SS FINALS 2010 Day 3 – Yip inches closer to semis

Hong Kong dark horse Yip Pui Yin (pictured) secured a second victory at the Victor BWF 2010 Super Series Finals but is still left waiting to know if she will advance.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Taipei.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Yip Pui Yin did all she could to secure a semi-final spot at the Victor BWF 2010 Super Series Finals but it will only be when the results of the last of the singles matches are in that she will know for sure whether she’ll be playing on the weekend.

“I feel like it is a bonus just to be here,” said Yip after her afternoon match.  “I was only ranked about 10^th but only two Chinese could qualify so I am very happy to be able to play the Super Series Finals.

“I think that maybe Tine’s condition wasn’t so good on Wednesday but when I came in to this tournament I never thought I could beat her.  I was just playing like it was training but I figured I could just do my very best and I won.

Yip was in trouble early in the first game, however, as she blew a 19-11 lead and ended up having to fight to edge out Petya Nedelcheva 26-24.

“I was so afraid in the first game because I was ahead by many points and then she kept catching up and catching up,” Yip recounted.  “Then at 20-all I was very, very nervous but I won.  In the second game I reminded myself that I just had to not think about that first game and just concentrate on winning.

“I felt so lucky to win the silver medal in Doha and then in Guangzhou to beat Saina in the quarter-final and get the bronze.  This year I am concentrating on getting ranking points and I hope I will be able to qualify for the London Olympics.”

Later on, on centre court, Korea’s Bae Youn Joo and Wang Shixian (pictured) of China played a very different match as both had already qualified for the semi-finals.  Bae stayed close in the first game but after winning it 21-18, Wang ran away with the match in the second to cement her position as the top seed and at the top of Group A.

“I didn’t want to push it too hard today because I am concentrating on getting ready for the semi-finals,” said Bae after the match.  Bae has given China’s Wangs some tough matches in the last year but her only victory was against Wang Yihan at last January’s Malaysia Open.

“I think I can come out on top again if I can improve my speed and my concentration.  If I have to play Wang Yihan tomorrow, though, I think I will have some confidence because I did beat her the last time we played.”

Wang Yihan is the only player in women’s singles Group B who is assured of a semi-final berth but she still isn’t guaranteed of topping the group and it is still not known whether it will be Yip or Tine Baun who will accompany her into the weekend.

The afternoon session ended with the rest of China’s women’s team finishing in the expected one-two position in the doubles Group B. as Wang/Yu beat Fujii/Kakiiwa and Cheng/Zhao prevailed over Aroonkesorn/Voravichitchaikul respectively, both in straight games.

For complete results from Day 3 of the BWF Super Series Finals, CLICK HERE

Come stay with us for the Super Series Finals at the Chateau de Chine.  Located at the heart of Sinjhuang City, Chateau de Chine Hotel is created to convey the vibrant and everlasting sense of traditional beauty. Inspired by the Art Nouveau style, Chateau de Chine hotel infuses the finest elegance of French design with an authentic touch of oriental aesthetics.   If you are looking for quality accommodation during the event or anytime you are visiting Taipei, check out their website here.