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TAI Tzu Ying: The End of a Beautiful Chapter.

As Tai Tzu Ying’s official retirement settles in our hearts, let us pause to celebrate a player who transcends badminton itself — an artist who rewrites the boundaries of skill.

7th Sep, 2023. Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei hits a return. Credit: Yang Lei/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

She is the enemy of boredom, the one whose fearless creativity elevates her matches to pure theatre. No one can copy the range of shots at her disposal; her technical brilliance is unrivalled. But what truly sets her apart from her peers? She is the Queen of Deception — a thief of time. By shaving away split seconds of anticipation, she bends rallies to her will, turning the court into her stage.

Tai Tzu Ying’s fellow women’s singles players are all part of the spectacle; this has been a golden age in which each dares the other to reach new heights of skill and resilience. Against players like Ratchanok, the contest becomes a duel of “anything you can do, I can do better.” Percentage play is ignored as they revel in the joy of their imagination. TTY’s results are never a foregone conclusion. Her concentration often drifts mid-contest, allowing opponents to stay with her, poised to deliver a coup de grâce in the final, breathless points.

Her spontaneous genius is the purest expression of the game at its finest. She makes commentators into breathless fans and fans into believers, reminding the world that badminton is not just a sport, but a canvas for brilliance, daring, and delight.

Thanks for everything TAI Tzu Ying – enjoy the next chapter!

There are lots of articles about TTY on this blog but here is one of my favourites https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/10/22/tai-tzu-yings-500-wins-excellence-unlimited/ or you may like to read Rene Biaoli’s blog post about Diamond TTY on http://badmintoniacs.wordpress.com

Video courtesy of Shuttle flash

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The Journey of Toh Ee Wei: The Fighter’s Path

Ee Wei and her partner Chen Tang Jia made history in Paris at the 2025 World Championships by becoming the first Malaysian players to win the Mixed Doubles title in a two-set demolition of the second seeds Jiang Zhenbang & Wei Yaxin. The intensity that they brought to the court was unplayable at times; their Chinese rivals struggled to get any foothold in the game.

Screengrab of the champions courtesy of BWF

Ee Wei has lived on the fringes of badminton greatness all her career but somehow, owing to injury, illness or just bad luck she hasn’t climbed to the top of the podium very often. However, on one glorious day – after a near faultless campaign through the tournament – everything clicked after years of hard work.

Looking back, Ee Wei’s path has not been smooth. Her career could have been ended by surgeries, rejections, illnesses, injuries and the pandemic shutdown but through it all she kept going. She never extinguished the flame of her ambition.

Back in November 2016 Ee Wei was on the podium at the World Junior Championships. At 16 she was the youngest medalist and was recognised as a rising star. Her badminton training had begun at her local club when she was 7 and by the time she was 13 her life revolved around practice and schoolwork at the Bukit Jalil Sports School. By 2018 she was part of the national squad and with Pearly Tan won silver at Asian and World Junior Championships in the Girls Doubles, everything was looking good.

Then everything stalled. Chronic sinusitis required surgery but afterwards it was impossible to balance effective recovery with national training. Reluctantly she had to take the long view, so quit the team and ended her partnership with Pearly.

She refused to give up. For a while she trained independently so she could control the pace of her work and her tournament schedule. Eventually returning to the national team in 2020 only to be knocked off course again by the global pandemic and the movement restrictions. For months she endured training with no tournament to aim for; all the while battling isolation and a low mood. She had hit a dead end.

XD coach Paulus threw her a lifeline. He suggested she switch disciplines and as the world was learning to live with Covid she was paired with Choong Hon Jain and together they won the 2021 Polish Open followed by two more titles. Just as it seemed like she was getting some career momentum another blow: bone tuberculosis. Weeks of hospital treatment meant there were times she was too ill to walk.

Her comeback in 2022 made her dig deep within herself. She had to rebuild her muscle and refine her skills. She fought her way into the world top 30 partnered with Chan Peng Soon then Hoo Pang Ron. After a team reshuffle, just a few months before Olympic qualification, she was matched with Chen Tang Jie and maybe – far in the distance – destiny was starting to call her name.

Together they grew. They claimed the 2023 Orleans Masters then soon after they were part of Malaysia’s bronze winning Sudirman cup team. Successes meant they broke into the world top 10. There were still some setbacks but they kept going and secured a spot at the Paris Olympics.

The Olympics are always tough and for this pair Paris 2024 brought some triumphs but also frustration. They battled through the group phase and upset the world #2 but in the QF a desperate dive left her injured. She kept fighting but they fell short. I think that this experience drained them. The Olympics can be extraordinary in the way that it engages non-sports fans but that brings extra pressure. We have seen post-Olympic fatigue in plenty of athletes and in an article in the Star after in August 2024 she talked about trying to rediscover her playing rhythm and mental tiredness.

The partnership seemed subdued and six months later following a disappointing early exit from the All England they split in what coach Rexy described as a “tactical reset”. It was a brave call. The gamble was that the two athletes would realise that they were stronger together or else renew their focus in a new pairing.

In hindsight the split was an inspired decision. After significant clamour from fans and negotiations with coaches and officials they reformed. They had decided to take a chance to rebuild with a clean slate. They knew what they had to improve to stay together; not least communication and learn to focus on just the next point.

Back together but no sudden leap forward. Instead hard training to reframe their relationship. Rexy Mainaky observed that although he could see some encouraging signs it was time for them both to grow up and move on from their past difficulties. Although tournament results were failing to set the world alight they were starting to string wins together. Seeded 4 they arrived at the World Championships understanding that focus and mutual support was essential. Their coaches believed in them, the fans supported them and finally through a wonderful week their plans came together, only ending with gold medals around their necks at the top of the podium.

Today Ee Wei is more than just a world champion. She is proof that success is not about a smooth climb but about refusing to give up even when starting over seems impossible.

Most of this article was written by a big fan of Ee Wei – Lucy XU Fang Ning. I’d like to thank her for sharing her knowledge and giving me permission to post this shorter version of her original.

Lucy’s original article which covers Ee Wei’s journey in more detail is here https://xfnrandomname.blogspot.com/2024/07/toh-ee-wei-everyone-has-their-own-story.html?m=1&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabqTfL2AtH_3Ave74I79prd5XPI8cFAIPYoVQ5dYOn_KPleI6z1CDY3G_8_aem_TpEfeKALm1ub2aVDg_US8wor if you prefer the Chinese language version https://xfnrandomname.blogspot.com/2024/07/blog-post.html?m=1&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZo0qeonDJKniUJl75RbiNS_8WizYhDKbDNL8udYYnPssgQt1gWtT_mlP0_aem_5XBl9wkJt568gCp6kFJuYQ

If you like reading about badminton there’s plenty on this website or you will find lots of interest on Rene Biaoli’s site too https://badmintoniacs.wordpress.com/

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Silver For Pearly & Thinaah on a Day When Malaysian Stars Shone Brightly.

What a remarkable World Championships this has been for Malaysian badminton. The athletes rose to the occasion with composure and brilliance, producing performances under unforgiving pressure. Their achievements offer not only moments to savour now, but also genuine reasons for optimism about the nation’s badminton future.

Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan came to Paris as the second seeds, and they will leave with silver — a result that underlines just how far they have come. Their campaign has been nothing short of outstanding. By the time they stepped onto court for the final, Malaysian fans spirits were high as Chen and Toh had already secured the mixed doubles crown.

The opening game was unforgiving. A handful of errors proved costly, and the Chinese top seeds seized the initiative to close it out 21–14 with authority. For Pearly and Thinaah, the question was clear: did they possess the tactical clarity and mental steel to turn the contest around?

The second game was a battle of momentum, swinging one way and then the other as each pair sought control. Tan and Liu pressed hard for a straight-sets victory, while Pearly and Thinaah fought simply to stay alive. At 20–20 the match looked to be slipping from their grasp — yet with a smile and a deep breath they refused to yield. Their resolve was rewarded, and they snatched the game 22–20 to force a decider.

The deciding game crackled with intensity. All four players threw themselves into the contest, producing rallies of breathtaking quality punctuated by the occasional anxious error. Liu and Tan managed to stay a fraction in front, holding their nerve despite relentless Malaysian pressure. Pearly and Thinaah battled fiercely to the very end, but the final spark needed to unsettle the top seeds proved elusive.

The Chinese pair just managed to hold their nerve, taking the title in the 21–17 decider. Pearly and Thinaah will naturally feel some disappointment at missing out on the top prize, but a closer analysis shows how victory or defeat hinged on just a handful of points. Having emerged from injury setbacks and undeserved criticism, they can take pride in establishing themselves as a formidable pairing over the past few months. Today they proved that they belong amongst badminton’s elite.

If you enjoyed this take a look at Rene Biaoli’s blog https://badmintoniacs.wordpress.com/

Or you may like my archive article about one of the most inspiring Malaysian players GOH Jin Wei.

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Olympic Badminton 2024: Top Takeaways

Filled with moments of triumph and heartbreak this Olympic tournament had everything a fan could have asked for: intense drama, passion, and romance. In the end it felt like the “right” players were standing on the podium.

Mixed Doubles – Romantics Assemble!

ZHENG Siwei and HUANG Ya Qiong’s performance was nothing short of spectacular as they upgraded from Tokyo Silver to Paris Gold without dropping a single set. In the final they decisively beat KIM Won Ho & JEONG Na Eun to complete their collection of major titles.

There was a romantic flourish after the medal ceremony when Ya Qiong was ambushed by LIU Yuchen who went down on one knee, promised to love her forever and offered her a Darry ring. It was a beautiful moment and an absolute tearjerker.

Yuta and Arisa had wanted Gold but in the end they defended their Bronze well.

Men’s Singles: Viktor Victorious Again

I completely underestimated Viktor Axelsen’s ability to repeat his Tokyo success. His fitness, tactical acumen and will to win was faultless. Kunlavut Vitidsarn is the current World Champion and played beautifully throughout the tournament until he came up against Viktor in the final. He was bulldozed into Silver by the Dane who never allowed him to get his counterattack going. Viktor was formidable and an absolute credit to badminton in his sporting treatment of rivals and his interactions with fans.

LEE Zii Jia travelled to Paris aiming for Gold but in the end had to settle for Bronze. When he reviews his performance, he can be proud of his success. On the way to his medal, he demolished Anders Antonsen – one of the pre-tournament favourites – and came from behind to beat Lakshya Sen in the Bronze medal match. I hope this makes him hungry for glory in Los Angeles in 2028.

SHI Yuqi arrived in Paris as the top seed but faltered early and was destroyed by Kunlavut. It was a shattering loss as he has been playing so well all year. He could not get his game to flow.

Men’s Doubles: The Dormant Champs Reactivate

LEE Yang and WANG Chi-Lin’s victory was like an epic story of superheroes from ancient legend. The mighty champions of Tokyo have been VERY low profile over the past three years, but they heard the call of Gold and reignited at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena. After negotiating their escape from Group D, it was starting to look like their bond with the Gold medal was unbreakable; and despite a white-knuckle ride through the final they eventually overcame LIANG and WANG over three sets to defend their title.

Aaron CHIA and SOH Wooi Yik’s battle for Bronze was a nail biter. They were pushed to the brink of defeat by Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen but managed to claw their way back into the match and eventual victory. The Danes deserve credit for a strong tournament even though there was no medal in the end.

Women’s Doubles

CHEN Qing Chen and JIA Yi Fan have been relentlessly pursuing Olympic Gold and like their compatriots in XD the upgrade from Tokyo silver was well deserved. Their aggression and precision overwhelmed opponents who could not knock them off the path to the top of the podium. It turned out that it was nearly Pneumonia that defeated their campaign as they revealed that Yi Fan had been in hospital and unable to train not long before the games. Her resilience and determination to get back on court with her partner was rewarded when they triumphed over LIU Sheng Shu and TAN Ning in the final.

