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KUALA LUMPUR – World number three women’s singles player Tai Tzu Ying has a strategic plan to skip the Asian leg of the BWF World Tour after the season-opening Malaysia Open which is scheduled from today till Sunday in Axiata Arena here.
The 28-year-old Taiwanese, who is still carrying last season’s momentum after finishing runner-up in the season-ending World Tour Finals from December 7-11 in Bangkok, would be taking over a month’s break for rest, conditioning, and Chinese New Year celebrations, which falls on January 22.
This means, she will be skipping next week’s India Open from January 17-22, Indonesia Masters (January 24-29), and Thailand Masters (January 31-February 5), and most probably get back to action with a new boost during the European-leg of the tournament, starting with the German Open from March 7-12.
“I still have my tournament feelings and do not have sufficient rest as the gap between last season and this season is not long. So I will be taking a rest to focus on recovery and be prepared for the Race to Paris Olympic Qualifications.
“I didn’t set any target for the Malaysia Open, and I like to play here. I just wanted to take one match at a time,” the reigning Olympics silver medallist told reporters here, today.
Tzu Ying, a two-time World Championships medallist, began her campaign by easily eliminating Spain’s Clara Azurmendi 21-10, 21-10 in the opening round today.
In the second round on Thursday, she will face Han Yue of China, who defeated former world number one Saina Nehwal of India 21-12, 17-21, 21-12.
The top 16 players (maximum two per nation) in the Race to Paris rankings from May 1 to April 28, 2024, will automatically qualify for the Olympics.
Meanwhile, world number five He Bing Jiao of China, became the tournament’s first high-profile casualty, when she was ousted 11-21, 17-21 by Indonesia’s Gregoria Mariska Tunjung.
World number one women’s singles shuttler, Akane Yamaguchi of Japan, on the other hand, was stunned by a 17-21 defeat to Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt in the first game, before she bounced back to edge the Dane 21-13, 21-15 in the remaining two games. – Bernama, January 10, 2023