LONDON: Tokyo badminton silver medallist Taiwan's Tai Tzu Ying made Thai rival Ratchanok Intanton cry after their match at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
The pair have gone head-to-head nearly 40 times in their careers, and for Intanton to beat her close friend 21-19 21-15 at Porte de La Chapelle Arena was to take away Tai's last chance at Olympic glory. Tai, known fondly as 'Queen Tai,' has said she will retire at the end of this year.
Intanton wasn't the only one who became emotional.
Tzu Ying got a standing ovation as she walked off the court and was crying as she bowed one last time to a cheering crowd, embraced Intanton, and gave interviews to tearful local journalists, before leaving the mixed zone to further applause.
She was her country's flag bearer in the Games opening ceremony in Paris, a mark of her success and popularity at home.
Tzu Ying, who has a PhD from the Institute of Sports Training at the University of Taipei, made her professional debut in 2009 at the Grand Prix in Vietnam at about age 15.
By the time she was 22, Tai became the top-ranked singles player in the world and held that title for 214 weeks, making history at the time. She was world number one again at Tokyo but lost gold to China's Chen Yufei in a match full of hypnotic rallies that kept spectators on the edge of their seats.
Wednesday's match in Paris was nothing like that.
The 30-year-old shuttler, who needed a medic after she hurt herself trying to make a shot at the end of the first game, was visibly frustrated during the match in which she repeatedly adjusted braces on both knees.
"I know there are a lot of people who support me, but I know I'm not very well," said an emotional Tzu Ying, who is typically stoic, soft-spoken and humble.
"Before I came here, I knew I would find it hard to play the game because of my injury."
Tai has previously opened up about an issue with her left knee and earlier this year withdrew from the Singapore Open.
She has a similar style to 29-year-old Intanton, who said their matches are like playing a mirror, and that she had told Tzu Ying that she was happy they were brought together.
"We knew it's our last match," said a sobbing Intanton.
"It disturbed me but I knew I must do it." --REUTERS