Star-studded Chinese badminton team clinched victories in both
men's and women's team competitions at the Doha Asian Games on
Thursday.
Spearheaded by World No. 1 Lin Dan, the Chinese men's team swept
past the all-amateur squad of India 5-0. However,?
"He played in a strange way," said Lin who finished the second
game 21-11. "I even wanted to give up the first game at 19-19."
Top-seeded Zhang Ning was the only one who lost a game while the
Chinese women's team overplaying Malaysia 5-0.
Athens Olympic champion Zhang had never lost to Wong Mew Choo
from Malaysia and the 31-year-old thought she had never lost a set
to the gritty rival in their previous encounters.
In the first set, Zhang took a 5-3 lead but then lost six points
in a row. In spite of striving for a tie at 19-19, Zhang lost the
game 19-21.
After winning the following two sets 21-18 and 21-18, an
unsatisfied Zhang said, "I don't know what's wrong with me. I just
felt I moved too slowly on the court while my rival is a good
runner indeed."
In women's team competition, both Japan and Thailand came from
two matches behind to upset South Korea and Hong Kong, China,
respectively.
After being defeated by China, India failed to topple another
powerhouse Indonesia, losing 0-5. Indonesian star Taufik Hidayat
edged Anup Sridhar 23-21, 21-16, saying, "I think it's not a good
game, but it's just the first round. I had to win. Today I played
like it was training."
Japan lost to Malaysia 0-5 in the morning, but overcame Hong
Kong, China, 5-0 in the evening.
Vietnam was defeated by South Korea and Thailand.
(Xinhua News Agency December 1, 2006)