Bangkok: Top-seeded Viktor Axelsen was in no mood to hang around as he moved into the second Group A match of the 2020 BWF World Tour Finals with a 21-15, 21-4 demolition of Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in 32 minutes on Thursday. Axelsen was barely put to the test in a hopelessly one-sided match.
Axelsen, chasing his third season finale title, was never put under pressure and ruthlessly exploited Lee who gave a disappointingly lackluster performance.
The Dane will take on Chou Tien Chen of Taiwan while Lee will play Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia in the last group match on Friday.
In women’s singles, Carolina Marin of Spain strolled to a 21-16, 21-13 victory Thursday over Michelle Li of Canada, the win also gave the Spaniard a ticket to the knock out stage alongside An Se Young of Korea, since two other men’s singles players in Group A, including Michelle Li and Evgeniya Kosetskaya of Russia, have suffered two consecutive losses, while Marin and Young have recorded two wins respectively.
Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand in the women’s single Group B also secured a semi-final berth as the 23-year-old stunned World No. 1 Tai Tzu Ying 21-17, 21-11 on Thursday.
Chochuwong defeated third-seeded and compatriot Ratchanok Intanon 15-21, 21-11, 21-18 on day one of the 2020 BWF World Tour Finals on Wednesday.
Intanon will take on Tai on Friday, winner of the match would advance to the semi-finals.
