Olympic hopes dimmed for Thai shuttlers

The former world junior champion lost her world No 4 spot to China’s Li Xuerui this week but outplayed second seed Wang Shixian of China in straight games to retain her only title of 2011.

Saina, who celebrated her 22nd birthday on Saturday, dominated the opening exchanges to race 11-3 ahead in the first game. Wang fought back to draw level at 17-17 before Saina surged to close out the first game.

The Chinese star took the lead in the second game, going up 11-8 at the break, but once again faded as Saina finally returned to the winner’s circle with a 21-19 21-16 victory.

Saina’s triumph came after quarter-final exits at the All England last week and in the other two BWF World Superseries tournaments this year.

In the men’s singles, China’s Chen Jin boosted his Olympic qualification hopes by beating South Korea’s Lee Hyun-il in a hard-fought battle lasting 67 minutes, 14-21 21-9 21-17.

The women’s doubles saw a showdown between two young Chinese pairs who have already tasted glory in Superseries tournaments. China Masters winners Huan Xia and Tang Jinhua, who knocked out former world No 1s Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui in the semis, had too much firepower for Japan Open champions Bao Yixin-Zhong Qianxin.

Although unseeded, Huan Xia and Tang Jinhua had marched into the final without dropping a game and they capped their perfect record in the final with a dominating display to clinch the title 21-17 21-10.

Bao Yixin and Zhong Qianxin reached the final by upsetting third seeds Mami Naito/Shizuka Matsuo and then top seeds Ha Jung Eun/Kim Min Jung in the semi-finals. Japan’s Naoki Kawamae and Shoji Sato took home the men’s doubles crown after beating Taipei’s Fang Chieh Min-Lee Sheng Mu 21-13 21-14.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s mixed doubles hopes fizzled out on Sunday when world No 9 and third seeds Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thoungthongkam succumbed in straight games to top seeds Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir. It capped a disappointing tournament for the Thai team, with time running out to qualify for the Olympics.

 The 21-16 21-14 loss to the Indonesian world No 4 pair, who captured last week’s All-England Championships, took their head-to-head record to 2-0. Last year, Tontowi and Liliyana won four major titles including the Singapore Open, India Open Superseries and Macau Open.