In the Bronze medal match the Japanese pair Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida emerged victorious over Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan. Despite the Malaysian’s valiant effort the Japanese duo found an extra gear when it mattered and grabbed a place on the podium.

Women’s Singles

AN Se Young arrived on court as the hot favourite for Gold despite struggling with injury since the last Asian Games. Her mental resilience and all-round game saw her through a tough campaign to the final with unbreakable self belief. In the final she defeated HE Bing Jiao to become the first Korean woman to win this Olympic title since BANG Soo-Hyun in Atlanta. With her current form, it is easy to see her dominating women’s singles for years.

Veterans Ratchanok Intanon and TAI Tzu Ying were both competing in their fourth Olympics. After May’s victory over her close friend Tzu Ying, TAI revealed that her injuries had been so severe that she doubted she could even walk onto the court. May was eventually beaten by Gregoria Tunjung who went on to win Bronze and is poised to challenge hard for titles in the coming years.

Top Takeaways

The Olympics is traditionally a showcase for athletic excellence and this tournament delivered in all sectors. There was an unmistakable poignancy to some of the matches in the Arena and the feeling that it was the end of an era. Some of the outstanding players of this generation have run out of time to be Olympic Champion. Carolina’s heartbreaking exit in the semifinal emphasised the fine lines between triumph and disaster in sport. The younger generation will get more chances to shine and should use disappointment in Paris to fuel performance in LA.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my celebration of MayTAI; the El Classico of the badminton world https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/04/09/tai-tzu-ying-ratchanok-intanon-maytai/

If you are a fan of Malaysian badminton here are two sites you will enjoy https://badmintoniacs.wordpress.com/ or why not try Shuttlehard which you can find on social media channels.

Please ask permission to repost and/or alter any of my work. Without prejudice I explicitly do not give permission to sportsnews or cabron tv to use any of my work.

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Pearly & Thinaah: Into the Olympic Semifinals

In a brutal demolition of their Korean opponents Pearly Tan & Thinaah Muralitharan made history as the first Malaysian WD pair to reach an Olympic final. Wow, did they deserve this win.

There was a focus and intensity about the pair of them right from the start. This was a death or glory tie, and they made the choice to go for glory. The first set went by in a flash. The attack was slick and the defence held steady. There was a quiet confidence about them as they went toe-to-toe with the Tokyo bronze medalists. One up 21-12. How would the Koreans respond? This was an unbelievable start.

Korea began the second set in a more composed way. The serve alternated as no-one was able to build momentum. 4-4. 5-5. 8-8. Then something flicked the attack switch inside Pearly and Thinaah’s game brains – the semifinals were calling, and they could not ignore the temptation to go for it.

Pearly in particular was adept at moving her opponents around to gain space to attack. She was always searching for angles to exploit. Thinaah was her reliable back-up. Nothing got past her. The Koreans started to run out of ideas as Malaysia edged ahead into the interval just ahead 11-8.

They were unrelenting as they played for a semi-final place. The score kept ticking up and they were so smooth in their partnership. The understanding between them and their faith in their strategy was incredibly resilient. Kim/Kong were still fighting hard and managed to claw back some points.

At 12-13 I was a little concerned as Pearly seemed to be having a minor hamstring twinge; suddenly the Koreans were level 13-13. Was this the anticipated fight-back?

Fearless and brave the Malaysian pair took deep breaths, refocused, and found a higher level. Their rivals were pressured into unforced errors; they were misjudging the drift, and their challenge was starting to fade. Pearly and Thinaah were hungry for points. They had not stepped on court to indulge the Korean’s love of long rallies. They were direct and determined. Still the score kept advancing in their favour.

There was nothing that Kim/Kong could do to counter this persistent attack. As the set progressed, they faded. As they faded, Pearly and Thinaah grew. 18-13, 19-13, 20-13 match point. Surely nothing could stop them now. Never in doubt! 21-13. What a performance.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at the article written by my friend Rene Biaoli http://badmintoniacs.wordpress.com

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Olympic Badminton 2024: Women’s Singles

Adventures in anxiety await us all as the intensity of the Olympic competition plays out. Will CHEN Yu Fei defend her title? Can TAI Tzu Ying or Marin cajole their tired muscles for one last effort? Is this really AN Se Young’s medal to claim?

Who will make the step up from good to great to Gold?

Artwork by kind permission of Amelia Parkes Cordock

Quarterfinal Showdowns

This edition of the Olympic WS has some brilliant players: from battle-hardened veterans at their fourth Olympiad to some first-timers. They are all at La Chapelle Arena ready to showcase the best version of themselves and aim for glory.

AN Se Young and Akane Yamaguchi

About a year ago AN Se Young was destined to completely dominate women’s badminton but since her knee injury she is not invincible. She is favourite for the Gold here, but the constant pressure of high-level matches will be a big test. After the group stage she gets a bye into the quarterfinals and is likely to face Akane Yamaguchi, who has experienced her own injury problems. Akane at her best could get into the semifinal. I watched their match at the All England this year and AY’s refusal to concede was extraordinary. If she can bring that indomitable belief to the court, she will not be beaten. At the start of the National Team training camp in July she was playing down her chances of regaining her peak fitness though, so the early group stages should give us an idea of what level she can achieve.

TAI Tzu Ying and Gregoria Tunjung

TAI Tzu Ying and Ratchanok Intanon encounter each other early on – in Group E – but only one can progress to the knockouts. Many neutrals will be wistful about the lost opportunity for these two to play each other later on in the competition. Both are drawing their dazzling careers to an end; both would grace any Olympic podium. The reality is that both have suffered quite bad injuries this year so that may affect what either can accomplish- nevertheless it will not blight their ambitions .

The winner of their group will probably face Gregoria Tunjung who has the shots and the speed to go deep into the competition. She must maintain her mental resilience if she is going to get on the podium – she is a definite dark horse. It could be her time. Read more about her here https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/04/03/gregoria-mariska-tunjung-anything-is-possible/

Ayo Ohori and Carolina Marin

Ohori has had an excellent 2024 and has reached her highest ever ranking (10). Although she is not widely seen as a medal contender, she has a reasonable draw and is fit. Her victory at the Thailand Masters back in February was over 3 sets and 80 minutes so she shouldn’t have too many problems in an attritional slow hall.

Meanwhile, Marin is determined to win back her Gold from Rio. She is the most focused competitor, but it’s asking a lot eight years on to repeat the win. I would never bet against the Spaniard but at the French Open this year she underachieved by her own standards (lost in R32) however she then bounced back to win the All England in the following week.

CHEN Yu Fei and HE Bing Jiao

Can the defending champion retain her medal? Given her win against AN Se Young at the Indonesia Open a few weeks ago, it looks like she has a good chance. However, first she must navigate a probable QF with her compatriot HE Bing Jiao. It’s possible for HBJ to pull off an upset, but the odds are stacked against her. Not least because CHEN knows exactly what it takes to grab gold and can gain a lot of positives from her recent victory. In that game she pushed and pushed: not content to simply return the shuttle, she went for the lines, stayed positive and got her reward. This could be a possible strategy if she has to face the Korean in the SF.

Top Takeaways

Injuries and the draw have made this a very open competition. Success will depend on who can adjust to the stadium conditions and stay fit enough to keep going. It would be a dream come true to see TAI Tzu Ying at the top of the podium: she may get there but she needs to avoid grueling games and I don’t think that will be possible. Gregoria has an outside chance of a medal but it is difficult to see beyond a CHEN Yu Fei or AN Se Young success in Paris.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my preview of the Men’s Singles herehttps://womensbadminton.co.uk/2024/07/24/olympic-badminton-2024-mens-singles/

Please don’t repost my work in other formats without my permission.

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Olympic Badminton 2024: Men’s Singles

Who can make the step up from good to great to Gold?

Quarterfinal Showdowns

Kunlavut Vitidsarn and SHI Yuqi

Shi Yuqi’s journey to the final is fraught with peril. His side of the draw (Groups A-H) is stacked with rivals capable of derailing his campaign. There are so many standout players that the risk of mutual exhaustion as they battle each other for semifinal spots is real. To succeed, it’s crucial for competitors to focus on the next match, stay healthy, and keep pushing forward.

Kunlavut Vitidsarn, the current World Champion, has seen his form dip due to illness and injury. If he can overcome Kenta Nishimoto or Brian Yang, he is likely to face SYQ in the quarterfinals. Their head-to-head record favors Yuqi, especially considering his victory over Vitidsarn in March in the same arena. This sets up China to potentially have at least one player in the semifinals.

Anders Antonsen V LEE Zii Jia or Anthony Ginting

Anders Antonsen is a formidable contender, capable of outthinking and outperforming most of his rivals. The draw has been kind to him, as he only needs to play two matches in Group E before advancing to the quarterfinals. Assuming LEE Zii Jia tops Group G, he will likely face Anthony Ginting for a chance to challenge Antonsen in the QF for a semifinal spot. Ginting, an Olympic Bronze medalist, knows what it takes to perform under pressure. But,LEE Zii Jia is a dynamic player who could significantly influence the tournament’s outcome.

The battle for the quarterfinal and semifinal spots could mentally and physically exhaust these men. If LZJ finds his flow, he could beat SYQ for a final spot. So, who from the other side of the draw might he face?

Viktor Axelson and LI Shifeng

Viktor Axelsen, the defending champion, has been a major force in badminton for years. He has been careful to manage his mental and physical load over the past few months. Only time will tell if he has the fitness to reach the final. He will likely be wary of a potential quarterfinal clash against China’s LI Shifeng, a well-balanced player with strong support staff, including CHEN Long. The winner of this match will face a semifinalist from Groups I-L.

Group L: “The Group of Punishment”

Group L feels like an undeserved punishment. Jonatan Christie, seeded three, has to play three matches with no bye in the Round of 16, compared to Anders Antonsen, seeded four, who only plays two group matches and has a bye into the quarterfinals. This system needs reform as it’s unfairly loaded. Christie’s group includes Lakshya Sen and Kevin Cordon. If Sen hits his stride, his aggressive attack style makes him a significant threat for a medal. Cordon had a dream run in Tokyo but replicating that will be challenging. The draw likely leads to a Round of 16 match between Christie and Prannoy, followed by a quarterfinal with Naraoka. The Japanese athlete is brilliant at chasing lost causes, applying pressure and forcing wins. Prannoy or Christie could prevail, but they must preserve stamina so avoiding ridiculously prolonged group matches is key.

Top Takeaways.

The path to Gold will be full of intense battles with high stakes matches. Identifying the contenders amongst the pretenders is a tricky task especially in an atypical tournament. I think the title will go to a player in SHI Yuqi’s side of the draw so long as they don’t destroy each other on the journey to the final. SYQ is the favourite and the prospect of an all-China final is on the cards. In my opinion, Antonsen is the athlete who could disrupt this but I wouldn’t bet against LEE Zii Jia or Anthony Ginting. Stay tuned as the drama unfolds!

Women’s singles review coming shortly

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Global Shuttle: Istora, Singapore & Birmingham.

Each year I go to the All England in Birmingham to enjoy the superb quality of play. However, I have long been curious about tournaments held in the heartland of Badminton – Asia – so this year I elevated my fandom to new levels; resigned from my job, packed my case, and satisfied some long-held ambitions.

This is my personal albeit brief account of my visit to a S750 in Singapore and the Indonesia Open (S1000) with a few comparisons with the All England. Lets be honest; few people go on holiday in Birmingham UK.

The All England offers fans the chance to watch the best players competing for one of the most prestigious titles in badminton. Yet, the immense queues to get in and the lack of food choices can be frustrating. It can cost a lot to attend as well so I was eager to find out how other tournaments meet these challenges.

