Jayce
Chen Li-An faced off against Tai Tzu-ying with hopes of causing an upset but often found herself admiring from afar.
This is the fourth Olympic Games for the Belgian player, who has faced numerous opponents over the years. However, she admits that Tai stands out. Chen Li-An, competing in Group E, marveled at Tai’s artistry and skill.
“Sometimes I think, ‘Wow,’” she said, reflecting on Tai’s mesmerizing shots. “She is an exceptional player. To everyone, she might be one of the best players we’ve seen in the past decade; her style is unique, and her skills are beautiful. The audience enjoys watching her play. I hope she performs well.”
Chen has faced Tai a few times before. “This time, I was ready. The first time we played was very tough because no one else has shots like hers. But today, my performance was better than in previous matches. She is an incredible player, and I truly respect her.”
Tai, the silver medalist from the last Olympics, had been keeping a low profile before the 2024 Paris Games. Her season started well, reaching finals in Malaysia and India, and semifinals in the French Open and All England Open. However, a knee injury kept her out of competition since April. Her knees are wrapped in protective bandages, but she remained tight-lipped about her condition.
“I don’t feel much difference,” she said. “The movements are okay, but there is room for improvement. Generally, I make progress with each match.”
“I think the injury is under control, but my knee hasn’t fully recovered yet. I did rest for a few weeks, which was important. I haven’t set specific goals for the Olympics, but my next match will be tough because I’m up against Ratchanok (Intanon).”
“I haven’t thought much about my past Olympic performances; I’ve been trying not to put too much pressure on myself over the past month.”
Chen/Jia Unstoppable
Chen Qingchen’s exaggerated celebrations after defeating Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti expressed her excitement for their second match.
Destiny had Chen/Jia Xinwen defeating them in the last Olympic final, and another member of their team, Rahayu, met Chen/Jia in Group A. In the second game, Rahayu and Ramadhanti saved two match points but eventually lost 21-12, 24-22. After securing the final point, Chen Qingchen celebrated with a fervor akin to winning the gold medal.
“We’re thrilled to reverse the result from the Tokyo Olympics. We’re excited to face them again and hope to bounce back from our Tokyo defeat,” Jia Yifan explained.
The result means Rahayu will be unable to defend her gold medal, as the Indonesian pair lost their opening match in the death group to Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara.
However, the two-time world champions Matsumoto/Nagahara lost to Pearly Tan/Thinaah Muralitharan today. The prospects for these pairs will hinge on their final group match. The Malaysian duo performed well in their match against Chen/Jia Yifan, showing resilience despite a narrow loss.
Chen Weiting said, “We’re excited to win the first match on such a big stage, but there’s still one more match, so we need to stay calm and focus on that.”
“We really support each other. That’s the most helpful thing for us.”
