TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian women’s singles player, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, has secured her place in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics. She is the lone Indonesian representative remaining in the competition.

Gregoria clinched a dramatic victory in the round of 16 match on Friday, August 1, overcoming South Korean opponent Kim Ga Eun in a fiercely contested three-game battle. The final score was 21-4, 8-21, 23-21 at the Porte De La Chapelle Arena.

Dominating from the outset, the seventh seed swiftly claimed the first game with a resounding 21-4 score. However, the momentum shifted in the second game as Kim adopted a more aggressive strategy. Unable to find her rhythm, Gregoria lost the game 8-21, forcing a decisive rubber set.

The final game was a tense affair with both players determined to prevail. Kim held a narrow lead at the interval, but Gregoria fought back to level the score at 11-11. The match continued to seesaw, with multiple deuces before Gregoria finally clinched match point. Kim managed to save two match points, but Gregoria's decisive attacks sealed the victory and secured her spot in the quarterfinals.

Gregoria will face Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon in the next round, a rematch of their 2020 Tokyo Olympics encounter, where Intanon emerged victorious. The pair's most recent meeting was in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Uber Cup, with Gregoria securing a decisive win.

Gregoria's achievement marks a historic moment for Indonesian badminton, as she becomes the first Indonesian women's singles player to reach the Olympic quarterfinals since Maria Kristin in Beijing in 2008.

ANTARA

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