Taiwan's Tai exits Paris in tearful goodbye

Two upsets and several close calls defined the fifth day of Olympic badminton group play at the Paris Games, most surprisingly when Thailand's world number 21 Intanon Ratchanok knocked Tokyo silver medallist Taiwan's Tai Tzu-Ying out of the tournament on Wednesday.

Tai, who has played with both knees in braces in Paris, had previously opened up about an issue with her left knee and earlier this year withdrew from the Singapore Open.

She lost 19-21 15-21 to Ratchanok. "Before I came here I knew I would find it hard to play the game because of my injury," Tai, 30, who plans to retire at the end of 2024, said through tears. "I still tried my best."

Two-time world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan came close to being defeated in the final round of group play by Canada's world number 31 Michelle Li in a day of close shaves in the women's singles at Porte de La Chapelle Arena.

Yamaguchi, ranked fifth, eked out a 22-24 21-17 21-12 victory through sheer stamina, as Li tired in the third game, losing four points toward the end in quick succession.

The 27-year-old Yamaguchi, who suffered a hip injury in March, said she had felt no pain on Wednesday but that her long layoff meant she was not 100% confident.