KFF Singapore Badminton Open 2024

We only have to look at the tournament winners to see that it featured many athletes who are genuine gold medal contenders for this year’s Olympics. The Chinese team were dominant, and the resurgence of SHI YuQi was a joy to watch. There was a focus on letting the matches speak for themselves; unlike the AE there was little ‘cheerleading’ with spectators, or DJs. There were well publicized, professionally managed M&Gs with a variety of players all through the week and it was a genuine thrill to participate in this.

Public transport to the stadium was superb – cheap, clean, and efficient – and I arrived relaxed and happy. Security checks were thorough, but quick as there were lots of officers on duty.

Singapore prides itself on the high quality of its drinking water and while spectators may not take bottled water into the stadium but there are free-to-use drinking fountains to fill your own bottle inside. I thought that this was a brilliant innovation. The food for sale inside was not particularly inspiring especially in the context of the quality/cheapness of food in Singapore malls.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole tournament and would love to go again someday. I had a season ticket which covered entry for 6 days. It was easy to buy online from the UK and it cost $154SD which is roughly £90. An absolute bargain!!

Kapal Api Indonesia Open 2024

Stepping through the curtain into the arena, I was hit with a pure ‘Wow!’ moment when I realised I was standing only about 5 meters from the players on Court 2. Visiting the legendary Istora has been a dream of mine for a while now and this year I finally made it. Despite some withdrawals I relished watching AN Se Young, SHI YuQi, Anders Antonsen et al. The highlight for me was the dramatic clash between MAN Wei Chong/Kai Wun TEE & LU Ching Yao/YANG Po Han.

It’s surprising that there wasn’t a better overall performance from home players & in fact none made it through to contest a final. This, coupled with the controversy over ticket prices contributed to the low-key atmosphere. Given the context of an average local wage the ticket prices are sky-high leaving some empty seats. Pricing out passionate, knowledgeable fans feels like an own goal. I was disappointed that the VIP category didn’t guarantee a specific seat.

Like in Singapore I used the MRT to get to the arena – it was cheap, cool and clean. While the extra layer of bureaucracy with wristbands and passport checks was a hassle, arriving for the QF sessions after the Friday Prayer break meant no queues. The staff and volunteers were friendly and helpful, and security was efficient.

The food stations at the IO was the best of any arena I’ve been to this year. Not only was there a wide variety of reasonably priced food but also huge screens let me watch the action whilst eating.

I would jump at the chance to watch badminton in Jakarta again. As in Singapore there was no distractions from the action on court and I liked that experience. I think that was probably the last time the tournament will be held in that stadium. It was easy to buy a ticket online from the UK and a VIP QF ticket (ie one day) was RP1050000 so approx £52.

Takeaways

My original plan had been to watch TAI Tzu Ying in both of these tournaments, but she withdrew owing to injury. Despite this, I had the best time and I’m already wondering when I could visit again; maybe adding in Malaysia too. It’s starting to feel like the end of an era. A few of our favourites will be retiring this year and some have already. A badminton scene with no Kevin & Marcus or TTY is hard to imagine. Here’s to happy memories and new adventures in the world of badminton.

Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to visit and who shared their top tips. Special mentions to @ttyings, Ninuk and Veronica.

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TAI Tzu Ying Wins the WTF 2023

TAI Tzu Ying is the Champion again at the World Tour Finals – this is a triumph we will savour in years to come. Her resilience and will-to-win carried her through an incredible weekend to finish at the top of the podium.

Screengrab courtesy of BWF TV

After coming back from the dead against AN Se Young in their semifinal TAI Tzu Ying faced Carolina Marin in the last match of 2023 to battle for Gold. Marin is always an intimidating opponent and her form this week – her touch and focus – meant that this was going to be a huge task for the Queen.

Two battle-scarred athletes faced each other over the net. The slow hall allowed Marin a few microseconds of advantage to neutralize Tzu Ying’s natural game. TTY appeared a bit leggy at the beginning and Marin dominated the early exchanges to close out the first set 21-12.

The second set started, and TTY was struggling to reach the shots from Carolina that stretched her sideways. Her left leg was obviously strapped, and her opponent was good at exploiting this. Advantage to the Spaniard at the break 11-9. Then, a shift in the balance of power. TAI won 6 points in a row, and Marin was making some mistakes under pressure. Both players are running on ‘old legs’ these days; both are a little slower and less agile than 5 years ago. TTY rode the momentum she had generated and levelled up the contest, winning the second set 21-14.

The decider started evenly but there was a moment when TAI was 8-9 behind that produced a pivotal shot. Under extreme pressure and suffering with her troublesome left knee she executed a magnificent backhand crosscourt net shot that skimmed along the net cord like a flat pebble across still water and dropped to Marin’s side of the court. 9-9 and she was immediately infused with self-belief whilst Carolina started to deflate.

Watching fans hardly dared to hope as suddenly TAI Tzu Ying seized the advantage. Six points in a row took her to 18-12 and although Carolina fought courageously, she could not disrupt the passages of play enough to get back into the match. 21-18 and the title went to The Queen.

TAI Tzu Ying’s first victory at the World Tour Finals was ten years ago in 2014. This is her fourth title at the season-ending extravaganza and the sweetest, as the campaign this year has been extraordinary and one for us all to relish. The semi-final against AN Se Young felt like the thousandth meeting this year. We all thought that we knew the script as the head-to-head was 10-2 in the Korean’s favour but in an epic match TTY forced an incredible win against the odds.

This is a well-deserved victory. A reward for never giving up, for hard work and for being true to herself. Huge congratulations to Tzu Ying for a remarkable week and heartfelt thanks from all her fans for a wonderful weekend’s play.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at some of my other articles about TAI Tzu Ying on my blog https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/10/22/tai-tzu-yings-500-wins-excellence-unlimited/ about the 500 wins milestone or this one from a while ago about the incredible team who support her https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/25/team-tai-tzu-ying/

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TAI Tzu Ying’s 500 Wins: Excellence Unlimited

In a truly momentous milestone TAI Tzu Ying has achieved the feat of securing her 500^th victory. She’s travelled a long way from the skinny kid winning her first pro match in 2007 to the worldwide icon about to grace her fourth Olympics.

2RR8TM1 Zhongguo, China’s Jiangsu Province. 7th Sep, 2023. Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei hits a return during the women’s singles second round match against Zhang Yiman of China at the 2023 China Open badminton tournament in Changzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Sept. 7, 2023. Credit: Yang Lei/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

She is badminton’s once-in-a-lifetime star; beloved throughout the world, transcending her sport in the same way that Federer transcends tennis. Dazzling deception is baked into her approach. Her exquisite shots are a shared celebration of her command of the game as her fans provide a soundtrack of delight wherever in the world she plays.

Many people have played a part in shaping her genius – it’s born of years of hard work, unfettered imagination and joy in competition. Looking back to her formative years it was the support of her family that nurtured the spark of brilliance. Her father introduced her to the sport and – as the story goes – took her around the smaller clubs that dot her homeland to take on adults. She couldn’t compete equally in terms of strength, but hated losing, so she had to hone her trickery. Imagine if you had been a club player in Kaohsiung suddenly facing TTY across the net – there must be people in the city who did just this in the early days.

A hand injury suffered when she was thirteen could have been a debilitating setback. Instead, it catalyzed the development of her extraordinary backhand skills. As her father astutely observed, the injury proved to be a blessing in disguise.

TTY’s spontaneous panache on court has been supported by Coach LAI who understands that her flair must be nurtured rather than squashed to fit established playing styles. Her father was key in identifying LAI as a coach on the right wavelength to look after her. The formation of her team – physio, coach, & trainer has been designed to give her support in all areas of her game.

It’s impossible to pick a favourite TAI Tzu Ying match but the series of breathtaking battles with Ratchanok Intanon over the years standout as the El Classico of the badminton world. The spectacular skills of both athletes elevate these games to thrilling contests between wonderful opponents challenging each other to reach new heights of wizardry. Read more here TAI Tzu Ying & Ratchanok Intanon: MayTAI

500 Up, more than 200 weeks as World #1 and not finished yet. Dr TAI’s zest for the game has refocused with the 2024 Paris Olympics on the horizon. It’s impossible to predict what results the next year will bring but we know that when she walks onto the court her fans will be there to clap and cheer, standing ready to support and witness the unlimited brilliance of this incredible player.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at one of my archive articles about TTY https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2022/01/29/tai-tzu-ying-200-breathtaking-weeks-as-world-1/ or this one https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2022/03/02/tai-tzu-ying-at-the-all-england/

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LEE Zii Jia: Reasons to be Cheerful

LEE Zii Jia’s run of good results at the Australian Open came to an end in a three set SF with WENG Hong Yang. What are the top takeaways from this tournament for him and his fans?

2J6ETN3 (220501) — MANILA, May 1, 2022 (Xinhua) — Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia poses for photos during the awarding ceremony for the men’s singles at the Badminton Asia Championships 2022 in Manila, the Philippines, May 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

As Team LZJ embarked on their flight to Sydney last week it was crucial that Coach WONG and Darren Liew supported their player. Amidst the gale of media criticism that often swirls around him, they had to embody the eye of the storm, giving tactical analysis and unwavering confidence in his ability to overcome his challenges.

Before the competition began – after a dismal sequence of early exits – plus a hiatus to recharge and recalibrate, I think that the prospect of making the semi-final of a S500 tournament would have been a tantalizing glimpse of a brighter horizon.

As he took to the court to face fellow Malaysian LEONG Jun Hao in R32 the main worry was his recent habit of early exits stemming from a mix of impatience, good opponents, and bad luck. However, plot twist! This time he changed the script. The match did not begin particularly well: his play was marred by errors: his range was out, and he was misjudging the arena’s conditions. LJH took the first set, and an upset was on the cards. However, set two and a small improvement in his touch and some deceptive shots surfaced. He was tenacious and levelled to one set all. His momentum continued and with an impressive display of mental grit he got the victory in just over an hour.

R16 was another long three set match, this time against Indian national champion Mithun Manjunath. Zii Jia was more comfortable with the conditions, and noticeably better in the front court. While it was not a dazzling performance he rose to the challenge and was into his first Quarter Final for months. It was encouraging to see him find an extra gear at 16-16 in the final set. MM resisted and fought back hard but he could not break LZJ’s resolve.

And so, to another compatriot clash, this time against the ever-improving NG Tze Yong. Malaysian badminton fans are lucky to have two outstanding MS. NTY’s performances at the Commonwealth Games and at the All England this year showcased his tenacity and undemonstrative self-confidence. He is such a dogged, never-say-die competitor that it was imperative for LZJ to win in two if he had any hope of progression. Ominously he lost the first set and the second was balanced on a knife edge but Zii Jia would not yield, eventually taking it to extra points 26-24. It was heartening to see his surge of determination to get the match to a third set. The advantage was with him, and he took it 21-19.

Four early exits in a row before this tournament but this time he broke the pattern and reached the SF. After his defeat he revealed in an interview with the BWF that playing as an underdog had helped him. He can take so many positives from this week. Against WENG Hong Yang he showed a willingness to use his aggression to dominate the net; his movement was fluid, and his shots were sharp. Notably, he hasn’t journeyed deep into a tournament for so long and this will be great to improve his match stamina.

What can we expect in Copenhagen at the World Championships? Realistically the challenge continues to be consistency. However, with his team, he is working on the toolkit to transform himself into a better player. The journey is just beginning.

if you enjoyed this take a look at my article about LZJ and Coach Wong https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/07/29/lee-zii-jia-and-plan-b/

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LEE Zii Jia and Plan B

Now the challenge for Lee Zii Jia and his coaching team is to tap into his incredible talents and help him find his groove again.

