Guangdong men's badminton team secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Hunan in a do-or-die clash at the 15th National Games in Shenzhen on the night of November 11, roaring into the semifinals after a breathtaking group stage decider.
Facing elimination in the final Group F match, Guangdong delivered under immense pressure. Chen Wenjie set the tone with a nail-biting straight-game win over Liu Liang, sealed at 22-20, 25-23. National team duo Liang Weikeng and Ren Xiangyu then dominated their doubles match, putting Guangdong one step closer to qualification.
Chen Wenjie from the Guangdong team defeats Liu Liang of Hunan team 2-0.
But the momentum shifted dramatically as Hunan clawed back, leveling the tie at 2-2 after the next two matches. With everything on the line, Lei Lanxi stepped up in the final singles rubber, delivering a composed straight-sets victory to send Guangdong through.
The Guangdong team pair Liang Weikeng (left) and Ren Xiangyu return the ball in the men's doubles match.
The win marks a resilient comeback for Guangdong, which entered the match with its semifinal hopes hanging by a thread after an earlier loss to Fujian. Having swept through the qualifiers unbeaten, the team reaffirmed its championship caliber when it mattered most.
Guangdong, silver medalists in the previous edition, will now compete in the semifinals on Nov. 12 as they continue their quest for the podium.
Reporter | Huang Xinyi
Photo | Xinhua News Agency
Editor | Ouyang Yan, Hu Nan, Shen He
