Raymond Darmawan, Michelle Gray claim spot in third round of 2012 Australian Closed Championships
Mixed Doubles campaigners Raymond Darmawan and Michelle Gray showed superb coordination and secured their berth in the third round of the Australian Closed Championships Sydney on August 29, 2012.
They unseated Ishan Sembapperruma-Chameka Madurawe in a hard fought tussle to setup a pre quarter-final clash with Hua Jin Ong-Donna Dewitt.
This second round encounter remained in full swing for 34 minutes before ending with concluding result of 18-21, 21-9 and 21-16.
Though, the losing team elevated their chances of victory by claiming the very first match point but their rivals turned their plans into dust by prevailing in the last two games.
The twosome of Raymond and Michelle were bit sluggish in the opening game as they dropped many valuable points just because they could not move swiftly across the court.
On the other hand, Ishan and Chameka pushed them in all areas of the court and tested their challengers’ mental and physical fitness.
They launched a brisk attack and gained the overall control of rallies. They did not lose focus at any stage of the game and maintained the upper hand until the final moments. This segment of the showdown ended in their favour with 21-18 margin.
Conversely, they proved sitting ducks in the very next set as their competitors did not find any trouble in hunting them down.
This time, Raymond and Michelle employed all of their brilliance and experience in the game and brought the contest to the right balance.
They played flawless badminton and proved their technical and tactical supremacy over their opponents.
They fetched valuable points at steady pace and finished the first half with an indomitable total of 11.
This initial advantage helped them in later part of the game as they doubled their lead and swept the table with an overwhelming figure of 21-9.
With such an emphatic end, Raymond and Michelle had a psychological edge before the decider. They utilised their confidence in this crucial set and locked the honour in great fashion.
They started the beating from the very first stroke and managed to go with the same flow throughout the decider. They sealed a splendid victory by registering 21-16 score on the board.
Tags: