2012 China Masters: Xu Chen, Ma Jin clinch top spot on victory stand in Mixed Doubles event
Mixed Doubles experts Xu Chen and Ma Jin stamped their supremacy over Zihan Qiu-Jinhua Tang and claimed the crown in the Li Ning China Masters on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
This final encounter, staged at the local badminton arena of Changzhou in China, lasted 54 minutes and ended with concluding figures of 14-21, 21-11 and 21-10.
The unseeded Chinese campaigners Zihan Qiu and Jinhua Tang elevated their chances of victory by clinching the very first match point but then their compatriots came in their way and put their expedition to halt.
World Number one pair Xu Chen-Ma Jin employed all of their brilliance and experience in the game and locked the honour by prevailing in the last two sets.
Initially, they were a bit confused as the opening game saw them struggling to revive their lost chemistry.
Though, they took a great start but could not manage to go with the same flow in the next couple of rallies and lost this set with a seven-point deficit.
On the other hand, Zihan Qiu and Jinhua Tang remained at the lower end until 4-7 but they switched on their best and tipped the scale in their favour with 11-8 margin.
Later part of the game proved a one-sided affair as Xu Chen-Ma Jin failed to rise from the dust and surrendered after reading 14-21 score.
However, they did not take much time to end this bad patch and made amends with a strong reply in the very next game.
This time they made the difference immediately in the beginning and maintained that lead all the way to game point situation.
In the first half of the set, Xu Chen and Ma Jin established their grip with 11-5 total and then capitalised this advantage also in the second half.
The prime Chinese duo dazzled their compatriots with a lustrous performance and won this crucial segment with a decisive figure of 21-11.
They did not lose this touch and sealed a splendid victory by claiming third match point with a huge difference of eleven points.
Zihan Qiu and Jinhua Tang kept trailing behind until the final moments and knelt down after reading 10-21 margin on the board.
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