The highest representatives of Spanish women’s badminton are on tour of the major tournaments of the BWF World Tour Asian.
The first stopover took place from January 10 to 15 in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in it Petronas Malaysia Open 2023. Beatriz Corrales, Clara Azurmendi y Carolina Marín They attended this appointment loaded with their best weapons, since no rival is easy in a WT event.
Shortly before her first game, Carolina uploaded a video to her social networks talking about her recovery process. Something that she has kept her fans in suspense all this time. In it, she opened up about what it has been like to work with constant pain and that she felt very encouraged to face this challenge.
Now that everything is about to start again, let me tell you…
Now that everything is about to start again, let me tell you…#IcanBecauseIThinkICan pic.twitter.com/P1sNysOuYX
— Carolina Marin (@CarolinaMarin) January 9, 2023
The woman from Huelva confessed to her followers, who miss the triple world champion and Olympic gold medalist. The uncertainty about her status was maximum.
However, upon reaching the track, it was possible to begin again to dream of the return of the triumphs for the Huelva. In the first round, after an intense match, they beat India Pusarla V Shindu (India) in three games. A very tough rival to start the year, number 6 in the world ranking and a player who knows her very well. This triumph gave Marín wings once again to reach the quarterfinals. In this case, she expected her Chen Yufei (China), current world runner-up. Carolina could not with the solidity of the Hangzhou and fell in two games.
It would not be fair to close any of the tournaments in this publication without mentioning the great work that Clara Azurmendi and Beatriz Corrales are also doing.
Despite the toughness of their rivals, the two volantistas are proving to be in very good shape. Clara had to see their faces with Tai Tzu Ying (China Taipei) current number 3 in the world ranking. The Spaniard was unable to cope with the opponent’s impressive technical strength and relented in straight sets.
On the other hand, the women’s double, represented by the Corrales Azurmendi duo, faced the Americans Guradaza – Jaiswal. A game that the nationals were about to win, but that they could not finish off in the last hauls. Very good experience for the development of this couple, who continues to work on improving and making Spanish doubles continue to stand out on the world scene.
The second stop took place this week in New Delhi. The Yonex Snrise Open 2023 it would bring new emotions and badminton of the highest level.
The easiest way to express what Carolina Marín’s first two rounds in India were like is to use the word hurricane. She did not give rise at any time to her rivals, both complex and well positioned in the world ranking to present a battle worthy of making Huelva tremble. Nozomi Okuhara (Japan) y Ratchanok Intanon (thailand) lost to the Spanish force in two games.
This deployment gave a glimpse that Carolina’s return to the podium in the WT could finally be witnessed. Yet she quartered she hoped Akane Yamaguchi, number 1 in the ranking. In addition, Akane lived for the Spanish the dream of getting the world crown in Huelva. Almost nothing.
A very irregular first game in which Marín was not so sure and in which everything came out for the Japanese. In the second set, hope returned to the Huelva fans, who forcefully and with her usual claw, won the second round. However, despite how close the final game began, Carolina suddenly began to accumulate mistakes that made it fall more and more with no option to come back, finally yielding 17-21 21-14 and 9-21.
The doubles girls found themselves on the track before two true giants, the Japanese couple Fukushima – Hirota. A game that Clara and Bea had no way to carry in their racket bag. The road to the doubles looks very good, but the work to face powers like Japan or Malaysia is still a lot.
For her part, Clara could do little in the women’s singles against the current world champion. Akane Yamaguchi took the victory easily, reserving strength for her quarterfinal against Carolina.
This week expect the Daihatsu Indonesia Masters. A test also belonging to the WT but with a lower level. Perhaps this drop in level can allow Spanish players to give Spanish sport some more joy. Whatever happens, they will give their best and they will surely accumulate good learning.
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Featured photo source: Twitter @CarolinaMarin