2PFH65M Utilita Arena, Birmingham, UK. 17th Mar, 2023. 2023 YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships, Quarter Finals Day 4; Kodai NARAOKA versus LEE Zii Jia in the Mens Singles competition, LEE Zii Jia celebrates winning the match Credit: Action Plus Sports/Alamy Live News

It is essential to keep a frustrating situation in perspective. Remember, not too long ago he was a top 3 seeded player -a testament to his talent and skill – it is crucial to acknowledge that he has not regressed into a sub-par player overnight. Like any athlete there are difficulties and the journey to peak performance can be arduous.

Bringing WONG Tat Meng on board as his coaching director is a statement of ambition. He has a great cv and a broad experience of nurturing players to reach their full potential all over the world. He has come home to Malaysia to use this expertise to strengthen LZJ for the challenges ahead.

And so – for now – we must regard LZJ as dynamic work in progress. He is desperate to show that his sweat on the practice court equals trophies on the show court, but it is a transformational process that has to evolve. He needs more routes to victory when he cannot blast his way past an opponent; so, by reworking his game to incorporate different options depending on the challenges of the match he will become a more resilient player.

WTM must unpick and analyse the elements of LZJ’s game that are not working. They have to refine and enhance. All this against the whirlwind of endless tournaments, unrelenting press pressure and his player’s self-criticism. So, he has identified his first priorities as: consistency, improving ranking and securing qualification for the Paris Olympics next year.

The World Championships are looming, and it is probable that he will be arriving in Copenhagen as an unseeded player. The important thing is not only how far he can advance through the rounds but also the trajectory of his metamorphosis. Will he prolong rallies? What is going to happen to his unorthodox smash? Does he have the physical stamina to go deep into the draw after his recent early exits?

Sun Tzu said that victory comes from finding opportunities in problems. As I reflect on Lee Zii Jia, I firmly believe that he does have the mental agility to innovate and the grit to persevere through difficult times. Champions are not solely defined by victory but by their courage in defeat and determination to overcome any obstacle placed in their path. Triumph over adversity is the ultimate measure of greatness.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my recent article about WS and the Fab Four https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/05/06/badmintons-fab-four-the-womens-singles-players-who-dominate-the-sport/

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Badminton’s Fab Four: The Women’s Singles Players Who Dominate the Sport

The crème de la crème of Women’s Singles was on the podium at the Badminton Asia Championships this year. TAI Tzu Ying, AN Se Young, Akane Yamaguchi and CHEN YuFei are four outstanding players who represent peak excellence.

It is no surprise that millions of fans worldwide tune in to their matches. While their formidable skills on court are a big factor in this, their heart-warming interactions in Dubai exemplified the best sporting behaviour. Let’s take a closer look at the individuals who make up the Fab Four.

TAI Tzu Ying

TTY is a true icon of the badminton world. Armed with a dangerous combination of unscripted brilliance and technical mastery, spontaneity and deception are part of her DNA. Her creative vision has elevated the sport to a new level. She won the Gold medal at what could be her final BAC. She is badminton’s Most Valuable Player.

CHEN YuFei

As the reigning Olympic champion CYF has nothing to prove. She has been quoted as saying that she no longer wishes to compete ‘ruthlessly’ however she approaches matches with great fighting spirit. Unyielding grit paired with patience and superb technical skills makes her an intimidating rival. After winning Bronze in Dubai she was obviously delighted to be sharing a podium with Akane. Previously, she has mused on Weibo how she would like the opportunity to be friends. Following the medal ceremony she posted memorable pictures of the four of them on her social media which immediately went viral. She couldn’t tag Akane at first, but the Japanese player eventually followed her account after she complained.

Akane Yamaguchi

Akane, the current two-time World Champion, is renowned for her pacey court coverage and relentless stamina making her a very hard player to beat. Despite her small stature, opponent’s shots are rarely out of her reach. She stays focused and never gives up. There are plenty of epic battles ahead between her and AN Se Young.

AN Se Young

The new kid on the block has been enjoying a stupendous 2023. Her challenge to the status quo shows no sign of slowing down; in fact she has all the confidence and determination of a champion who knows her moment has arrived.

I love the Fab Four

As the Paris Olympics loom, the sun is setting on what has been a truly magnificent era in Women’s Singles – a Golden Age that has enthralled fans across the globe. TAI Tzu Ying has confirmed that she wants to retire after the Games. The passion and dedication of these four brilliant players have elevated the sport to new heights, inspiring us with their unrivaled skills and determination. Let’s savour every chance we get to be dazzled by these superb players.

If you enjoyed this you may like my post about TAI Tzu Ying’s victory at BAC2023 https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/04/30/tai-tzu-ying-asian-champion-again/

I’m very grateful to one of TAI Tzu Ying’s biggest fans – Kelly Chen – who kindly allowed me to use her personal photos from Dubai to illustrate this article. She has an excellent YouTube channel (@KellyChenTW) if you would like to see more clips of TTY.

I would also like to mention that I used Shu translating’s account on Twitter (@shitouyuqi) to get a sense of what was said by CYF on Weibo. This is a great account to follow if you love badminton.

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TAI Tzu Ying: Asian Champion (Again!)

TAI Tzu Ying is the Champion of Asia, securing the title for a third time with an unyielding display of aggression and precision against AN Se Young in the final.

TTY’s dominance stunned her Korean rival. By refusing to be lured into long rallies; she seized the opportunity to be the aggressor and deployed smashes, drives and drops wherever possible. AN Se Young had taken to the court with a heavily strapped knee and as the match progressed, she struggled to disrupt Tzu Ying’s progress. Under enormous pressure she was misjudging length and line calls as the score kept ticking up.

TAI Tzu Ying kept control over the tempo of the encounter well. The courts in Dubai have helped athletes who kindle and harness speed; she showed no fear. Totally trusting her game plan – and instinct to attack – her hunger for points was unstoppable. Set one flew by in twelve minutes: 21-10. Set two followed a similar pattern and was closed out 21-14.

As TAI Tzu Ying contemplates the end of her career, I am sure she recognizes the preciousness of each moment on court. As fans we see an added depth and poignancy to every contest, relishing each hard-fought title. This latest win just serves to reinforce her place amongst the legends of the sport. The Queen is the Queen.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at this one from my archive that I wrote after TTY won the All England for the third time https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/03/23/tai-tzu-ying-the-triple-champion/ or this one about AN Se Young https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/03/03/an-se-young/

Autumn leaves falling

TAI Tzu Ying steps on the court

Still she bewitches

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TAI Tzu Ying & Ratchanok Intanon: MayTAI

Nothing stirs my badminton soul like the thought of a showdown between TAI Tzu Ying and Ratchanok Intanon. When two of the most technically brilliant players in the modern era meet, we know to expect gold-standard excellence. It’s the El Classico of the badminton world.

Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei (L) and Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand shake hands after the women’s singles quarterfinal match at the Malaysia Masters 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 18, 2019. Credit: Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

On court they inspire each other to reach new levels of genius. I often feel that TAI Tzu Ying can step into a different dimension away from her opponent, but against Ratchanok it is as though they hold hands and journey together. That is not to underplay their intense desire to defeat the other. During a match their creative vision, tempo and accuracy is dazzling.

At the time of writing (April 2023) there have been thirty-five fixtures between them with the current head-to-head standing at 20-15 in Tzu Ying’s favour. The first was as far back as 2010 at the Indonesia Grand Prix Gold quarter final; it was over in 32 minutes; a straight sets win for May.

Over the last 13 years there has been over 29 hours of play between them so it is tough to pick a favourite match, but I often rewatch the All-England final from 2017. There are not enough superlatives to do it justice. To the accompaniment of spectators’ delighted gasps and spontaneous applause there were so many beautiful shots played with verve and daring. It ended with a victory for the kid from Kaohsiung: TAI Tzu Ying’s first All England title.

Fast forward to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, over a decade has passed since that quarterfinal in Indonesia, and the stage was set for another highly anticipated showdown between two badminton superstars. They took to the court with a spot in the semifinals at stake.

What ensued was a pulsating match of skill, strength and grit as the two athletes battled over three exhausting sets. May unleashed some breathtaking shots and secured an early advantage winning the first set 21-14. Tzu Ying – facing intense pressure – had to dig deep. She mounted a fierce comeback, and the tie became a true test of finesse, athleticism and mental toughness. In the end it was TTY who clinched the match and a place in the semifinals winning 14-21, 21-18, 21-18. It was world class; a true test of willpower with both players leaving everything on the court. Owing to May’s distraught reaction at the end I find it too heartrending to rewatch. I wish it had been the final.

TAI Tzu Ying has observed that playing against May can be like looking in a mirror. They have trained together when young, and now have a warm relationship despite their rivalry. Their mutual respect is evident in their comments on each other’s social media and reportedly TTY included references to May’s play in her doctoral thesis.

Tzu Ying has mentioned that she plans to retire sometime in 2024 and I cannot help but wonder if Ratchanok and the rest of that golden generation of women’s singles players will be considering hanging up their rackets soon. The MayTAI is a highly anticipated event in the badminton calendar. The matches have become the stuff of legend. It is a testament to their talent and dedication that they continue to captivate fans year after year, cementing their status as some of the greatest players of all time.

This is an article from my archives about TAI Tzu Ying https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/02/tai-tzu-ying-genius/

Thanks to KH (@WKueihua) on Twitter for sharing this interesting news article with me about the friendship between the two players https://www.nownews.com/news/5639580

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Gregoria Mariska Tunjung: Anything Is Possible!

Congratulations to Gregoria Mariska Tunjung for winning her first World Tour title at the Madrid Spain Masters. With her captivating style of play few women’s singles players can command a crowd like her. Watching her in full flow was an absolute delight and this well-deserved success included victories over two former world champions.

Tunjung’s play against Marin and then Sindhu highlighted her exceptional technical skills. Her outstanding touch at the net blends with a sharp strategic vision to make her into a daunting opponent. Her ability to disrupt opponents’ rhythm is rooted in a willingness to use clever deception and finesse which leaves them scrambling to respond. Lately she has added in a new ruthlessness to her shot selection. Her shuttle placement is excellent, so her precise smashing has given her extra options to finish rallies off.

Previously it has been noted that her mental and physical resilience could be further strengthened and recently there has been a discernable shift in her approach which has led to a more consistent performance on court. Back in July 2022 she pulled off a remarkable conquest of Akane Yamaguchi in the QF of the Malaysia Masters in three sets and there was a sense that she was unearthing a new self-belief. Good performances followed leading to an appearance in the final of the Australia Open and high hopes from her fans for 2023.

It’s significant that being ranked in the top 8 can give a major competitive advantage. Gregoria is at her highest ever position: 12, but with perseverance a top ten spot is well within reach.

Soon the qualifying period for Paris 2024 will begin and it looks like she will be meeting upcoming challenges with a new focus. Anything is possible if she manages to incorporate consistency into her game; I’m excited to see what happens next.

Take a look at my recent article about GOH Jin Wei https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/04/01/malaysias-goh-jin-wei/

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GOH Jin Wei

Three years after winning gold at the World Junior Championships for the second time GOH Jin Wei hung up her racket in Sept 2021 aged just 21. One of Malaysia’s most promising young players had cut her career short leaving fans and coaches wondering what might have been.

She embarked on a professional career in 2013 and was soon acknowledged as a potential superstar. Just like Akane Yamaguchi – another World Junior Champion – she was unhampered by her diminutive height. Her speed and agility formed a great platform for a dynamic style that forced mistakes and made her into a difficult opponent.

It turned out that her biggest challenge was not a rival she had faced across the net, instead she was having to confront serious health issues which forced her to step away from the courts. The effect on her body of a total colectomy was huge and despite her efforts to minimise the impact of the surgery and the side effects of her medication eventually she had to accept that she was too unwell to handle the demanding training regime at the National centre.

