YONEX FRENCH OPEN Day 2 - Pi Shines on Home Soil

Wednesday, 28 October 2009 21:00

Everybody expected a three-game battle between the in-form player of the moment, Eriko Hirose, and France's top player Pi Hongyan, but the latter simply outplayed her opponent in today’s first round of the French Open, proving again her determination to play well on home soil.

By Tarek HAFI (Live in Paris). Photos: BadmintonPhoto.com (Live)

The most awaited match began in the best possible fashion as Pi Hongyan entered the court escorted by rapturous applause from the public. Her opponent, Eriko Hirose, who came through the qualification rounds, was obviously going to have to repeat the form that took her to the Denmark Open semi-final last week if she was to defeat France's number one player, a player whom she has never beaten in the past. Pi Hongyan didn't disappoint as she mastered the first game, pushing the Japanese player back to the baseline, totally controlling the net. There was nothing Hirose could do to counteract Hongyan as the French woman clinched the first game 21-10.

The Japanese player, however, did not give up and managed to take the lead in the second game, as she found ways to nullify the Hongyan attack. Hongyan, in reply, raised the tempo of her game with efficient and sometimes ruthless attacks. Eriko Hirose couldn't keep up with the pace, looking completely exhausted after her seventh match in two weeks.

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Pi Hongyan once again proved her status, and regained some confidence with the easy 21-10, 21-14 win, and concluded the match with another fantastic net shot that left her opponent rooted to the floor.

While, Eriko Hirose went and sat alone with tears in her eyes, Pi Hongyan took the opportunity to talk to the mass of journalists, most of whom were there to congratulate her.

"I played really well," said Pi. "Compared to other weeks, we prepared well for today's match. Now I'm going through several hardships, bothered with several injuries, but I'm still trying to remain positive. But I am still very surprised, because Hirose is playing really well at the moment. She reached two semi-finals in the Super Series. I was expecting a very very hard match, I am very surprised to have won the match in straight games."

Pi Hongyan, in the next round, will meet her good friend off-court, Finland's Anu Nieminen, who earned her ticket to the second round after a difficult match against India's Aditi Mutatkar, which the European shuttler won in the end 21-19, 23-21.

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