Tai Tzu-ying beats PV Sindhu in World Tour Finals opener
World No. 1 women's shuttler Tai Tzu-ying came from behind to beat Indian star PV Sindhu at badminton's World Tour Finals in Bangkok yesterday.
The Taiwanese, 26, lost the first set against Sindhu, the Rio Olympics silver medallist, but won the next two to clinch the Group B tie 19-21, 21-12, 21-17 in 59 minutes.
"It was a good match, there were no easy points," said Tai, who will face another tough assignment in her second round-robin match against Thailand's former world champion Ratchanok Intanon.
In Group A, top seed Carolina Marin, looking for her third straight trophy of the sport's three-tournament restart, defeated Russia's Evgeniya Kosetskaya 21-19, 21-14.
"The first game was tough after winning two back-to-back titles," said the reigning Olympic champion.
"Sometimes for your mindset, it's tough to be ready again for a new week, a new match and a new tournament."
In the men's singles, Viktor Axelsen, who won back-to-back Thailand Opens like Marin, also got off to a winning start.
The Dane despatched Indonesia's Anthony Ginting 21-17, 21-8 in Group A. World No. 2 Chou Tien-chen was taken to three sets by Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia, but won 21-16, 12-21, 21-11.
The top eight players in each discipline are taking part in this tournament, although China and Japan pulled out because of coronavirus issues. - AFP
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