Akane YAMAGUCH Lives Up to Expectations

A two-time YONEX French Open champion (2018 and 2021), will Akane YAMAGUCHI complete her hat-trick by the end of the week? The Japanese star is certainly among the favorites, with expectations of reaching at least the semifinals. But first, she had to overcome LIN Hsiang Ti (No. 17). It was their first encounter on the BWF circuit. 

This unfamiliarity may explain the cautious start to the match. After a slow start that left her trailing 9–11 at interval, the Katsuyama native found her rhythm and began to pick up the pace. With her exceptional net play, she went on an impressive eight-point run to take a 17–11 lead. This comfortable advantage allowed her to close out the opening set convincingly, 21–13, in just 15 minutes. 

But her opponent refused to back down. LIN Hsiang Ti took an early lead in the second set (5–3), capitalizing on the Japanese player's errors. With the score tied at 15–15, however, YAMAGUCHI raised her level once again and pulled ahead 20–15. Although LIN continued to fight back, taking advantage of a few errors from her opponent, the favorite took the match in straight sets, sealing a 21–13, 21–18 victory in 36 minutes. 

Akane YAMAGUCHI: “Since it was my first time playing against this opponent and I hadn't practiced in the main hall before the tournament started, I tried to play slowly at the beginning of the match to get used to the court. Then I took the initiative to speed up the game, which allowed me to take control and win by a wider margin than I expected. In the second set, the goal was to keep up the pace. That was the key.”