Battles of Wills – Semi-Finals: Fuzhou China Open 2018
One World champion survived while the other perished today in two singles semi-finals that proved mental tests at the Fuzhou China Open 2018.
· GAYLE ALLEYNE
Men’s Singles king, Kento Momota (featured image; right), brushed off the loss of the opening game versus China’s Chen Long (featured image; left) to emerge victorious in their first battle to go the distance: 19-21 21-17 21-17 in 97 absorbing minutes. By contrast, Women’s Singles World champion, Carolina Marin, failed to convert her first-game ascendancy over Chen Yufei. The talented Chinese buckled down and challenged Marin shot for shot, creating opportunities and taking her chances to savour her first success against the usually-lethal left-hander: 11-21 21-15 21-13 in 65 minutes.
Having been blitzed in the first game – with Marin surrendering just two points after the interval and appearing on track for another demolition – Chen Yufei played well to rebound in the second game and then dominate the decider. Winning a 40-shot rally to propel her to 18-11 in the third game was among the highlights of Chen’s comeback as she kept her composure and pressured Marin into submission. Uncharacteristically, an increasing number of errors flowed from the Spaniard’s racket, with Marin straying over the baseline on the last two points of the match; Chen punching the air triumphantly.
“Before the match, I think we have 50-50 chance – although I am not the best all-round player and it is possible to lose a few points in succession. However, I have learnt a lot from the past. I have to keep calm and find a way out,” said 20-year-old Chen.