HONG KONG: Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon shrugged off a shaky start on Saturday to make the final of the Hong Kong Open 2019 badminton tournament for the second straight year.
The Thai world No.4 was cruising at 19-12 against Akane Yamaguchi when she fell prey to self-doubt, and Yamaguchi stormed back to take the opening game at 23-21.
But Ratchanok stuck to her task, delivering sharp smashes and strokes that Yamaguchi struggled to return, taking the next two games 21-15, 21-12, in a match that lasted 62 minutes.
In Sunday’s final, Ratchanok will take on third-ranked Chen Yu Fei, whom she has beaten only twice in 12 matches, and none in the last three.
“I was calm at 19-10 and [Yamaguchi] just tried to play with more speed,” said Ratchanok, explaining what had happened in the first game. “That’s not my game and I put pressure on myself. For me, I felt it was not my point when I was hitting the shuttle, so it was not good even though I controlled the game.
“I just tried to keep calm and try again in the second. I knew I had to push her more, play not her game, but what I want to play.”
Ratchanok said she expected Chen – who won the Fuzhou China Open last Sunday – to be tired. The Chinese star defeated American Beiwen Zhang 2-1 (21 18, 14-21, 21-15) earlier on Saturday.
“She will be a bit tired from last week, and here also she looked tired. She has a good defence. I will try to do my best, I won’t think about my weakness.”