Source: Sipa USA/SOPA Images
[Saba Sports News] At the Super 750 Series French
Badminton Open, Japanese women’s doubles player Ayaka Hirota made her return to
the court after recovering from a knee injury. Unfortunately, her partnership
with Yuki Fukushima was defeated by the Indian duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri
Gopichand Pullela in a hard-fought three-game match, causing them to miss out
on a place in the top eight. In a post-match interview, Hirota shared her
feelings, stating that she hadn’t competed for three months and felt nervous
during the game, leading to more mistakes. She acknowledged that playing with
injuries often makes her a target for opponents, so she needs to improve her
running. Hirota expressed gratitude to her teammate Fukushima for protecting
her in the backcourt. Data indicates that Hirota suffered a torn anterior
cruciate ligament in her left knee during the West Dermody International
Badminton Championships in India in December of the previous year. This was the
second time she experienced a serious knee injury. However, in her pursuit of
earning points for the Paris Olympics, Hirota decided against undergoing
surgery. After a long period of rest, she returned to competition this week,
although her running was still not smooth. Her partner, Yuki Fukushima, has
mixed emotions about this situation. She is concerned about Hirota’s physical
condition but also desires to achieve good results in the competition and hopes
to participate in the Paris Olympics.