Zhang dispels Mia's challenge

 

Athens, 19 April 2004:

FOR a brief moment, just that brief moment on Wednesday, it looked like China's badminton supremacy was waning. All their top men's singles hopes had been busted -- Lin Dan had lost in the first round, no less -- and their sureshot women's singles crown was in doubt. Gong Ruina had gone, and Zhang Ning was looking vulnerable against Mia Audina.

Had the rest of the world caught up? Was this Olympics the beginning of a downturn in China's fortunes?

But it is not for nothing that China's badminton machine the best in badminton. Zhang, on the run against an inspired Mia Audina, stood courageously under fire to overturn what would have been a disastrous Olympics for China.

And some time later, the mixed doubles pair of Zhang Jun and Gao Lin fought off a brave resurgence from Great Britain's Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms to ensure at least two gold for China. A downturn in fortunes? Not yet anyway.

The first game was neck-and-neck till 8. Zhang kept up those fabulous crosscourt drops from the baseline, but Mia, fighting like a terrier, kept the shuttles in play. After serve had changed thrice at 8-all, Mia went up 9-8 on a Zhang error, and then unleashed some big smashes. She won the game on a Zhang smash into the net.

The first half of the second game was full of tight rallies. Mia, using the half-smash to deadly effect, forced the early pace, but Zhang held her own with big smashes of her own. The serve changed five times at 2-all, and Mia went ahead 4-3 after two misjudgements from Zhang.

But Zhang soon started uncorking those big smashes of hers, alternating suddenly with the slice to catch Mia near the net, and a couple of errors from the Dutchwoman helped Zhang move ahead at 7-4. Zhang was taking advantage of her height, repeatedly forcing the Dutchwoman back on the overhead and then dipping the drops, forcing her to bend way down. Mia's own attack on Zhang's backhand didn't seem as effective because the Chinese looked comfortable on that side, and rarely committed herself into playing the backhand.

But the momentum again swung Mia's way. Zhang hit out twice, helping Mia to 6-7. It was looking like the Chinese was losing focus, and Mia had the edge. After serve changed back and forth, the crucial error came from Mia, who misjudged a shuttle on the sideline even though she had reached it. That was all Zhang needed. She kept the attack on the shorter girl's overhead, motoring ahead to 11-6. This was just the second game Mia had lost -- the first was to Aparna Popat in the second round.

It was 5-all in the third. But once Zhang went ahead 6-5, there was no stopping her, she went 10-5 ahead. A temporary interval when Mia took two points to inch to 7-10, but Zhang finished the formalities for a 8-11, 11-6, 11-7 win. For Mia, it was heartbreak again, after her silver medal at Sydney 2000. So was it for all those who had hoped for a reprieve from the Chinese monopoly.

Meanwhile, China's Zhou Mi took the bronze medal on Thursday after beating compatriot Gong Ruina 11-2 8-11 11-6 in a playoff match.
Gong, the top seed and world number one, had been the favourite for gold until she lost to Indonesian-born Dutch player Mia Audina in Wednesday's semifinals.

Third-seeded Zhou looking hungrier for the medal and raced through the first game, leading 5-0 before Gong could reply. But the 25-year-old faltered in the second before again asserting herself in the third.
Although Gong saved one match point at 10-6, she then lost tamely with a long return landing beyond the baseline.

Camilla out
Tracey Hallam shocked Danish seventh seed Camilla Martin 11-2, 5-11, 13-10 in the pre-quarters. Chinese top seed Gong Ruina cruised into the quarterfinals after she recovered from a sluggish start to defeat Thailand's Salakjit Ponsana, Boonsak's sister, 11-8, 11-3.

(Dev S Sukumar)