Salakjit makes reigning champ Zhang work hard for victory

Thailand's Salakjit Ponsana played one of the best matches of her life yesterday in stretching reigning Olympic champion Zhang Ning of China to a hard-fought three games in the second round of the badminton competition.

The Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium was packed to capacity for the Zhang match. She is the second seed, the current world No 7 and a former world champion.

Against this formidable rival - who has beaten her twice this year - Salakjit, the world No 29, who received a first-round bye, played exceptionally well in the first. She smashed devastating cross-courts and dropped efficiently to clinch the hotly-contested opener 23-21.

Inspired by a cheering Chinese crowd, Zhang, restricted by a right-knee injury, regained her composure to take a commanding 19-16 lead in the second game.

From then on, the Chinese never looked back, allowing Salakjit only one more point from an aggressive back-court smash, to win the second game 21-17.

In the decider, Zhang proved her class. An error-filled performance by the exhausted Salakjit cost her the game 21-7 and the match.

 "I'm tired, but still pleased with my form. I had nothing to lose. She should have been under more pressure because she is the defending champion and playing on her home soil. This is my third loss this year to Zhang. But it's the best game of my life."

Charoen Wattanasin, president of the Badminton Association of Thailand,

is satisfied with Salakjit's form. "She did a good job and gave Zhang a good game," he says.