Yip Pui Yin dominates Sung Ji Hyun to surge into pre quarter-finals - London Olympics Update
Hong Kong’s spirited shuttler Yip Pui Yin performed beyond expectations and unseated Sung Ji Hyun to ensure her presence in pre quarter-finals of London Olympics on July 30, 2012.
This Group J match, held at court number one of Wembley Arena, was resolved in just two games as higher ranked Korean shuttler surrendered after reading 18-21 and 21-23 score on the board.
The World Number eight Ji Hyun, who was expected to have a smooth run to round of eight, could not live up to the expectations and disappointed her supporters by crashing out of the group stage of London Games.
On the other hand, the unseeded campaigner Pui Yin locked all the attention by putting a commendable show of skills in this crucial encounter.
She laid foundation of her victory by clinching very first match point with a decent lead in final margin.
In first half of the opening set, Pui Yin made her intentions clear when she prevailed in three nonstop rallies in the beginning and maintained this slight edge all the way to mid-game break.
She stayed focused and did not show any sign of bewilderment against her higher ranked opponent. She managed to place a respectable total of 11 points before the interval.
The player from Hong Kong committed some mistakes in third quarter of the set but she did not lose her grip over the game and bagged first set with a convincing margin of 21-18.
However, it was not a smooth road to victory in following game as she had to face strong resistance from the eighth seeded shuttler of the event.
This time Ji Hyun employed all of her experience and brilliance in the game to oust the opponent but luck was not on her side and she lost this consequential set by a hair.
She took a good start and remained one or two steps ahead of her challenger in first half but she could not go with same flow all the way to final moments.
Meanwhile, World Number 22 player Pui Yin showed strong character in pressure situation and swept the table with a favourable figure of 23-21.
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