World No. 1 women's singles shuttler Xie Xingfang of China crushed Cheng Shao-Chieh from Chinese Taipei at the Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday after she had won 21 straight points, which was rare in Olympic history.
Xie gave a 21-1, 21-9 beating to Cheng, a quarterfinalist at the Athens Games and now ranked 25th in the world. In the second set, Cheng only took the first point.
"Cheng is apparently not in form," said Xie.
Xie and her boyfriend Lin Dan, the world's top men's singles shuttler, are both competing at the Beijing Games. Lin will fight for his first game against Ng Wei from Hong Kong of China on Monday.
Cheng said after the competition that she did not play well under high pressure.
"I have some injuries in my abdominal muscles and knees, but I wouldn't take injuries as an excuse for my loss," she said. "I didn't get into my rhythm and only displayed 50 percent of myself."
Cheng once halted playing and wrapped bandages on her knee.
(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2008)