By REDintern Ng Enna. Photos by REDintern Thomas Tan and Tan Jon Han.
Thng Ting Ting (SG) prepares to return an attack. (Photo 1 © Thomas Tan/Red Sports)
Yio Chu Kang Stadium, Sunday, December 20, 2009 - Singapore shuttler Thng Ting Ting swept aside top seed, Nittayaporn Nipatsant, from Thailand with a 2-0 (21-12, 21-19) victory in the Li-Ning Singapore Youth International badminton Under-19 Girls Singles final.
Ting Ting took the first set easily but admitted that the second set “was a struggle". Her Thai opponent rallied in the second set, coming back from 15-9 to reduce the lead to just one point at 19-18. Nonetheless, Ting Ting finished off her opponent 21-12, 21-19 in 35 minutes.
"I am very happy to win and my opponent's performance wasn't fantastic today," Ting Ting said. "My strategy was to keep the shuttle in at the start."
In the Under-11 Girls Singles final, budding Singapore shuttler Yeo Jia Min thrashed her Indonesian counterpart, Nalinica Rahardja, with a 2-0 (21-13, 21-7) win.
Nalinica took the first two points but Jia Min remained patient and undeterred by her opponent's repeated cries of victory after scoring a point. Jia Min put on a good fight and tested her opponent's agility in the first set. She eventually maintained a consistent lead after 11 points and took the first set 21-13.
Jia Min sustained her good performance in the second set and attacked with swift strokes, forcing Nalinica to make more unforced errors. She won the second set 21-7 easily.
"I am happy to win. It was neither a challenge or too easy for me to win. My opponent had a strong fighting spirit," commented Jia Min following her victory.
Indonesia overcame Singapore in the Under-19 Boys Doubles final with a 2-0 (21-19, 21-14) victory.
Singapore shuttlers, Robin Gonansa and Huang Chao, trailed behind their Indonesian counterparts, Subhan Hasan and Agrippina Prima Rahmanto Putera, 8-3 at the start of the first set but came back 10-10 with a series of powerful smashes. The Indonesian pair eventually won the first set 21-19.
Both teams were neck-and-neck in the beginning of the second set but Indonesia eventually proved themselves to be the stronger team and emerged victorious with a score of 21-14.
In the Under-15 Girls Doubles final, Singapore went down 2-0 (21-9, 21-10) to Thailand within 18 minutes.
The Thais pair of Soikhaimuk Hongchookeat and Piyathida Khiaorotphai displayed strong and powerful smashes coupled with well-coordinated movements in the first set. Unforced errors from the Singapore shuttlers, Liang Xiao Yu and Liang Yun, eventually led to their downfall and allowed their opponents to win the first set 21-9.
Singapore shuttlers proved to be no match for their Thai counterparts in the second set and the Thais raced to an 18-6 lead. Singapore fought hard to close the lead but Thailand won the second set 21-10 in due course.
Thng Ting Ting is visibly displeased at conceding a point to her Thai opponent, Nipatsant Nittayaporn but she was all smiles after the match. (Photo 2 © Thomas Tan/Red Sports)
Thng Ting Ting stretches out, but was unable to return a net drop by Nipatsant Nittayaporn this time round. (Photo 3 © Thomas Tan/Red Sports)
Nipatsant showed why she is the number 1 seed for the tournament, making well-placed shots beyond the reach of the Singapore shuttler. (Photo 4 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)
Clever net play by both competitors led to many exciting exchanges by both parties. (Photo 5 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)
Ting Ting screams in delight as she overcame her opponent in straight sets to become the 2009 Girl’s Under 19 Singles champion. (Photo 6 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)
Thng Ting Ting being crowned Under-19 Girls’ Single champion. Nipatsant Nittayaporn finished second. (Photo 7 © Thomas Tan/Red Sports)
Yeo Jia Min of Singapore prepares a serve in the Under-11 Single final. She overcame her Indonesian opponent 2-0. (Photo 8 © Thomas Tan/Red Sports)
Liang Yun (SG) uses her backhand to tap one back during the Girls Doubles Under-15 final. (Photo 9 © Thomas Tan/Red Sports)
Liang Xiao Yu (SG) just managed to make a save, and smashes the shuttle back. (Photo 10 © Thomas Tan/Red Sports)
The intensity brought into the game by the Thai pair wrecked the game plan of the Singapore shuttlers, affecting their attacking prowess. It was thus not surprising that the Thai shuttlers had little trouble coping with the rare attacks attempted by the Singapore pair. (Photo 11 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)
Having won the Boy’s Under 19 Singles title, Robin Gonansa then teamed up with Huang Chao in the Boy’s Under 19 Doubles final. (Photo 12 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)
Mistakes by both Robin Gonansa and Huang Chao (SG) allowed one to slip through the cracks. (Photo 13 © Thomas Tan/Red Sports)
Huang Chao screams in disappointment as he makes another unforced error, costing his team precious points. (Photo 14 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)
A desperate yet unfruitful attempt by Huang Chao to retrieve a cleverly placed drop shot by the Indonesians. (Photo 15 © Tan Jon Han/Red Sports)
Robin Gonansa and Huang Chao (SG) with their medals for second place in the Boys Doubles Under-19 category. (Photo 16 © Thomas Tan/Red Sports)
Hi Xa Que Nguyen, Red Sports is a volunteer-driven news site, so feel free to write the story if you have watched the games and we will post it : )
Thanks for the great work Enna!
It would be coming up in another story.
one more thing is: Liang Xiao Yu beated Thng Ting Ting in Cheers WS.
Otherwise, you only write the news about her double match, which she had lost. ( In the Under-15 Girls Doubles final, Singapore went down 2-0 (21-9, 21-10) to Thailand within 18 minutes.)
in Single U15, she won the Philippine player, the one who were the 1st seed in girl single U15. Then on the champion way ( final match), she also won the girl from Thailand, 1 of the player in her final match in double…..
why dont u write any news about Single champion U15 of Liang Xiao Yu.