Chinese badminton star Chen Yufei marked her return to the international circuit with a hard-fought victory over Japan’s Hina Akechi at the Orleans Masters in France on Wednesday. In her first World Tour match since the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Chen edged past Akechi 25-23, 19-21, 21-16 to advance to the women’s singles round of 16.
The 26-year-old Chen showed signs of rust in the opening game, missing several key shots. Despite the close contest, she managed to secure the first game 25-23. Akechi capitalized on Chen’s unforced errors in the second game, winning it 21-19 to level the match.
Rejuvenated in the decisive third game, Chen raced to a 7-2 lead. Akechi responded with a spirited 9-3 run to take an 11-10 advantage. Undeterred, Chen regained momentum, outscoring her opponent 7-3 to reclaim the lead. Despite a couple of late errors, Chen sealed the match by scoring four consecutive points, showcasing her resilience and determination.
In other women’s singles action, Lin Hsiang-Ti of Chinese Taipei upset China’s Han Yue in a thrilling three-game encounter, winning 21-19, 7-21, 21-19. China’s Gao Fangjie staged a comeback to defeat Denmark’s Line Christophersen 21-23, 21-15, 22-20. Second seed Wang Zhiyi of China cruised past Indonesia’s Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi with a dominant 21-13, 21-8 victory.
On the men’s side, China’s sole representative Wang Zhengxing was eliminated in the first round by Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke, who triumphed 21-15, 14-21, 21-10.
The Orleans Masters continues to showcase top badminton talent from around the world, with fans eagerly anticipating the upcoming matchups as players vie for the title.
