Defending champion Zhang Ning on Sunday advanced into the last 16 at the badminton tournament of the Beijing Olympic Games by beating Salakjit Ponsana from Thailand.

Zhang won the match at 21-23, 21-17, 21-7.

It was not an easy match for the 33-year-old defending champion as she was troubled by injuries and the Thai shuttler was quick and consistent.

Zhang, who got a bye in the first round of women's singles as the No. 2 seed, said "I had expected a difficult match even before it started. Ponsana was a very good player."

Zhang said she was not in form until the second game. "I used wrong tactics for the first game when I tried to take control of the rhythm with drops."

Ponsana, on her part, said Zhang was "nervous" in the first game but succeeded in controlling her in the second and third games.

"Zhang took the advantage of her height and was very fast on the court," said Ponsana. The world No. 29 is 1.6 meters tall and Zhang 1.75 meters.

Zhang gave up quite a few games including the Uber Cup over injuries for the preparation for the Olympic Games. She was in good form when the Chinese team chose players for Beijing Olympics, as head coach Li Yongbo said "Zhang Ning is in good conditions and it will not be a surprise for me if she retains the Olympic title."

Zhang bent down a few times to put bandages on the knee during Sunday's competition. However, she said the injuries would not affect much.

A total of 47 players are competing in the women's singles. China has the world's No. 1 Xie Xingfang, No. 2 Lu Lan and No. 7 Zhang Ning for the discipline.

(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2008)