Although GJW had quit the national set up she hadn’t completely walked away from badminton . In fact, by giving herself space she was beginning to see a way forward to manage her health and resume competition. Going at her own pace was effective. She signed a professional contract with Kuala Lumpur Racket Club at the beginning of January 2022.

In a shocking turn of events, she was then issued with a back-dated two-year ban from competing in BWF tournaments. This paralleled the sanctions on LEE Zii Jia following his request to become an independent professional player. Observers were dismayed at the severity of the punishment for actions that in other walks of life would be completely legitimate. On appeal and after high level arbitration, by the end of January the ban was overturned.

After the disruption and emotional roller coaster of her ban she was finally able to focus on playing. She had an encouraging 2022, playing in tournaments from Wales to Bangladesh, gradually accruing points and thus higher ranking. She has fought her way into the top 32 which means that she can enter higher ranking tournaments and most importantly be more selective about what she enters. We see a similar approach from TAI Tzu Ying and Viktor Axelsen; the simple fact is that getting to a QF in these tournaments gets good points.

Following her recent European games concerns have been raised by commentators about her susceptibility to injury, highlighting the need for her to continue to work on her physical resilience. However, it is crucial to look at her performances considering her surgery and the meagre diet she subsists on. In fact, if games are scheduled at an unfavourable time of day, it’s likely that she will be competing on an empty stomach with only fluids for sustenance. I think she is still searching for ways to mitigate the impact this has on her training and recovery.

The Olympic qualifying period begins in May 2023 and she is eyeing the possibility of competing in Paris with optimism bolstered by a renewed sponsorship from Li-Ning. Her journey has been full of obstacles but her determination to overcome these challenges is remarkable. Undoubtedly she is an exceptional athlete with an unwavering dedication to badminton.

GJW has a great YOUTube channel. If you are interested in finding out more about her life then check it out.

If you enjoyed reading this then you may like this article abbout LEE Zii Jia https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/03/25/lee-zii-jias-european-tour-2023/

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AN Se Young

An Se Young blazed into January’s tournaments with the eagerness of an athlete who knows that their time to shine has arrived. Fans enjoyed 3 podiums, 2 Gold medals and a blossoming rivalry with Akane that hints at some colossal clashes in the future. I’m keen to watch her play at this year’s All England because the momentum around her is gathering pace. It would not be a surprise to see her step on court on finals day.

Although known as a retriever, this is too simplistic. She possesses a harmonious skill set so her game plans can be liberated from the necessity to compete in a particular way. Her ability to exert unremitting gnawing pressure is the bedrock of her style whilst her talent allows her to gauge when to be patient and when to be aggressive. A couple of years ago I was criticizing her for a lack of consistency. Back then she was often unseeded: she could conquer a top player in an opening round only to fall in the next match. Competing at the highest level exposed the challenge for her of winning four or five hard games in a row.

She has been an absolute menace to the WS status quo over the past twelve months. She has figured out how to stay mentally and physically fresh whilst progressing through a tournament. Resilience is at the core of everything she does. I adore her stubbornness in the face of challenges; the determination to never give up and the self-confidence that her exceptional balance of skills will get her past tough opponents – Olympic champions and world champions are some of her recent scalps. “Fear” has no home in her mental makeup. Even in the face of setbacks she drives herself onwards and it’s this attitude that has let her reach new levels of success.

She is the symbol of the new generation and will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. At the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 BANG Soo Hyun won gold for Korea in WS, could Paris 2024 see that title return to Korea?

If you enjoyed this take a look at one of my articles about her rival TAI Tzu Ying https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2022/03/02/tai-tzu-ying-at-the-all-england/

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LEE Zii Jia

Fans have been banging the drum about Zii Jia’s potential for years and in 2021 with his triumph at the All England there was a feeling that he had truly cemented his place as one of the best MS in the world. During 2022 the maverick talent that is LEE Zii Jia has been on an intense roller coaster. Supporters have relished sweet victories against a background of severe challenges and ferocious criticism.

LZJ is a thrilling athlete to watch on court. His attack-minded approach is electrifying as he has the raw power to overwhelm all but the best defences. His great racket skills allow him to execute the orthodox strokes but also liberate him to use his distinctive shots too. Best known of course is his backhand smash with pirouette. Backhand with added ballet is a showstopper; the velocity that the shuttle attains as it flies cross-court is sensational. It could be risky: he has his back to his opponent, he must regain balance quickly and it goes cross-court, but its effectiveness is obvious. He loves to get angles and pace working to undo adversaries.

His more unorthodox shots are at the heart of his authentic badminton self. His jumping net kill seems an unnecessary use of energy – why jump? But his control at the net can often open up his opportunities to hit hard. His unique style of jump smash really does seem to give him something extra. I spotted he was not fully following through with his racket arm but there is more to his action than that. Some commentators liken it to a volleyball-style spike and there does seem to be similarities in the way that body weight is used to generate power. The bottom line is that the menace and strength he can summon up are fearsome.

He faced a huge risk to his career when he chose to become an independent player. He offered his resignation to BAM in mid-January and sparked a furore that ran out of control and threatened his future in the game. His decision to sever ties with his country’s badminton association initially led to a two-year ban and the prospect of a dazzling career destroyed became real for a time.

Thankfully, after an uncomfortable stalemate, they brokered a compromise, and he continued on his path. It was a bold step that mirrored Viktor Axelsen’s split from Badminton Denmark a few months earlier. Axelsen observed that players must do what is best for themselves. Everyone knows that these two players have been nurtured by their home associations from an early age and it is notable that they are world #1 and #3 with an identical goal of Olympic Gold in Paris 2024.

Fan’s opinions of his best matches invariably highlight Malaysia’s 2022 Thomas Cup campaign. Zii Jia was dynamite in his games. He demolished Momota in ¾ of an hour to lay the foundation for his team to top their group. In the QF against India, Lakshya Sen could not contain him after losing a tight first set and was dispatched in the second. May 2022 saw him hit a purple patch with the Gold medal at the Badminton Asia Championships, and the title at the Thailand Open.

His rivalry with Axelsen often inspires his best performances. At the Indonesia Open this year, his battle with Viktor in the SF is regarded as the game of the tournament. The All England SF in 2020 was a heavy-duty clash over 3 sets in which the Dane eventually won; the return fixture the following year in the 2021 All-England Final was a different story and proved Zii Jia’s progress. An extraordinary first set was secured 30-29, set two lost 20-22 but LZJ won his first Super 1000 title in the third. Attack, stamina, and mental strength got him to the top of the podium. This dual has a way to unfold yet.

He wasn’t at his best at the recent World Championships – citing injury and stress – but there’s no doubt that he will arrive in Europe refreshed and refocused ready to claim more points towards his goal of being World #2 by the end of the year. Planning training sessions with Viktor and Anders Antonsen is a declaration of intent from an ambitious competitor. Provided he is not overburdened by expectations there are no limits to the results his maverick brilliance could achieve. This is a player who can hear history calling.

If you enjoyed this, then take a look at my article about PearThin https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/11/21/pearly-tan-thinaah-muralitharan/

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Badminton World Championships Preview: Part 2

China’s athletes have the potential to win both titles in the women’s sector plus XD as well. However, nothing is certain except that this tournament promises outstanding matches between players with sublime skills. This really is a meeting of all the talents so jump on the emotional rollercoaster and enjoy the ride!

Women’s Singles – Beware Marin Incoming!

The million dollar question is how Carolina Marin is feeling? Have her injuries and recovery diluted her game. If she is 100% then everyone should fear her return because she will be hungry for the fight. Her aggression and knack of scoring sequences of points can be overwhelming. In the opposite side of the draw to CHEN YuFei and TAI Tzu Ying she will be determined to do everything she can to meet one of them in the final.

Akane Yamaguchi is looking to retain her title although in her first match she will likely face Gregoria Tunjung who has beaten her twice in a row recently in Malaysia. She is enduring a bit of a slump in form and has a very tough draw considering she is seeded 1. Having said that, she is the current All England Champion and I expect that her extraordinary court coverage, grit and resilience will get her through most matches successfully.

CHEN YuFei is seeded 4 but who can stop her advancing to the Gold? She is an expert at frustrating her opponents and forcing errors since she excels at reducing their opportunities to score. She combines this with an ability to accelerate her own scoring at key times in the match. She is seeded to meet Pornpawee in R16 and I think this could be a tricky encounter if Mew stays aggressive and is able to impose her own tempo on play. If YuFei prevails then a QF against Ratchanok Intanon is on the cards. May will typically be provoked by CYF into risky shots but her death or glory approach under pressure could backfire. If Ratchanok can hold her nerve and triumph, then we could be looking at the 32^nd edition of the #MayTAI.

If TAI Tzu Ying is allowed to play her way then she could upgrade her World Championships Silver from Huelva. Millions of fans will be hoping that this is the year her brilliance earns Gold. She has proven before that she can use patience to defeat CHEN YuFei but as usual she is going to have to eradicate errors and loss of focus. AN Se Young is still a little prone to fatigue based injury after a succession of tough matches but she is also ambitious for the big titles.

Women’s Singles promises stellar clashes beginning from R64. Although China’s Chen YuFei is hot favourite, her compatriots HE Bingjiao and WANG Zhiyi could both travel deep into the competition.

Women’s Doubles

The battle hardened pair of CHEN Qing Chen and JIA Yi Fan should seize their opportunity to defend their title and win the Gold again. This sector feels quite open as it’s in a transition phase with some players on the cusp of retirement whilst others need to step up a level with an eye on the future. The main threat to their quest for a hat-trick of Golds will come from the Japanese and Korean pairs. LEE/SHIN (Silver 2021) could derail them at the SF stage whilst a possible final against Hirota/Fukushima (3, yes three Silvers) or KIM/KONG looms. FukuHiro have shown the strength of their partnership throughout Hirota’s injury crisis and this competition on home soil could be a great chance to put past Tokyo disappointments behind them. My possible dark horses to overachieve would be the Malaysian pair of Pearly TAN and Thinaah Muralitheran. They’ve just won at the Commonwealth Games, are continuing to improve, and will be arriving on court full of confidence.

Mixed Doubles

The magnificent partnership of HUANG Yaqiong & ZHENG Siwei belongs at the top of the podium. They arrive in Japan in red-hot form and should be looking to complete their hat-trick of World Championship titles. One of the pairs standing in their way are compatriots and Olympic winners HUANG Dongping and WANG Yilyu. Owing to the seeding only one of these teams can get to the final. The defending champions from Thailand Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai could find themselves in a semifinal with Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino. It’s difficult to foresee a final that doesn’t include two pairs from these four however I think Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue could disrupt Yuta and Arisa’s campaign. The French couple are on an determined trajectory towards the Paris Olympics so will expect to be still scrapping for points on finals weekend.

China’s players could win all of these titles but it would also be true to say that Japan has the personnel to equal that and they have home advantage. The World Championships 2022 is overflowing with awesome players in every sector – it’s going to be a fantastic tournament.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at Part 1 of my preview which looks at the men’s sector https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2022/08/18/badminton-world-championships-preview-part-1-the-men/

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Badminton World Championships Preview Part 1: The Men

The annual battle for the title of World Champion is about to get underway in Tokyo. I’m anticipating some exhilarating triumphs, a few shocks and plenty of fun along the way. Grab your popcorn and get ready to enjoy the best badminton on the planet.

Men’s Doubles

With no clear frontrunner for Gold this promises to be a compelling contest. Speed Kings beware! the playing hall is likely to be slow and they must have a Plan B or a Plan C if opponents give them a bumpy ride.

