World Tour Finals: Tai Tzu Ying wins a third year-end finale championship
Tai Tzu Ying wins a third year end championship
This is a Sunday to remember for the women’s singles great from Chinese Taipei, Tai Tzu Ying. She reached the third final in three consecutive weeks. Not just that, she finally beat Carolina Marin her opponent from the two finals she lost in the past few weeks.
Carolina Marin looked very strong entering into the first game, She was playing in a fast pace, raining down smashes on Tai’s side of the court. Tai Tzu was just reacting. However, Tai did manage to bring out some typical, not so typical shots of hers to show that she is very much into the game and here to fight. However, a lot of clears and lifts were going long along the backline from Tai Tzu, possibly due to the drift in the hall. Carolina Marin won the first game, looking very much in control, 21-14.
Also Read: World Tour Finals: Antonsen clinches the title in style, halting an unbeatable Axelsen
Tai Tzu makes a comeback
The second game was a stunning comeback by the reigning world number one. Tai Tzu stormed off to an 11-3 lead at the mid-game break. The nerves got on Marin as she struggled to return Tai Tzu’s extraordinary shots. Tai was able to match pace with Marin today and it did make a difference to the shots she could choose to play. Carolina Marin was struggling to get back attack and win points. And at this point, the mental aspect came in place too. She started delaying the game, walking around the court, towelling down repeatedly. She even started trying to unsettle Tai by asking for a repeated change of shuttle, refusing to change the shuttle when Tai wanted to and many of those tactics. The three-time all England champion, Tai is one player with no such tantrums. However, it was interesting to see her send out a message that she noticed these tactics of Marin, but stayed calm and conveyed that she was here to fight too. At one point Tai too refused to change the shuttle, which she normally never does. Also when Marin was delaying too much by not getting ready for the next rally, she played the serve, after which the umpire warned Carolina. Tai Tzu Ying won the game 21-8 after the gap was too huge for Marin, and she chose to work on the third game.
In the clash of titans like these, the third game would be nothing less than nail-biting. The decider went very close in the first half. They were fighting hard with attack, and Tai was committing errors. Marin went into a lead 11-10. Post the break she further stormed off to a 15-11 lead. When it looked like Marin had the game in her hand, Tai Came up with what she does best, deception and beautiful strokeplay and gradually came back level. She started playing more near the net and playing downward shots not letting Marin attack much, and engaged in slower-paced longer rallies covering diagonals of the court, pushing Marin to the limits of her patience. Carolina being a very attacking player with power likes to smash and go for finishes. Tai played mental games here, using tactics. Marin had the lead 19-17 with some brute strength and power. But what happened after that was extraordinary. Similar to her semifinal at the Toyota Thailand Open against Ratchanok Intanon, she won the match 21-19 from being 19-17 down. Ying played attacking smashes and drops and near the net, and flat exchanges putting more pressure on Marin and forcing mistakes out of her.
It was a historic moment of victory for the Taiwanese. She became the one and the only player to have won three titles of the year-end championships. It was sweet revenge for Tai Tzu after having lost the Marin twice consecutively. On the other hand, it was a bitter final game for Marin’s 50th career final. Carolina has never won the World Tour Finals. Nevertheless, matches like these are what makes this category special. It is this kind of competition which had been missing in the last two finals.
The Asina leg comes to an end with the BWF World Tour Finals. The Thailand government, organizing authorities and BWF have done a fantastic job in pulling off these three events safely. All is well that ends well. The BWF calendar resumes in March with the Swiss Open. Until then, stay tuned for updates!
Also Read: World Tour Finals: Men’s Singles Finals Preview, Head to Head, Prediction
Medha Kattige
(117 Articles Published)