Huelva: Two-time World champions – Zheng Si Wei/Huang Ya Qiong of China have crashed out of the 2021 BWF World Championships with a stunning three-set loss to World No. 28 Chang Tak Ching/Ng Wing Yung of Hong Kong.
The World No. 2 Chinese mixed doubles pair was in total control by claiming the first set 21-16. The Hong Kong pair successfully forced the decider after winning the second game 21-13. In the decider, Zheng Siwei’s smashes was not as strong as he used to, while Huang has been struggling at the frontcourt, making uncharacteristic mistakes at the net allowing Chang/Ng to open up the lead at 16-10, 20-17, before clinching their second victory against Zheng/Huang in their third career head-to-head meeting, when Huang’s return from the baseline found the net.
Chang/Ng will play World No. 22 Rodion Alimov/Alina Davletova of Russia in the third round.
In another mixed doubles match, Malaysia’s World No. 11 Tan Kian Meng/Lai Pei Jing sent India’s World No. 104 Saurabh Sharma/Anoushka Parikh packing with a 21-8, 21-18 triumph over the Indian pair. Tan/Lai will next play World No. 4 Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino of Japan.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s women’s singles World’s No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying made her first international appearance on Tuesday since finished runner-up in the Tokyo Olympics final. Facing World No. 27 Evgeniya Kosetskaya, Tai needed only 30 minutes to see off Kosetskaya 21-10, 21-14 and will play Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland next.
India’s defending champion, the No. 6 seed PV Sindhu will set up an exciting match-up with No. 9 seed, Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand in the third round after both defeated their respective opponents in the second round.
The women’s doubles No. 1 seeds, Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan of China were not troubled by unseeded Ines Lucia Castillo Salazar/Paula La Torre Regal of Peru, beating the Peruvian players 21-11, 21-4 to next play No. 15 seeds Rachel Honderich/Kristen Tsai of Canada.
