Yeo powers through illness for first-round win
Despite feeling unwell in the lead-up to the Indonesia Masters, national shuttler Yeo Jia Min advanced to the second round of the competition yesterday after beating Denmark's Line Christophersen 21-18, 21-18 in their opener.
The pair went toe to toe for the bulk of the first game at the Bali International Convention Centre, until world No. 20 Yeo pulled away towards the end.
She rode on that momentum in the second game, going up 6-0 in the first few minutes.
Although the 26th-ranked Dane narrowed the deficit to draw level at 18-18, Yeo held on to win their clash 21-18.
"My preparations were affected and I considered withdrawing because I'm not feeling well," said the 22-year-old, who experienced body aches and general discomfort.
"I'm recovering day by day and thinking positively to do my best with what I can each day."
She added that staying calm and focusing on each point was what helped her get past Christophersen yesterday.
National singles coach Kelvin Ho was pleased with Yeo's performance, noting that she was able to control the momentum of the match.
He said: "She did well in varying her style of play and making it difficult for her opponent to anticipate her shots."
But he also identified the need to adapt quickly to changes or obstacles in the game as an area for improvement.
Yeo's victory over Christophersen comes on the back of an impressive outing at the US$320,000 (S$434,000) Hylo Open in Germany earlier this month, when she finished second.
Her performance there saw her break into the top 20 of the world rankings earlier this month.
She will face Japan's world No. 49 Saena Kawakami in the next round today.
In their three encounters so far, Kawakami has won twice, including their last meeting at the Yonex Open Chinese Taipei 2017.
The Indonesia Masters is a US$600,000 Badminton World Federation World Tour Super 750 event, one tier above the Super 500 Hylo Open.
Compatriot Loh Kean Yew will face Chinese Taipei's world No. 4 Chou Tien-chen in the second round today.
The Singaporean defeated Chou in straight sets in their last two meetings, with their most recent encounter coming at the Hylo Open.
INDONESIA MASTERS
Day 3: StarHub Ch201, noon & 4pm
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
