SS FINALS 2011 Day 2 – World no. 1’s narrowly escape elimination

After suffering a narrow loss to teammates Chai/Guo on Day 1, World #1 Cai Yun / Fu Haifeng were under pressure in a must-win match against Japanese pair Hashimoto/Hirata in a men’s doubles group that is still wide open.

By Emzi Regala, Badzine Correspondent. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Cai Yun / Fu Haifeng (pictured) were not the only World Champions who came into Day 2 of the 2011 Li-Ning BWF Super Series Finals in unfamiliar territory.  Both they and compatriot Wang Yihan badly needed a win, lest they face the prospect of not making semi-final appearance at home, but it was the veteran men’s doubles pair who provided the most suspense.

Gathering inspiration from their Day 1 win against Korea’s Ko/Yoo, the confident Japanese pair Hikaru Hashimoto / Noriyasu Hirata pounded early on in the first game, challenging Cai/Fu’s defenses and not allowing Cai Yun to take control of the net.  The Japanese pair recorded a win in the first game 21-12 to really put the world #1’s on the ropes.

A do-or-die second game saw the Chinese pair trying to put the shuttle flat and down to prevent explosive attacks from the Japanese counterparts. Cai/Fu narrowly escaped elimination when they bagged the equalizer 21-19, forcing a third and deciding game.

Cai Yun stomped his racket in frustration midway through game 3 and after the umpire reversed the line judge’s call, which was heavily contested by the Chinese pair, Cai/Fu found themselves leading 18-14.   The calm Japanese did not get distracted and scored their 15^th point in the next play.  It was Cai/Fu, however who went on to take the next 3 points to secure their win.

After suffering a shocking defeat against the young Korean Sung Ji Hyun, World#1 Wang Yihan (pictured) also went into her match against Denmark’s Tine Baun in a must-win situation.

Baun started off with a lead over the World Champion in the first game, only to find herself overtaken at 16-15 through Wang Yihan’s great defense.  Baun’s consecutive errors cost her to lose the first game 16-21.

In the second game, the crowd was treated to superb rally by both players as Wang Yihan continued to defend against the visibly frustrated Baun, who in spite of her ability to move her Chinese opponent all over the court, could not get the shuttle down.  Baun quickly apologized to the umpire when she banged her racket against the net in frustration. The more focused Wang took the second game 21-12 to record her first win in the group match.

If Wang and Baun both win their third matches, there will be a three-way tie at the top of their group.  Cai/Fu’s group is even more wide open, however, with all four teams currently at 1-1.

Meanwhile, China’s only player to have actually clinched a semi-final spot already is Wang Xin, who will share the top of her group with her Friday opponent Saina Nehwal.  The same position is held by Lee Chong Wei and Peter Gade and by Korea’s Jung/Lee, who are in an identical position to last year as they take on Denmark’s Mathias Boe / Carsten Mogensen (pictured) for first spot in men’s doubles Group B.  The Danes saw off the 2008 champions Koo/Tan in two quick games.

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