The final tournament of CMAC Season 3 was once again hosted by ACIS in the CMI badminton hall. Temperatures soared to scorching highs; 38 degrees had all participants sweating profusely. Bravely and full of motivation, our students competed in the U12, U14, and U16 age groups.
Players, parents, and coaches were bustling around everywhere. It wasn’t until the quarterfinals that things calmed down a little—if you could call it that. Spectators on all courts were treated to great techniques, lightning-fast reactions, and amazing rallies. Five students from CDSC successfully mastered the group stage and advanced to the final rounds. In the quarterfinals, Johann and Chloe met their match despite great effort.
As in the previous year, Ai and Emma faced each other in the semifinals. Emma came out on top in this high-level match and advanced to the final. Aya unfortunately came up short in her semifinal and played against her sister in the match for third place. This match was a real test of strength—especially mentally. It wasn’t until the third set that Ai pulled ahead and secured the win. It was somewhat reminiscent of the famous Williams sisters’ tennis duels. An emotional match, to say the least. Only the two of them can truly know what it felt like. Both wanted to win, and the sisters handled the situation admirably.
In the U12 final, Emma played against Monet from CMIS. It wasn’t the first encounter between these two truly talented players. Once again, it was the third set that decided the outcome. Emma fought her way back into the match, and the result remained uncertain until the end. Both players would have deserved the win, both played some fantastic badminton. In the end, Emma finished second and, like all other CDSC participants, can be proud of her performance.
For any fan of racket sports, I highly recommend watching the final rounds of this tournament. Badminton is a wonderful sport. We’re ready for next year—we have many talented players. A big thank you to all who participated:
Philly, Johann, Aya, Ai, Emma, Andy, Hayden, Henry, Tiger, and Chloe.