The draw is difficult for the three highest ranked Indonesian pairs – they are all in the top half – so there is real risk they will be toe-to-toe towards the end of the tournament. If it unwinds as per seedings then world #1 Kevin Sukamuljo and Marcus Gideon could face Fajar Alfian & Muhammad Rian Ardianto in the QF. Whoever controls the tempo, and the net has the best chance of making the SF. When Kevin unleashes his creative energy anchored by Marcus they are unstoppable. I hope to see Sukamuljo back to his irrepressible self – that cheeky, annoying, talented athlete who can do anything with a shuttle, seemingly without trying. The sky’s the limit so long as these two get into their flow. Nevertheless FajRi have a great chance of Gold, they live under less under the microscope than the Minions and have had an uneventful build-up – unlike Marcus who is recovering from surgery and Kevin who is celebrating his engagement to Valencia. All four players must minimise errors and get comfortable with the drift early on to build a winning momentum.

Two of the most successful players ever at the WC are Hendra Setiawan (4 Golds) and Mohammad Ahsan (3 Golds) seeded 3 with a bye in R1; lets see how their old bones hold up to sustained physical pressure over successive days. If they avoid injury, they are the equal of any pair and I would love to see them on the podium.

If Indonesia misses out on the title, then it could be coming to India’s Rankireddy/Shetty. They won Commonwealth Gold without dropping a set so will arrive in Tokyo full of self-belief. There is a strong Danish influence in their camp, and they credit Boe with giving them a more tactical approach to matches. They will need to raise their game at this event, but they were also part of India’s victorious Thomas Cup team and have proven that they can seize wins under pressure. A QF against defending champions Hoki/Kobayashi is on the horizon and there is no way they will be dismissed in two sets.

Plenty has been written about Aaron Chia and SOH Wooi Yik and the semi-final hoodoo. They have fallen at that hurdle 6 times recently and according to their seeding the likelihood is that the pattern will repeat. There were occasions at the Commonwealth Games when the partnership looked flat so the challenge for them is to reignite their spark in the course of the early rounds to advance. LEE Yang and WANG Chi-Lin have suffered the classic dip in focus that is often experienced by Olympic champions. They too must revitalise their all-energy style if they want to get beyond a QF with the Malaysians.

At the opposite end of the scale in terms of intensity are the Danish duo Kim Astrup & Anders Skaarup Rasmussen. Their passion drives them onwards and I think they will blaze their way through the early rounds until they run out of steam. I’m ready for a possible semi-final with Kevin and Marcus or FajRi and it’s not impossible to see them as outsiders for a medal.

Men’s Singles: Viktor Rules OK?

Owing to the dominance of Viktor Axelsen some dismiss this sector as boring and repetitive but I completely disagree. Nothing stays the same in sport, eventually someone will find a weakness to exploit. There’s an excitement around all his matches as we wait to see who will dare to trespass upon his unbeatable aura. Badminton Insight analysed Axelsen’s play on their YouTube channel and they explain how he closes out results so successfully.

Viktor is on an incredible winning streak but rivals can take heart from the fact that he was outperformed by LOH Kean Yew in the first round last year. It’s possible to unsettle him but who has the nerve and the patience to do it?

LEE Zii Jia sacrificed Commonwealth Games participation to recuperate from his hip injury and focus on preparation for this tournament. He is like a human hand grenade with sudden explosive power that he can detonate anywhere on court. I’m sure that he has the desire and stamina to get to the final and win. I’m nervous about a possible QF against Momota or Sen though because they are both very canny players. If he is allowed to rampage he can demolish an opponent but they are capable of containing and frustrating him.

Over the past 18 months Lakshya Sen has consistently shown that he can beat anyone on the tour. Training in Dubai with Viktor had a huge impact on his game. He’s removed impetuous errors that could derail a game and replaced them with patience and tactical nous. He is astute at his game management, really good at balancing attack with defence and reduces opponents options for victory. He’s the newly anointed Commonwealth champion and India’s best chance of the title.

Anthony Ginting has the most horrific draw of any of the top seeds; it’s so bad it’s hardly worth being seeded. I hope he can progress but he will probably have to overcome Rasmus Gemke and SHI YuQui to earn the right to face Viktor in a QF. His form has been steadily improving so perhaps he can fight his way through. Jonatan Christie looks to have a smoother path in the early stages and is slated to face CHOU Tien Chen in a QF.

The random variable in this competition is SHI YuQui. None of us know what to expect from this lovable, enigmatic player after his enforced break. He has struggled to hit previous heights since the ankle injury back in 2019 but he’s back, no-ones played him for a while so he might spring some surprises. If things go well for him (and badly for Ginting) he could face Viktor in the QF. An appearance in the final would be the stuff of dreams.

Three players who at present seem to be struggling with focus or form are defending champion LOH Kean Yew, Kento Momota (winner 2018 & 2019) and Anders Antonsen. All three of them could put together a good run of results and be on the podium; the most likely being Momota who competed well at the Malaysia Open.

So, who can beat Viktor?

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Brilliant TAI Tzu Ying wins the Indonesia Open

Playing in front of a packed Istora Senayan TAI Tzu Ying won her third Indonesia Open with a display that underlined her sheer class. Using exquisite net play, incredible drops, and outrageous angles this was a performance that highlighted her outstanding talent. Again, she had to come from behind and again her intense sporting instincts pushed her to victory.

WANG Zhiyi started the first set very strongly. Her sharp smashes from the rear combined with great court coverage were intimidating and effective. She has built a reputation as a giant killer over the past couple of months and it was clear that she had TTY in her sights. As TAI’s creative genius started tipping towards errors WZY was solid and closed out the first set 23-21.

Then TTY entered a different dimension. Suddenly, like a true champion she found another level in the second game. In an astonishing passage of play she annihilated WZY to go to the mid set interval 11-0. She was simply unplayable; her net shots were divine but more importantly she was making fewer errors and had activated a deep desire to win. Uncharacteristic shouts and occasionally a clenched fist betrayed her emotional response to the challenge. WZY was outclassed and although she fought back bravely the second set was wrapped up 21-6.

Set 3 belonged to the Queen. She controlled the game even though the score was close up to 13-13. Her momentum was irresistible towards the end and she wrapped up the match 21-15 with yet another brilliant net shot.

Triple champions are rare: this third Indonesia Open win can be added to her three All England titles. This was an awesome campaign; she is truly one of the greatest, most remarkable players of all time.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my article about her epic victory over CHEN Yu Fei https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2022/06/18/tai-tzu-ying-the-comeback-queen/

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TAI Tzu Ying: The Comeback Queen

Dr Tai prescribed happiness for her millions of fans with this magnificent victory to reach the final of the Indonesia Open. Badminton Lovers enjoyed the exquisite pain of watching the Queen dead and buried only to witness an astonishing fightback and eventual triumph.

TTY’s reaction to the net fault. Screengrab courtesy Sept & BWF

The first set was absolute carnage. CHEN Yu Fei assembled quick bursts of points and dominated without doing anything dramatic. She is particularly good at screwing down the pressure on opponents in these situations. Fate was working against TAI Tzu Ying as well. The umpire called a doubtful fault for touching the net at 0-3. TTY was incredulous but summoned up a Polii moment, smiled then turned away. It was looking bad and a spiral down to defeat beckoned. Before we knew it the first set was gone 10-21.

The second set was breathtaking. 0-3 down and the match was slipping away. But TTY refused to concede any easy points; she upped her pace and fought for every scrap. The Istora Senayan pulsed with excitement as the lead switched between the two players. It was unbearably stressful to watch as TTY faced down five match points, eventually closing out the set 26-24 to force a decider.

After such an extraordinary battle the third set was tranquil in comparison; TAI Tzu Ying easing through 21-12. Fans crave days like these. She is a once-in-a-generation competitor, her resilience and spirit in the second set to pull off a hair-raising escape was spectacular. Tomorrow is another day. The final and a chance to win her third Indonesia Open. Go TAI!

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Greysia Polii

Greysia’s farewell party is at Istora on the last day of the Indonesia Masters – the rumours are true; she is finally hanging up her racket. It is a chance for Indonesian badminton fans to celebrate her successes and for her to put an official full stop to a wonderful career.

“I was born to be a badminton player…I wanted to make history for Indonesia”
Greysia Polii

Apriyani Rahayu and Greysia Polii of Indonesia react after winning their match against Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan of China. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

GreyAp’s Gold medal match at the Olympics was dazzling; they played their best game at the perfect moment and wrote themselves into Indonesian badminton legend.

2021 was the Golden Year but there have been countless twists and turns in a lifetime of badminton achievements. There have been critical moments along the way when she could have given up the sport and found a conventional job. The thing about Greysia is that she really does live the motto #Comebackstronger: she is brave and resilient. If she gets knocked down, she just gets back up again, greets the hard tests with a smile and continues the fight

It must have been tempting to walk away from the sport following her harsh treatment at London 2012. The black card was a shocking sanction especially with a suspension on top, but she endured this and then rekindled her career with Nitya Krishinda Maheswari.

Between 2013-2016 the duo stepped up a level and proved that Indonesia’s WD had the quality to compete against the best. Their 2014 Asian Games gold was evidence they relished testing themselves against the world’s finest pairs. Over the next 2 years they consistently reached finals and semis; as the Rio Olympics loomed, they were ranked 2 in the world with every hope of a medal. Disappointingly their 100% record in the group stages was shattered in the QF, and they returned home empty handed.

Nitya’s injuries meant her career was at an end so for a second time Greysia contemplated her own exit. It was a pivotal moment; her 30^th birthday was on the horizon, and there was no obvious partner for her to continue with. At this point fate took a hand in the form of Eng Hian who persuaded her to defer retirement so that she could help to mentor some of the juniors. In 2017 along came a young, raw Apriyani Rahayu. Success together came quickly (2017 Thailand Open and 2017 French Open) but it was a sector full of high caliber pairs and they were never able to totally dominate , after a couple of years some analysts believed they were reaching the limit of what they could achieve together.

History tells us that the analysts were wrong and they completely underestimated Greysia Polii’s fighting spirit and commitment to her sport. She is an athlete who is strong and smart and will always be remembered as Indonesia’s first WD Olympic Gold medalist. I still cry when I watch the end of that match, don’t you? Thanks for everything Greysia and Happy Retirement.

If you enjoyed this then read my article about the Olympic campaign https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/08/12/brilliant-polii-and-rahayu-win-olympic-gold/ or watch the match on YouTube

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India Win the Thomas Cup!

Today was a day that will long be savoured by Indian badminton fans as their team overcame their status as underdogs to lift the trophy. Today was the day that legends were made.

India on top of the Podium. Image courtesy BWF

This was a brilliant win engineered by a group of athletes and coaches who all performed with distinction. Sen looked in danger of being overwhelmed by Ginting but after yielding the first set he coolly played his way to the win. Rankireddy/Shetty were up against Ahsan/Sukamuljo and lost set 1 but fought back with fast and furious tactics to force a second victory. Kidambi wrapped it all up in a brisk two sets. Indonesia just couldn’t disrupt the winning momentum of this squad.

The campaign has been bruising right from the start, but the resolve of these athletes proved impossible to break. This success, built on dedication, grit, and an obstinate refusal to let any match go is a testament to their self-belief and desire. When pivotal points had to be won every athlete in the Indian team had the mental strength to grasp the advantage. They relished the challenge.

They started as slight favourites at the Round Robin stage in Group C and began with 5-0 demolitions of Germany and Canada. However, the final tie – against Taiwan – to decide the group winners was a difficult contest. CHOU Tien Chen and LEE/WANG won the first two matches and although Kidambi pulled a game back, they lost 3-2. Taiwan topped the group. This meant that their route to the final in the next phase of the tournament suddenly was full of badminton’s big beasts

The knockouts require total focus and a quarter final against Malaysia was the first barrier at the sudden death stage of the tournament. This badminton superpower arrived in Bangkok with LEE Zii Jia as MS1. He crushed Sen (reportedly suffering with food poisoning) in two sets but as the tie advanced the impetus of the teams ebbed and flowed. It was Prannoy in the last match with the scores equal at 2-2 who grasped victory for India and a chance for a pop at Denmark.

