Carolina Marín pulls character to get into the quarterfinals of the Badminton World Cup

MADRID, 25 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish Carolina Marín got this Thursday among the eight best of the Badminton World Cup that is being played in Tokyo until next Sunday after showing character in her duel against the Chinese He Bing Jiao, whom she defeated in three games (16 -21, 21-15, 22-20) and after saving four match points.

The woman from Huelva, three-time world champion and for the first time in a World Championship since her last conquest in 2018, once again demonstrated her mental strength in a demanding duel against a quality rival, bronze in Huelva last year and number nine of the world ranking, which failed to sentence her when she had everything in her favor in the third and final set.

The Andalusian player was against the ropes, but she did not give up and achieved a much-reinforced victory, especially in the mood and for the nearest future, which is the quarterfinal against the number one in the world, the Japanese Akane Yamaguchi, current world champion.

Jiao had only defeated the Spanish in one of their seven matches, but she came out very focused on the court and ready to take advantage of any weakness in her rival, who still needs to find her best competitive rhythm among the best after overcoming a serious second knee injury.

The Chinese quickly took the initiative in the match (2-6), but Marín knew how to recover from this first escape, managed to balance things out again and even came to dominate (10-8). However, the Asian reacted and knew how to play better in the decisive stages to disarm the six-time European champion and win the first game comfortably (16-21).

The player from Huelva recovered quickly and started the second game better (3-0), but Jiao also made it clear that he was not going to give her any chances and scared her with a 2-9 run to take command with some clarity (5- 9).

Carolina Marín was also able to respond and did not get nervous to transfer the equality to the scoreboard until 13-13, at which time she brought out her best version to dismantle the nine in the world and force the third game (21-15).

So, the Spanish clung to her mettle and mental strength. Except at the beginning, she was far behind in the electronics in the first section of the partial and although she reached the decisive phase with her options intact (13-14), she saw how Jiao was one step away from the ticket to the quarterfinals. But at 16-20, the Chinese got her nerves, quite the opposite of the triple world champion, iron in her spirit and who did not waste it to sign a great comeback towards victory.