Wang Shixian demolishes Petya Nedelcheva in round-of-16 clash at Singapore Open – Badminton news
Wang Shixian, the former world number one from China, secured her berth in quarter-final battle after defeating Bulgaria’s Petya Nedelcheva in round-of-16 clash at Li Ning Singapore Open Super Series 2013 on Thursday, June 20, in Singapore.
The World Number 10 Shixian, who is 7th seed in Singapore Open, have been struggling hard at international stage but failed to win any title for the last few months. However, she seemed in good touch while playing against her Bulgarian rival as she outplayed
her in just 38 minutes.
Shixian had to employ her experience in the opening set to control the driving seat. But it was a comfortable ride for her in the following game and she easily bagged it to make it a straight-set victory with a 21-18 and 21-15 score on the board.
Meanwhile, the un-seeded Petya could not maintain her impressive performance against the experienced Chinese opponent. She did well in the opening set but failed to focus in the following game and eventually lost the match with a decent total.
In the first game, Shixian did not show mercy to her Bulgarian challenger at the initial stage. She played with precision and easily managed an impressive lead until the end of starting half.
After the break, Petya changed her tactics and started to play positive badminton from all areas. It worked in her favour and she narrowed the gap but it was too late for her to stop her rival’s progress.
Shixian, on the other hand, became a little relaxed that helped her rival to close the gap on the board. However, she played well in ending points and finished the set with a decent total of 21-18.
In the following set, both shuttlers locked horns in an interesting manner. They played with precision and stayed neck-to-neck until 7-7 when Chinese shuttler geared up her speed and took a decent lead.
In the concluding half, Shixian became more aggressive and remained at the top of her game. She played with remarkable accuracy and precision and claimed the set with a comfortable difference of 21-15.
In the quarter-final clash, Shixian will take on her higher ranked compatriot Wang Yihan who overpowered Spain’s Carolina Marin in a thrilling rubber-set contest at top-16 stage.
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