The semi-final with Denmark gave us a repeat of the All-England final in the first match. Viktor continued his recent imperious form and dismissed a below par Sen in two. However, once again in a team contest Antonsen – at MS2 – struggled to keep his focus and Kidambi’s victory gave his teammates hope. With the scores level at 2-2 Prannoy stepped onto court; Gemke took the first game but couldn’t maintain his advantage and after 73 minutes history beckoned. India were in the Final!

This team matured and became battle-hardened as the week progressed This was a collective effort that overcame benchmark teams like Denmark, Malaysia and Indonesia. History has been made; its a proud moment for the players and all their supporters.

if you enjoyed this then take a look at my article from last year https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/10/17/indonesia-win-the-thomas-cup/

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TAI Tzu Ying at the All England

Is TAI Tzu Ying the greatest ever Women’s Singles champion at the All England? I think so. In 2020 a landmark third trophy was won, and this triumph proves her consistent dominance of the elite in an era of great players. Five years on from her first title in Birmingham she is still world #1 and seeded #1 for this year’s championship.

The Winning Moment 2020. Screenshot courtesy BWF TV

It’s enjoyable to curate happy memories so I want to revisit some of her best games in Birmingham. There is no doubt that when an outstanding opponent inspires her, she reaches levels of artistry that confound expectations. When TTY is in the arena all eyes turn to her.

I have chosen three of my must-see matches. It is fascinating to reflect that these games feature exceptional opponents who all favour unique styles & TTY outplayed them all.

Final 2017 v Ratchanok Intanon

El Classico! Two incredible talents who spurred each other on to heights of excellence – a pattern we would see repeated in many other clashes between them down the years. The creative vision of both players, the pace of the game, the precision, and the desire to win were incredible. After losing the first set May played all out to level the match and was consistently in front . At 19-18 Ratchanok executed an outstanding combination of shots to outplay TTY and get to set point 20-18. Regardless of the peril she was in TTY replied with verve and focus; winning four points in a row to seal the Championship 21-16, 22-20. Brilliant badminton.

Final 2018 v Akane Yamaguchi

Epic Battle! The defending champion stepped onto court to face the #2 seed and what followed was one of the best Championship ties ever. Akane was aggressive and pacey, working hard to keep TAI Tzu Ying away from the net and was in position to close out the first set at 20-19. The shuttler from Taiwan answered with supreme racket skills, using wonderful touch to get variations in velocity and power. Again, she competed with no fear despite intense pressure from her Japanese rival. Of course, she used a reverse slice straight drop to gain the initiative and lead 21-20 then secured set one 22-20. The second set was more of the same. Absolute commitment and focus from the pair of players. Akane covered every millimeter of the court as TTY’s cross- court drives, sudden injections of pace and use of deception displayed her genius. Yamaguchi gave everything but could not neutralize Tzu Ying and she collected the All England title for the second year in a row. 22-20, 21-13. Breathtaking badminton.

Final 2020 v CHEN Yufei

Previous meetings with CYF had exposed TAI Tzu Ying’s tendency for self-sabotage. This time she was resilient. This was an encounter that revealed a great deal about her inner strength and ability to evolve. TTY turned one of CYF’s great assets – Patience – against her. It was a trump card. TTY was majestic: she stayed calm and focused her attacks with precision never allowing the Chinese player to escape the relentless pressure. 21-19, 21-15. There was an inevitability to this win; it was a career-defining victory.

Simply the Best!

No one flukes three titles at the All England. TAI Tzu Ying’s record in Birmingham reveals an authentic legend. I can’t wait to see her competing again soon.

“Courage means daring to do what you imagine”
Mike Krzyzewski

These three matches are easy to find on YouTube so treat yourself and settle down to watch some TTY magic. IF you enjoyed reading this then take a look at this article from my archives that celebrated her third title https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/03/23/tai-tzu-ying-the-triple-champion/

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TAI Tzu Ying: 200 Breathtaking Weeks as World #1

TAI Tzu Ying’s sensational reign as World #1 has hit the 200-week milestone this month. She is the sport’s MVP, the athlete who bewitches neutrals and is the embodiment of badminton at its best.

TAI Tzu Ying by Abdul Razak Latif/Shutterstock

She is unique, spontaneity and deception are deep-rooted in her game’s DNA. Tzu Ying has rewritten the algebra of the shuttle’s flight, and this is core to her resilience at the sport’s heights. Her audacious style has never been squashed by the need to play percentages.

The finest players are always able to find a few beats of extra time when they are under pressure. TTY excels in this part of a game. Her unscripted approach and technical excellence gives her an advantage that most opponents fail to neutralize over the passage of a match – so long as she keeps her patience. An impulsive player’s shots are hard to anticipate, and this gives a crucial edge on court.

Women’s Singles overflows with talented players and it is fascinating to recognize that no single style prevails. But…sometimes I think that some shots have been invented for the use of one particular player. TAI Tzu Ying’s Reverse Slice Straight Drop is a beautiful thing that should live in the Badminton Hall of Fame. It’s a Get out of Jail shot: when she’s in a tight corner with no way out it can offer an escape route.

A reliable measure of greatness in any sport is longevity at #1. The challenge is to keep possession of the top spot once it is secured. It is an extraordinary accomplishment to dominate the top ten since December 2016. This is a similar level to Serena Williams or Roger Federer’s success in tennis. An uptick in pressure on the person at the top always happens because opponents have an extra incentive to triumph. Early rounds of tournaments against unseeded players can suddenly acquire a new tension.

Her kaleidoscopic talent for incredible shots is only part of the story. TTY’s resilience was forged early in her career – perhaps it was something that always existed within her anyway? She is part of an incredibly supportive family unit and she also has a wonderful coaching team around her. An elite athlete’s life is tough so it is impossible to overstate how important these people are to her success.

TAI Tzu Ying is a phenomenon whose imagination and vision have kept her at the peak of Badminton for a long time. I can’t wait to see her on court again soon.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at one of my most popular articles about TTY https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/25/team-tai-tzu-ying/

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Pearly Tan & Thinaah Muralitharan

2021 has been a breakout year for this young and exciting Malaysian pair. Their dynamism and tenacity have won them plenty of new fans over the past twelve months because they have been seriously challenging players ahead of them in the rankings

At the Indonesia Masters. Screengrab courtesy BWF

When they were at junior level, they were not WD partners unlike many of their current rivals. They have competitive familiarity across the sectors but the main factor significant to their current style of play is the influence of XD as the pair have both got experience in this discipline. Their bold approach to matches is refreshing and I sense that there is a shift happening away from the more traditional, old fashioned neutral play towards tactics that allow players to take the initiative in a match.

Their performance in the first round at the Toyota Thailand Open was an “aha moment” for fans and analysts. It was an exhilarating contest packed full of drama. After losing the first set they levelled then refused to concede the third. It was simply gripping. They were down 18-20, saved four match points and eventually won 27-25. It was an 87 minute white knuckle ride where they kept their focus and eventually earned victory.

As a pair they are keen to disrupt their rivals rhythms with intelligent use of angled shots. Thinaah has a strong front court game and both can unleash some power. Naturally they are good defenders but it’s the intensity and pace of their attack that enables them to seize command with flat drives and effectively screw down on their opponents.

Their first world tour title win at the 2021 Swiss Open was confirmation that they are on the right track. A straight set victory over the quintessence of defensive WD – the Stoeva sisters – felt like a shot of adrenaline to the heart of the discipline. It was proof that the partnership has raised their game over the past couple of years.

These two athletes are possible stars of the future and are part of the generational shift following Tokyo 2020. They still have a lot of hard work to do if they want to move up to the consistent standards set in Women’s Doubles by the Japanese pairs. It was revealing that in their recent Indonesian Master’s game against Matsuyama/Shida they were carried along by the momentum of the Japanese attack without really being able to derail it and they were beaten in two sets. They must have more tactical options if Plan A is not successful.

“You’ll see us fail, I guarantee it. But you will never see us quit”
Thinaah Muralitharan on her Instagram

It’s exciting to watch a pair with a fresh approach. They are ‘work in progress’ but they have the potential to keep moving up the rankings and can aim to be top 10 players. Their spirit and gritty resolve mean that they can frighten any opponent so they can regard the future with hope and optimism. I can’t wait to see how they meet the challenges of the next couple of years.

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My Perfect Player: Part 2

I miss seeing my favourites on court so, as a response to the gloomy news about the postponement of the Malaysia Open, I have worked out the essence of a perfect player by taking the best bits from some of the finest athletes in the men’s game.

Vivacity: Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo

We delight in Kevin as an unstoppable force of nature. His zesty intelligent play on court is exhilarating for spectators and often overwhelming for opponents. His expertise at reading the game gives him stellar anticipation and fused with his technical ability, it’s not hard to see why he and Marcus Gideon have been World #1 for so long. I love his high-speed reactions, his ambition and his imaginative vision.

Embed from Getty Images

Bullet Proof: Kento Momota

Momota’s will to win, his unflappable demeanour and apparently unlimited stamina have all driven him on to the top of many podiums. On court he is economic with his emotions and strategy but his relentless return of the shuttle breaks his rivals resolve and often exposes their lack of ideas. Over the years he has overcome so many hurdles that his invincible aura just becomes brighter and brighter. He is an awesome athlete who plays with speed and accuracy and deserves his World #1 status.

Speed: Anthony or Yuta?

Intuitively I’d always choose Anthony Ginting in this category – his effortless, flowing movement is so classy and quick. His fleet-footed style dovetails nicely with his silky racket skills too…however I ran a Twitter poll a few weeks ago and some fan’s answers made me reconsider a little especially Mia Wenas who suggested Yuta Watanabe. Comparing singles and doubles players is tricky but Yuta’s court coverage and agile movement is hard to equal. I always think he wears a shirt that looks too big and this disguises his movement somewhat. He is one of the few players who can face Kevin over a net as an equal and so because of that he has to be recognised here.

100% Legend: Hendra Setiawan

Nobody wins all the major titles in their sport by chance: Hendra is an icon of the game. His calm demeanour under pressure, his quick-witted strategic assessments on court and his extravagant skills at the net make him a truly wonderful player. His humble response to compliments and victories are the mark of a real gentleman. A badminton role model worldwide.

Street Fighting Man: Anders Antonsen

Antonsen has stepped up a level in the past couple of years; like all elite badminton players his technical skills are superb but what I really like about him is that he is a resourceful scrapper. Many were shocked by his somewhat controversial tactics when winning against Viktor Axelsen at the World Tour Finals back in January. His energy conserving strategy of conceding the second set was daring and ultimately successful; it took a ton of confidence to risk everything for the title but his gamble worked.

Firepower: Praveen Jordan or Viktor Axelsen

Probably the two hardest-hitters in the game but that does not do either man’s game justice. I’m fascinated to see what these two competitors can achieve at the Tokyo Olympics – they have a realistic chance of Gold but power alone does not win badminton matches.

I’ve really enjoyed trying to nail down the charactersitics of a Gold Medal player but this was just for fun. I’m sure that on another day I may’ve found room for Jonathan Christie, CHOU Tien Chen or SHI Yuqi. It’s hardly fair to single out players without mentioning their partners if they are from the doubles sector so don’t take this too seriously. Comments are welcome.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at Part 1 where I looked at the women’s game https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/04/30/my-perfect-badminton-player/

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My Perfect Badminton Player

Inspired by the recent BWF series I started thinking…

Vision: TAI Tzu Ying

Pic from Shutterstock/ Abdul Razak Latif

TTY’s creative genius is Box Office Gold. Everyone wants to see that backhand reverse slice straight drop, especially when they least expect it. Her bedrock is superb technical skills blended with fitness. The cocktail of flair, bravery and total self-belief is irresistable. Because her shots are so unpredictable she stops rivals from anticipating her moves and this give her a tremendous competitive edge. Any player who nurtures aspirations to get to the very top has to be inspired by TAI’s style.

