Yamaguchi overcomes a fighting Marin to make the semifinals 

Yamaguchi showcased her prowess while surmounting Marin’s challenge at the Yonex Sunrise India Open 2023 in New Delhi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: R.V. MOORTHY

World No.1 Akane Yamaguchi asserted her class with a 21-17, 14-21, 21-9 win over three-time World Champion and Rio Olympics gold medallist Carolina Marin in the women’s quarterfinals of the $900,000 Yonex Sunrise India Open badminton championship, at the K.D. Jadhav Hall of the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex, on Friday.

With the Indian challenge having ended a day earlier, there was nothing to hold back in the popular stands as the fans chanted the name of Marin, even though they knew the prowess of the 25-year-old Yamaguchi.

The winner of the last two Worlds and the reigning All England champion, Yamaguchi handled the match with great poise, especially in the decider when she dropped only six points at the change of side, and only three more thereafter to a player who had held the No.1 spot for 66 weeks.

Class Act

Marin was a class act in the second game when she controlled the flow of the contest with flair and fire-power, moving with her usual energy and unleashing strokes with accuracy and imagination.

What stood out for Yamaguchi was the manner in which she made Marin work for the points in the third game and literally ran her to the ground eventually.

From 14-9 in the third game, Yamaguchi sailed through unchallenged, closing out the match with her trademark deft drop. The Japanese showed that she could accelerate with a higher gear whenever she wanted.

In the semifinals, Yamaguchi will play Supanida Katethong of Thailand who got a walkover from third seed Chen Yu Fei. The Tokyo Olympic champion, who had outplayed Saina Nehwal in the second round, had taken ill and was unable to get on the court.

The other semifinal will be between second seed An Se Young of Korea and fourth seed He Being Jiao of China.

The top seed in the men’s section, Viktor Axelsen did not have to go through a tough grind. In fact, it was disappointing for the fans as Axelsen’s opponent and fellow Dane Rasmus Gemke, the man who had edged out Lakshya Sen, retired at 8-16, with a leg injury.

Gemke had never beaten Axelsen, but had stretched him to three games the last time the two met. The match was hotting up before the anti-climax.

Axelsen will play Jonatan Christie who saved two match points to beat Chou Tien Chen 22-20 in the third game.

Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand shocked third seed Loh Kena Yew of Singapore with surprising ease at 21-12, 21-17, to set up a semifinal against sixth seed Anthony Sinisuka Ginting who played brilliantly at the crunch against Li Shi Feng of China.

The results (quarterfinals):

Men: Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Rasmus Gemke (Den) 16-8 (retd.); Jonatan Christie (Ina) bt Chou Tien Chen (Tpe) 21-15, 13-21, 22-20; Kunlavut Vitidsarn (Tha) bt Loh Kean Yew (Sgp) 21-12, 21-17; Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (Ina) bt Li Shi Feng (Chn) 21-11, 17-21, 21-18.

Women: Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn) bt Carolina Marin (Esp) 21-17, 14-21, 21-9; Supanida Katethong (Tha) w/o Chen Yu Fei (Chn); He Bing Jiao (Chn) bt Beiwen Zhang (USSA) 21-13, 21-19; An Sse Young (Kor) bt Pompawee Chochuwong (Tha) 21-14, 21-14.