2012 London Olympics: Li Xuerui proves herself a valuable addition in Women’s brigade of China
Is it right to choose Li Xuerui over the experienced Wang Shixian? This was the question asked when China’s Olympic squad was announced and it got answered few weeks back when young Li emerged as champion in the mega event.
The 21-year-old shuttler was in prime touch after bagging German Open, All England Open, Badminton Asia Championships and India Open this year. She continued with her top form in London Games and unseated world beaters like Tai Tzu Ying, Wang Xin and Wang
Yihan to claim the Women’s Singles throne.
World Number three shuttler who was also third seeded player of the tournament, was placed in Group L along with Claudia Rivero and Carolina Marin.
Li started her successful run straight away in the opening match of group stage and sealed a straight-set victory over Claudia of Peru. She registered her presence by finishing this tussle with notable difference in final figures of 21-5 and 21-6.
This win kick-started her unbeatable campaign and she never looked back in her race of glory. She enthralled the Spanish campaigner Carolina with a dazzling performance. She laid the foundation of her supremacy by clinching first set with significant total
of 21-13 and then magnified the impact with 21-11 score on the board.
This knock opened the doors of pre quarter-final round for her where she was up against Tai Tzu Ying. This was third meeting between both contenders and Li Xuerui maintained her track record of being invincible in front of the Taipei shuttler.
The Chinese player pocketed full benefits of this psychological advantage and pushed her opponent on the back-foot by prevailing in first set. She carried this momentum also in next game and secured a berth in quarter-finals with 21-16 and 23-21 margin.
This splendid success setup her clash with an unseeded player Yip Pui Yin in round of eight. She played impeccable badminton in both games and proved herself technically and tactically superior to her challenger.
Li Xuerui finished first set with an indomitable ten-point lead in 21-12 total and then showed her class when things got worse in second set. She powered her way in top four shuttlers of the event by placing a winning margin of 22-20.
The semi-final round brought real challenge for her as now she was going to meet higher ranked compatriot shuttler Wang Xin.
However, the young but spirited Li did not show any sign of bewilderment and stood full to her stature against World Number two opponent. She took some time to read her challenger’s game but then did not give her even a single counter-attack opportunity
and locked the honour with favourable figures of 22-20 and 21-18.
Now she was scheduled to meet top seeded Chinese player Wang Yihan in grand finale of the London Olympics. Li defied all odds to claim the crown after an exhausting exercise of three sets.
Though, she got pale in the opening game but then ending two sets saw her in transformed character. She proved her attack was as good as her defence and earned the right to be on top of victory stand with 15-21, 23-21 and 21-17.
Li Xuerui’s gold medal in her debut Olympics and her journey to glory in presence of famous “Wang Gang” proves that she is a valuable addition in Women line-up of China and she will ensure country’s supremacy in the arena for many more years.
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