BADMINTON: THERE was little denying Fontaine Chapman’s frustration after she fell to a shock defeat in the opening round of the TOTAL BWF World Championships in Glasgow.
Chapman, England’s No.1 women’s singles player, entered the main hall of Glasgow’s Emirates Arena as the favourite to win her clash with Luise Heim. And after winning the opening set, that prediction looked set to be proven correct.
But the Coventry-born player soon allowed her German opponent to take advantage and level the scores, before a dominant performance in the deciding set saw Heim wrap up a 17-21 21-13 21-9 victory.
Prior to the first point being played, the 27-year-old felt her opening match was one for the taking, but she was left feeling bitterly disappointed at her early exit.
“It’s frustrating. I got off to quite a good start, I just had a patch in the second set where I just really struggled with getting a length,” she said.
“My confidence went a little bit and that doubt started to creep in. I found it quite difficult to get my rhythm back.
“It’s obviously not the result I wanted, because I felt like I had a good draw. She was beatable and I’ve beaten the person I would have played in the second round.
“After I won the first set, I felt confident and that I was playing the right game. If you can’t get a length in this arena though, you get punished for it. I needed to find that rhythm and that confidence, but I just lost it in the second set.”
More than 40 nations have descended on Glasgow’s Emirates Arena for the event, the third time the World Championships have visited the city since 1997.
And while bereft to be departing Scotland earlier than planned, Chapman admitted a home Worlds had been an opportunity she will relish for some time.
“It’s amazing to have the World Championships in Britain, I just wish I was playing again,” she said.
“It’s so nice that my family are able to come and watch. I really like playing in this arena, so it’s frustrating to not put everything together today.
“I’ve got to get back on the training court now. I’ve got the English Nationals in two weeks, so the focus changes to that now.”
The TOTAL BWF World Championships 2017 is being staged at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena from August 21-27.
It is being delivered by Badminton Scotland in partnership with Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council and with funding support from EventScotland and The National Lottery through UK Sport.
