Chen Yufei wins China’s fourth badminton medal of 2020 Olympics
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At the conclusion of the women’s singles badminton gold medal match, both players dropped to their knees.
Chen Yufei’s reaction was one of triumph while Tai Tzu-Ying fell to the court with less enthusiasm. The player from Chinese Taipei had nearly pulled off a comeback after losing the first game and trailing by seven points early in Game 3, but Tai could not outlast her opponent.
Chen emerged victorious, winning the final game 21-18 after taking the first game 21-18, but the match was truly a back-and-forth battle. It lasted an hour and 21 minutes, and the longest rally was 45 strokes.
Chen’s medal is China’s second gold in badminton and fourth overall medal in the sport. Tai’s silver is the second in badminton for her nation, following a gold in the men’s doubles match.
China’s Chen Yufei wins badminton women’s singles final
Chen Yufei celebrates victory on Sunday. Photo: VCG
China’s top seed Chen Yufei defeated Chinese Taipei’s world No.1 Tai Tzu-ying in the badminton women’s singles final to win the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday.Scores seesawed from the onset before Chen led from a 17-17 tie to 21-18. Chen raced to a 11-8 lead in the second game, but Tai recovered from 12-14 down to win 21-19. In the decider, Chen dominated to clinch a 21-18 victory, thus winning the final 2-1.Chen, 23, who is a two-time bronze medalist at world championships, harvested her first Olympic gold in her Olympic debut.Ealier in the day, India’s No.7 Pusarla Venkata Sindhu beat Chen’s teammate He Bingjiao 21-13, 21-15 to bag the bronze.In the men’s competition, Olympic defending champion Chen Long beat Indonesia’s fifth seed Anthony Sinisuka Ginting 2-0 in badminton men’s singles to reach the final, getting one step closer to claiming his second Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020.After tying at 4-4 in the opening set, Chen reeled in five points in straight to reinforce the lead and took the game 21-16. He continued to dominate the second game to a 21-11 victory.Chen, the reigning Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion will meet Denmark’s world No.2 Victor Axelsen on Monday to defend his title.Earlier in the other semifinal, Axelsen crushed the event’s dark horse, No.59 Kevin Cordon from Guatemala, to progress into the final.Chen, asked how he will contest against Axelsen, said he is not under pressure. “He is in perfect condition and made it through to the final comfortably. So what I need to do is to bring out the best of myself,” Chen said.
China’s Chen Yufei wins badminton women’s singles gold at Tokyo Olympics
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China’s Chen Yufei celebrates a victory after beating Tai Tzu-Ying of Chinese Taipei at the women’s singles final of badminton during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, Aug. 1, 2021. (Photo: China News Service/Du Yang)
Chen defeated Tai 2-1 in the badminton women’s singles final at Tokyo 2020 here on Sunday.
Scores seesawed from the onset before Chen led from a 17-17 tie to 21-18. Chen raced to an 11-8 lead in the second game, but Tai recovered from 12-14 down to win 21-19. In the decider, Chen dominated to clinch a 21-18 victory.