Hong Kong Open 2024: Absent For A Month Can't Disturb Gregoria's Performance

JAKARTA Absent for a month after winning a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics did not disturb Gregoria Mariska Tunjung when she played her first tournament at the 2024 Hong Kong Open this week.

The Wonogiri badminton player immediately won easily in two straight games 21-12 and 21-8 over the Chinese single Taipei, Lee Yu Hsuan, at Hong Kong Coliseum on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, evening WIB.

He appeared to dominate the first and second games to continue his journey to the second round of the BWF Super 500 level tournament.

"Today I am quite happy because I was able to play clean enough in the first match and did not make a lot of mistakes myself," said Gregoria after the match as received in a statement from PBSI.

There are two major tournaments that Gregoria had to miss after the 2024 Olympics due to contracting the chickenpox virus and flu. The two tournaments in question are the Japan Open, which is at the Super 750 BWF level, and the Korea Open, which is at the Super 500 BWF level.

Gregoria admits that being absent for a month is not something that is easy for her. However, he was grateful that he managed to overcome the tense feelings well.

"After the 2024 Olympics, there is a sense of relief, but my target is not to stop there. I want to find another title so that now it starts from zero again," he said.

The results obtained by Gregoria made all three Indonesian women's singles who played in Hong Kong 2024 this week are still safe.

Before the 25-year-old badminton player passed, Indonesia had already received a second round ticket through Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi and Putri Kusuma Wardani.

Gregoria will then meet Thailand's women's singles, Ratchanok Intanon. The 2013 world champion reached the second round after defeating the Chinese Taipei singles, Chiu Pin Chian.