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FIGHTING HARD
(Paddler Cai Xiaoli & Shuttler Kendrick Lee Gave Their All)
By Lynn Koh & Jason Cai, Pix by Charlie Lee
Paddler Cai Xiaoli and shuttler Kendrick Lee (pix) ended up having a very different day at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne on Sunday. The former and his team mates made it to the men's team final today against India while the latter and his fellow shuttlers lost to India. But they both displayed fighting spirit.
Two Sets Down
At the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, Cai led Singapore to a 3-0 win over Wales. Impressively, he came from two sets down to beat Adam Robertson 2-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-1.
His team mates Yang Zi and Jason Ho also did well. Yang breezed past Ryan Jenkins 11-5, 11-1, 11-9 while Jason beat Stephen Jenkins 11-9, 11-5, 11-6.
Earlier, the Singapore women's team easily defeated India 3-0. Li Jiawei beat Poulomi Ghatak 11-3, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7. Zhang Xueling and Xu Yan proved too strong for their respective opponents - Mouma Das (11-5, 11-7, 11-7) and Nandita Saha (11-6, 11-4, 11-3).
Some Grit
Playing in the men's singles for badminton's mixed team event at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre , Kendrick lost to India's Anup Sridhar 23-21, 19-21, 16-21. Sure, it was disappointing and some people have said he lacked the killer touch when it mattered.
But we think filling the shoes of Ronald Susilo was never easy in the first place. And the young Kendrick did show some grit, like when he took the first game 23-21.
In other matches, our mixed doubles pair won while our men's doubles pair lost. Defending Commonwealth Games champion Li Li also lost in the women's singles match. She was beaten by India's Saina Nehwal in straight sets.
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