YONEX-SUNRISE HONG KONG OPEN 2009 - Yao Jie back to her best
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 - By Raphael Sachetat
http://www.internationalbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=27891
I guess now that the new deal with Yonex has been sealed she might even continue after all.
I just have to quote this. It wasn't easy for Yao Jie. But I think the Malaysian team in Copenhagen Masters didn't travel with their coach either.
YAO JIE:
Yao Jie of the Netherlands is finding a second youth after a long career. She beat India’s Saina Nehwal in the first round of the YONEX-SUNRISE Hong Kong Open On a day where the top women players had some difficulties to get past the first round.
Yao Jie was all smiles after her quick 21/16 – 21/12 success over Saina, the No 8 seed. Once again, she had turned the tables on the world ranking and proven she was still to be counted upon.
High clears, then fast drops, and her amazing touch made the difference today against the former World Junior champion, who was clearly not playing her best badminton. Never once was Saina able to trouble the former Chinese citizen, who was playing with a lot of confidence.
Her latest results have been amazing and she now seems to be back in shape, with no major injury left to trouble her.
“Since the Dutch Open, where I won, I felt better and mostly more relaxed. I had decided then that I wanted to play some tournaments for the fun of it, and maybe stop after this year. China Open could be my last tournament, but since I am playing very well, I don’t know exactly what I will be doing,” she explains.
Amongst the reasons why she maybe putting an end to her carrier, the Dutch expresses the need of motherhood. “I have been married to Eric and I feel like maybe it is time to have a baby soon,” she said in a wink.
“But also, it’s not the only reason that pushes me to stop. We have also have had some financial problems with the Dutch Federation. Since this fall, we all travel on our own, at our own expenses. No more sponsor for the team, and the funding was cut after the Olympics because none of us qualified according to their criteria. This means we have little money left and we have to travel on our own, with no coach, nor Physio. It makes it hard,” said Yao.