Home2018Top seeds go tumbling in Nanjing

Top seeds go tumbling in Nanjing

* Image Credit BWF News

There were major upsets in the quarter-finals in the World Championships in Nanjing on Friday with the top seed in the women's singles Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia in the men's doubles shown the exit.

World No 1 and hot-favorite Tzu Ying lost to China's sixth seed He Bingjiao in a three-game 55-minute 21-18, 7-21, 21-13 – her first defeat in seven months. 

With the defeat, the world and Olympics titles remain elusive for Tzu Ying who was the overwhelming favorite in Nanjing.

All that changed at the hands of Bingjiao who was driven by the boisterous home fans.

If many thought that Tzu Ying will ride on her easy 21-7 win in the second game after losing the first 18-21, they were mistaken.

Bingjiao, 21, never gave her opponent any chance of a great comeback as seen previously in Tzu Ying's matches.

This time Binjiao made Tzu Ying her run all over the court with her deceptive drop shots and smashes for a fantastic win – leaving her opponent shell-shocked as the home fans gave the Chinese a standing ovation for her triumph.

She will play Spain's two-time world champion and Rio Olympics gold medal winner Carolina Marin for a place in the final.

The seventh seed Spaniard outclassed India's No 10 seed Saina Nehwal with ease – registering a 21-6, 21-11 win in only 31 minutes.

Another shock of the day was the exit of world number one and top seeds Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia.

The Indonesians were blown away in straight games 21-9, 21-18 by Japan's fifth seeds Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda in 49 minutes.

In the mixed doubles, third seeds Tang Chun Man-Tse Ying Yuet of Hong Kong China fought a three-game battle against Malaysia's eighth seeds Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying to win 21-12, 11-12, 21-10.

China's Zheng Siwei-Huang Yaqiong, the top seeds in the mixed doubles packed off India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Ashwini Ponnappa 21-17, 21-10 in another quarter-final tie.  
 

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