AUSTRALIAN OPEN 2011 – Welcome back, Wang Lin!

Wang Lin (photo) has certainly not lost her soft touch. More than 6 months after her knee injury and her operation in Germany, the reigning World Champion was back on court on Wednesday, in Melbourne’s Yonex Australian Open Badminton Championships, for a clash with the second seed of the tournament, Yip Pui Yin.

Photos (archives): Badmintonphoto

And just like the last three times they met, Wang beat Yip, this time in straight games 21-19, 21-9, a clear sign that the Chinese is back on track at the right time and that she will certainly be one of the shuttlers aiming at an Olympic gold next year in London. Without any points for the past six months, Wang Lin has slipped just beyond the top 100 and will need some good victories in Australia to make it back to the top 30 if she wants to enter Super Series’ main draws soon for the beginning of the Olympic qualification period. Her ranking, however, will not allow her to fight to keep her World Champion crown as she will not qualify for the London meeting.

Amongst the other noticeable facts of the first day of the main draw on Wednesday is the victory of Taipei teenager Tai Tzu Ying, who ousted 2007 World Champion Zhu Lin in straight games, 21-19, 21-9.

Thursday’s early results brought some surprises already, with the win of new pairing of Lee Wan Wah and Chan Chong Ming of Malaysia over Japan’s 7th seeds Hirobe/Kazuno. In the men’s singles, 3rd seed Hu Yun of Hong Kong lost to Japan’s Takuma Ueda.

All results Live HERE