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Japanese shuttlers smoothly reach women’s final
Japanese badminton duo Misaki Matsumoto and Ayaka Takahashi have knocked out the unseeded Dutch Eefje Muskens and Selena Piek in an easy 21-10, 21-18 semifinal match.
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Japan's Misaki Matsutomo (left) and Ayaka Takahashi play against Dutch duo Eefje Muskens and Selena Piek in the women's doubles semifinal match at the Indonesia Open badminton tournament at Istora stadium in Jakarta, Saturday. (AP/Dita Alangkara)
Japanese badminton duo Misaki Matsumoto and Ayaka Takahashi have knocked out the unseeded Dutch Eefje Muskens and Selena Piek in an easy 21-10, 21-18 semifinal match.
The victory on Saturday brought the world’s current top women’s doubles pair close to securing the title of the Indonesia Open at Jakarta’s Istora stadium.
The Dutch pair had crushed three Indonesian pairs earlier in the tournament: Natasha Herloardjo and Angelica Caroline Mandang, Rofahadah Supriadi Putri and Fransisca Angelica Rahardja, and Tiara Rosalia Nuraidah and Rizki Amelia Pradipta.
But in their last match they found themselves behind 7-4 early in the second game. Trying hard to chase every point, the pair managed to catch up to 14-13 and even equalize the score at 16-16.
However, the composure of Misaki and Ayaka dealt them a bitter defeat in the end.
Misaki said their victory had been achieved through an all-out performance.
“We tried to do our best, although in the second game we lost our concentration a bit. In the end, we managed to remain our focus and won the game,” Misaki said after the match.
Ayaka said they had also benefited from the fact that their opponents seemed quite tired following Friday’s game.
Misaki and Ayaka will take on Malaysia’s pair or China’s third-seeded Tang Yuanting and Yu Yang in the final.
Misaki said she was not bothered by the question of whom they would face: “Whoever the opponent is, we will try to win this tournament.” (bbn)
