Chinese player Wang Shixian celebrates at the Uber Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday. (Photo/Chinanews.com)
Wang Shixian railled past the World No.1 Carolina Marin in a 87 minutes match before China marched into the Uber Cup quarter-finals with a 5-0 rout of Spain on Tuesday.
Despite losing the first game, Wang Shixian persisted with her strategy to fight back to tie the game. The decider was tied on every point after 10-10 before Wang took a slim lead by 19-18 then finished the match by 19-21, 21-18, 21-19.
It is an important victory for Wang to beat the two-time European champion as she is competing with teammates Li Xuerui and Wang Yihan for the two Olympic berths of women's singles.
"I asked the coach to send me against Marin before this match," said the World No.6, "You need to keep mentally strong when you play against the opponent like Marin, and I did it tonight."
World No.4 Wang Yihan eased past Beatriz Corrales 21-11, 21-9 in the second singles while Sun Yu clinched the winning point following her 21-9, 21-8 victory over Clara Azurmendi. In doubles actions, Chen Qingchen/Tang Jinhua and Tang Yuanting/Yu Yang both saw off Spanish pairs in straight set.
Uber Cup Group D saw Japan swpet Australia 5-0. The defending champion will fight with India for the top position.
Former world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei led Malaysia beat South Korea 3-2 today to top Group C, pocketing the top seed position in the knockout stages.
