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Photo: Badmintonphoto
The successor of Carolina Marin
Date: 8/1/2021 3:58 PM
Published by : Rasmus Bech(BEC)

Chen Yu Fei is the new Olympic women’s singles champion.

The final on Sunday was without any doubt the biggest match ever for both Tai Tzu Ying, Chinese Taipei and her Chinese opponent, Chen Yu Fei. On paper, it was also the matchup, all badminton fans had been waiting for: The first seed against the number two seed.

The women’s singles stars both entered the court in Tokyo hunting for the gold medal, which Carolina Marin won five years ago. Tai Tzu Ying was off to the best start leading 11-10, after an entertaining opening of the first game.

Tai Tzu Ying, who is still hunting for that golden medal at the big events, showed more than once why badminton fans love to see her play. Tai Tzu Ying used her full repertoire and Chen Yu Fei did what she is doing best: fighting.

Long history
You need to bring your running shoes, if you want to beat the Chinese world number two. Tai Tzu Ying used every single inch of the court to get the Chinese out of balance,  but after an entertaining first game, Chen Yu Fei had the upper hand winning 21-18.

Before today’s final, the two stars had met 18 times before, with Tai Tzu Ying leading as much as 15-3, and the history between the two players might have been useful for the 27 year-old women’s singles player from Chinese Taipei.

Tai Tzu Ying played to the edge of what is possible and bounced back winning the second game 21-19.

One to remember
The Olympics are famous for creating memories, and there is no doubt that all the people, who watched the women’s singles final, will not forget the matchup between the two top ranked players.

Chen Yu Fei, who in the second game struggled on turning defence to offence, continued to put up a great fight, and at the interval she was leading 11-6.

Tai Tzu Ying climbed her way back into the deciding game, but after a thrilling final, the Olympic women’s singles title is back on Chinese hands. Chen Yu Fei won the third game 21-18.

Legendary group of winners
Chen Yu Fei is now part of the legendary group of Chinese women’s singles players winning the Olympic title.

Chen Yu Fei became the fourth Chinese women’s singles player to win the Olympics following in the footsteps of Gong Zhichao (2000), Zhang Ning (2004+2008) and Li Xuerui (2012).

For Tzi Tzu Ying it is also a historical result despite the loss. She became the first ever singles player from Chinese Taipei to medal at the Olympics.

Indian history
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medal in the women’s singles category goes to Pusarla V. Sindhu from India. The Rio 2016 runner-up won in straight games against He Bing Jiao, China.

With a solid 21-13 21-15 win, the Indian became the first women’s singles player since Chinese legend Zhang Ning (2004+2008) to claim a medal at back-to-back Olympics. 


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