Chou Tien-chen Defeats Wang Tzu-wei at Indonesia Open, Extends Winning Streak to 15

(Central News Agency, Taipei, June 3) At the BWF Super 1000 Indonesia Open, Taiwan's top player Chou Tien-chen defeated his compatriot Wang Tzu-wei 21-8, 10-21, 21-12 in the men's singles first round on Monday, not only winning the all-Taiwanese clash but also extending his head-to-head winning streak to 15 matches.

World No. 6 Chou, seeded 6th in the tournament, faced world No. 38 Wang in the first round. Chou maintained his unbeaten record against Wang, winning a three-game battle to advance past the first hurdle.

In the first game, Chou started with an impressive run of consecutive points, taking the lead and then scoring 9 straight points to widen the gap, winning 21-8. However, Chou failed to capitalize on his momentum in the second game, as he was suppressed by his opponent and trailed throughout, losing 10-21 to level the match.

In the decisive third game, Chou briefly lost the lead but played more steadily after the technical timeout. He launched a crucial 7-1 run when being chased, securing the foundation for victory, and finally scored 3 consecutive points to win 21-12. Chou will next face Hong Kong's Ng Ka Long for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, world No. 13 Chiu Pin-chian challenged Thailand's star Ratchanok Intanon in the women's singles first round. After squandering a 7-1 lead in the first game, Chiu fought back from the second game, leveling the match 21-16. In the third game, she used long rallies to exhaust her opponent, forcing Intanon into frequent errors, and finally won a hard-fought 21-19 victory, ending a three-match losing streak against her. (Editor: Li Hengshan) 1150603