui-yin causes upset in women’s singles
- Yip breezes past Belgium’s Lianne Tan, ranked 55 places above her, but Cheung Ngan-yi loses to India’s Saina Nehwal
- Chang Tak-ching and Ng Wing-yung are knocked out of the mixed doubles at the championships in Tokyo
After the leading men began Hong Kong’s campaign on Monday, day two of the Badminton World Championships featured Cheung Ngan-yi and Yip Pui-yin in the women’s singles.
Yip needed just 35 minutes on Tuesday to get past Belgium’s No 32-ranked Lianne Tan, who she beat in straight sets 21-14, 22-20. Ranked 55 places below Tan at No 87, Yip went through to meet Canada’s Michelle Li in round two.
“It will be difficult for Yip in her next round as the veteran will need to perform well against her Canadian opponent who is still in her peak years,” badminton head coach Tim He Yiming said.
But Yip’s 50th-ranked compatriot Cheung bowed out, losing to India’s No 33-ranked Saina Nehwal 21-19, 21-9. “Cheung has been troubled by her leg problems since the Tokyo Olympics and is struggling to regain her best. After a highly contested first game, she could not maintain her momentum against Nehwal, causing a landslide defeat in the second,” said He.
There was a second solid performance of the week in the men’s singles from Lee Cheuk-yiu. He dispatched Jan Louda of the Philippines 21-17, 21-12, also in 35 minutes, and will face Taiwan’s Chou Tien-Chen, the world number four, in the third round.
“It will be an interest game against Chou as the two met twice in Indonesia in June with each winning one,” said He. “Lee must set himself as the underdog to challenge the higher ranking opponent so that he can have a chance.
“But Lee and other Hong Kong players have prepared the tournament well with some quality training before leaving for Tokyo. We hope their hard work will pay off.”