Six teams check in to quarter-finals
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The second day of competition saw six teams confirm their tickets to the quarter-finals of the 2011 Double Star BWF Sudirman Cup World Mixed Team Championships but Group 1C is delicately poised with any one of the three teams – India, Thailand and Taipei – still in the running to book the last two slots.
In Group 1A, China will face off with Japan on Tuesday to determine the group winners after they both beat Germany 4-1 on Sunday and Monday respectively.
Also on Tuesday, Thailand with teen titan Inthanon Ratchanok in their ranks, will try to overcome Taipei if they are too book a place in the quarter-finals. On Monday, India bounced back from a 3-2 loss to Taipei, to beat Thailand by the same scoreline.
The shock of the day came when Ratchanok defeated world No. 4 Saina Nehwal 21-14, 22-20 in a battle between a former and current world junior champion.
"This is the first time I'm playing beating her. The last time we met was two years ago in Malaysia and she beat," said the soft-spoken Thai. "I am aiming to win my first OSIM BWF World Superseries title before the year is out and beating Saina will give me extra confidence."
Thailand will need to beat Taipei 4-1 or 5-0 to be certain of reaching the knock-out stage. A 3-2 victory will see the three times deadlocked and the qualifiers could come down to matches or even points won.
Malaysia, who began their Group 1B campaign on Monday, breezed through Russia 4-1 to eliminate the Europeans, who had also lost by the same margin to Indonesia a day earlier. Malaysia take on Indonesia on Wednesday to decide who top the group.
"Our mixed doubles pair (Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying) are still very young so maybe they didn't handle the pressure very well. They should have been prepared to play anyone, anytime," said Malaysia's doubles coach Rexy Mainaky.
"In team events, the mixed doubles are usually first, so they have to be mentally stronger to face their tie. They have lots of potential to succeed. It's their first time in a major team event but I expect more from them in future."
The Malaysians lost 21-19, 21-18 to Alexandr Nikolaenko-Valeria Sorokina. However, world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei easily beat Ivan Sozonov 21-9, 21-10 to level the match.
Tee Jing Yi then outclassed Anastasia Prokopenko 21-17, 21-13 before former world No. 1s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (picture), hammered Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov 21-9, 21-17.
Wong Pei Tty, who has just come back from a knee injury, resumed her partnership with Chin Eei Hui and edged Sorokina-Nina Vislova 21-12, 19-21, 21-15.
Denmark and South Korea will also go head-to-head on Wednesday to see who top Group 1B.
In Group 2A, France and Hong Kong got off to winning starts, beating Poland and Ukraine 3-2 and 4-1 respectively.
