PARIS (Reuters): China's shuttlers got off to a fast start on the first day of the badminton competition at the Paris Games on Saturday, winning each of their seven matches - but not without a couple of close calls with France and Malaysia.
From men's and women's singles in the morning to women's and mixed doubles in the afternoon, the Chinese wore down their competition.
The country has won 47 medals since badminton became an Olympic sport in 1992 - more than double the combined tally of Indonesia and South Korea, the second- and third-most successful teams.
In a tense mixed doubles match that received a standing ovation when it ended, China's Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong beat underdogs France's Delphine Delrue and Thom Gicquel on home ground 21-14 23-21.
They did so, however, to thunderous chants of "Allez les bleus" echoing in the Porte de La Chapelle Arena every time they conceded a point, with spectators clearly keen for the Chinese to drop points and sometimes audibly mourning French missteps.
After losing one particular point, Huang retaliated with such a strong shot that she clipped Delrue on the arm and made her flinch.
"We had prepared for three games because of how unpredictable (the French duo) are," said Zheng, who had at times wildly gesticulated to his coach at points during a close second game.
The day started with China's He Bingjiao beating Keisha Azzahra of Azerbaijan 21-8 21-7 in a women's singles match that lasted less than half an hour. Soon after, He's men's doubles compatriots Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang made quick work of Canada's Adam Dong and Nyl Yakura, beating them 21-5 21-12. China's other near miss was when women's doubles pair Pearly Tan and Muralitharan Thinaah of Malaysia put up a passionate fight against women's doubles darlings Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan. Their games were neck-and-neck before the Chinese pair prevailed 21-17 22-20.
World number five men's doubles team Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy of India, thought by some to be their country's best chance of Olympic gold at Paris, won 21-17 21-14 against world number 39 doubles pair, Ronan Labar and Lucas Corvée of France.
"We're taking it in our stride," Shetty said, adding that they are not thinking of medals just yet. "The pressure is there for everybody. All the pairs participating in the Olympics -- every single person knows."
(Reporting by Richa Naidu; Editing by Peter Rutherford and Hugh Lawson) - Reuters