Explosive Power: Carolina Marin

Marin’s superb athleticism blended with her attacking style makes her a formidable opponent. She smashes, lunges and kills with venomous force. She blazes on court; once she seizes the momentum of the game 6 or 7 points are in her pocket in the blink of an eye. She is a rowdy, disruptive, noisy adversary who has harnassed her passion to carry her to the top of the sport.

Win-Ability: Misaki Matsutomo

There’s just something about Misaki Matsutomo – she seems able to force a victory, to break opponent’s will to win even when they are in a commanding position. Of course the best example of this was the WD Rio Olympic final in 2016. On the surface she looks mild but underneath she has an iron will. Her instinctive response to danger is defiance; at 19-16 behind in the Gold medal match something was unleashed from deep inside her. Her clever movement, trust in her partner and dominance at the net saw her at the top of the podium. I’d love her to reach these heights in her XD career.

Accuracy: Ratchanok Intanon

May has a lot in common with TTY in terms of the technical quality of her strokes and she can execute some of the most breathtaking shots one would see on a court. However, sometimes having the ability to land a shuttle on the line is a blessing and a curse. Under pressure, and losing patience Ratchanok will often adopt a ‘death or glory’ approach. Instead of playing percentage badminton and simply keeping the rally going she will push up a level and try for the point. When it works it is majestic and a joy to watch.

Stamina: Nozomi Okuhara

Her style of play has long rallies at its core so her endurance is second-to-none. However, this is a too simplistic view of this brilliant player. She is fleet-footed and agile around the court with excellent flexibility. She is clever and has superb technical skills although sometimes I think she delays finishing off a rally for too long – the opposite of Ratchanok. I really respect her strength of focus in her pursuit of Tokyo Gold at a very tough time for the sport. On a personal level, she is adorable. When BirdJapan play team competitions she can be spotted on the sidelines leading the cheering for compatriots, and her all-round grace under pressure make her a very special person.

Potential: AN Se Young

In a couple of years time ASY could dominate the world scene. For now, shes a tournament random variable: often able to vanquish more illustrious opponents but not yet able to consistently reach finals weekend. I’d like her to work on the ability to shock. For now she has great anticipation and good all-round skill but she is quite reactive – to get to the next level I want to see effective shots that I don’t expect and better stamina over the duration of a competition.

It’s been amusing to try and build my Women’s Gold medal player, but there’s no doubt that some skills will outweigh others in tournament conditions in a drifty stadium. I didn’t include some of my favourite players: Saina’s intelligence and will to win, Sindhu’s power, Yuki’s consistency and Greysia’s defence but in the end this was just for fun. I’m sure you can suggest people I should have included – feel free to use the comments option.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my article about the team behind TAI tzu Ying’s success https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/25/team-tai-tzu-ying/

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The Covid Adjusted All England.

If NASA can land a rover on Mars why did it prove so difficult to get some elite athletes together in Birmingham for the Yonex All England 2021?

No one has given a coherant explanation for decisions that were made. I wasn’t there, I’m not employed by any badminton organisation or the British authorities so this is just a speculative opinion piece from a fan.

“…this has been an extraordinarily painful and disappointing event for all of us…”
Badminton Indonesia – translated into English

There are some things that must be stated explicitly. There is never any excuse for the harassment of players, officials or the wider community. The winners of the titles are legitimate champions – none of these victories would be a surprise in ‘normal’ circumstances. The people at the ‘coal face’ worked incredibly hard to stage the tournament.

January in Thailand saw a quarantine bubble with three successful tournaments, facilitated by cash from the Thai government. Contrast this with the situation in England. In September 2020 the Chief Executive of Badminton England said that the Championships were under threat unless the British Govt gave £1M to support it; this was followed up by an announcement on 19.11 of £2M funding and then a government press release that confirmed £1.3M to cover “essential costs to ensure the survival of these organisations”. Given the significant reserves held by the BWF it’s disappointing that these funds were needed.

Perhaps lack of cash was the reason that no pre-tournament quarantine bubble was enforced for this competition. Players were travelling long distances by air to a nation that had suffered over 125,000 dead in the pandemic, the general population were enduring their third lockdown plus the UK Test and Trace system is widely regarded as a national scandal. What could possibly go wrong?

Even before the bombshell of the Indonesian team’s withdrawal there were remarkable events earlier in the week.

Scottish players who travelled on a flight from Zurich after competing at the Swiss Open had to withdraw owing to a positive test on their flight.
Mathias Boe questioned the authenticity of the tests after members of the Indian team returned positive results despite isolation in Zurich for the Swiss Open and 5 negatives in 14 days. (Of course this ignores the risks of infection on a flight to the UK.)
One of the Danish team support staff tested positive and there was the real possibility of the whole team missing the tournament.

In fact, during the testing in Birmingham there had been 7 positives from players of 3 different nations and numerous ‘inconclusives’. In my opinion a sensible decision was made to retest but I am not clear why so many worrying results were produced. Were the samples collected and processed correctly and in a timely manner? ‘Inconclusive’ suggests contamination so is this the reason that retests were allowed?

Other peripherals also seemed odd. In the official preview it was a surprise to see Marcus Gideon and Kevin Sukamuljo described as ‘the Daddies’ whilst Praveen Jordan was called a former YAE MD champion (he is XD). Earlier pieces had called the Stoeva Sisters Belarussian (they are Bulgarian) and suggested that Marin was the beaten finalist in 2020 (she was knocked out in the SF).

It was remarkable that BWF had provided so few officials. How could it happen that in the R1 match between the Indonesian pair of Ahsan/Setiawan and Englishmen Lane/Vendy the service judge appeared to be from England too? Most sports do not allow compatriots to officiate over competitors – for obvious reasons.

I don’t think anyone – apart from the directors at Badminton England – has a clear timeline as to when the decision was made to require the Indonesian team and Neslihan Yigit to withdraw. Choosing this option rather than simply suspend play for the evening to give time for careful consideration meant that irreversible decisions with far-reaching consequences were put in motion. Presumably BWF had already discussed English covid protocols and worse case scenarios with all the team managers and yet the requirement for 10 days isolation came as a shock.

It is not easy to understand why the NHS ‘Test to Release’ scheme was not appropriate in this instance. It allows foreign travellers arriving in England to take a covid test on day 5 of their quarantine; a negative triggers a discharge. Reportedly there were impassioned attempts by BE to explore options to continue the players participation but they were unsuccessful. It was refered all the way up the line to Ambassador level but nothing could be done. The ‘covid positive’ on the Istanbul flight trumped any possible solutions.

Confirmation from the UK Govt NHS site that Test & Trace requirements override everything.

It’s a painful fact that it’s irrelevant to UK Covid law that the entire Indonesian team had consistently returned negative swabs and had been vaccinated before departure from Jakarta. There is a strong sense of injustice. The instances of positive results were not treated in the same way. Because no-one has explained what the differences are, there have been ridiculous accusations of foul play and unacceptable behaviour from people who are not fans and supporters of badminton. I think it has been naive of the badminton authorities to try to move the narrative swiftly away. This has been a opportunity for strong leadership and a willingness to learn but instead we are mired in a swirl of speculation and disappointment. I’m aghast at the insensitive tone of some social media posts; allowing poisonous comments to be appended to them is completely irresponsible as it inflames a difficult situation.

I feel sad because this has overshadowed one of the best tournaments in the world and it was so avoidable. It seems to me that the players are the ultimate victims but they have no strong unified voice to call for change. Why encourage athletes to travel halfway across the world without providing a pre-competition quarantine bubble? If the Court of Arbitration in Sport can unpick the facts from this who has to take ultimate responsibility?

This is the apology letter from the BWF https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/03/22/apology-from-bwf/ it was posted on the Kemenpora publicly available Instagram page and I copied it from there.

This is a piece about the same events by a fellow blogger and fan at Shuttle Smash https://shuttlesmash.com/all-england-2021-what-happened/

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Apology From BWF

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Yonex All England 2021: Singles Preview

The whole tournament is dominated by the most eagerly awaited comeback in modern badminton history. The return of Momota. The spotlight will be on him from the second he steps back on court.

Men’s Singles

Kento Momota is like a ravenous lion circling a water hole and preparing to pounce on unsuspecting antelope; here is a lion who hasn’t tasted red meat in a looong time.

It’s impossible to guess his level of fitness after such a lengthy absence but his superior mental strength will have driven him on to train and stay focused. He has all the weapons to regain his title after missing the AE last year and he can often expose highly seeded opponents as one-dimensional. He has an aura of a returning king although he must feel some nerves about the standards he can reach at the beginning of his campaign. Viktor Axelsen has set a high benchmark over the past three months so Momota must be on guard. Prediction: Final

Viktor Axelsen – the defending champion – had a brilliant January in Thailand so he will be arriving in Birmingham with high hopes of keeping his title. He has been awesome at grabbing opportunities to win over the past 3 months: a living embodiment of Carpe Diem. However, that loss at the WTF keeps niggling away at me. His power, fitness and will to win are second to none but he was unsettled by Antonsen’s cunning tactics. Falling prey to a version of the rope-a-dope trick must have been incredibly frustrating and I wonder what the effect of that will be long-term. Axelsen has introduced us to his ‘mental coach’ recently, who is an ex special forces soldier so he clearly wishes to explore how his psychology can give him an edge. In the final of the Swiss Open he was unstoppable as he bulldozed his way to the trophy. It’s worth noting that his opponent – Vitidsarn – did start the encounter well and his tactics reminded me of Momota’s ‘waiting game’ approach, but he made too many errors and ran out of steam. Momota has plenty of stamina and he knows not to give VA power to feed off, so if they meet in the final Viktor should be pushed harder. Prediction Runner up

Anders Antonsen – the WTF Champion – is never a person to fade into the background and the past six months have been full on drama. Starting in October, his epic battle against Gemke in the final of the Denmark Open left both unable to walk unaided from the arena, in November he contracted Covid, January saw patchy performances in the first two tournaments in Bangkok then he roared back to form in the WTF to snatch victory away from Axelsen; this all adds layers of experience to an intelligent player who needs to be on court. Viktor has better fitness and stamina but Antonsen has better strategies. Last year’s YAE saw him retire hurt from his semi-Final against CHOU Tien Chen which was a huge disappointment as he had every chance of making the final at that point. He is seeded 3 so it may be that we see an all-Danish semi final with the liklihood of a fired-up Viktor looking for revenge.

Anthony Ginting spearheads the Indonesia challenge in this sector. When he is consistently at his best, he is unstoppable and we saw flashes of this brilliance in Thailand but he didn’t have enough for a podium finish. On the whole, after such a long break, his performance gave some cause for optimism, or at least no cause for alarm. In the SF of the Yonex Thailand Open he came up against a resolute VA in the third set but overall, he lost that tie 53-55 which puts a revealing slant on his defeat. His levels dropped off in the next two tournaments and this is exasperating as he is such a glorious player. I saw lockdown as a useful opportunity for some players to improve areas of their game and instinctively I would point to his ‘third set’ strategies. There are not really gaps in his technique but something is missing in this area that his coaches need to address. I would love to see him come to Birmingham and gift us fans a MomoGI in the semi final. And then I want a final.

Kunlavut Vitidsarn was the World Junior Champion for three years running (2017/18/19) and is one of badminton’s rising stars. Axelsen demolished him in the second set of the final of the Swiss Open but his fluency around the court and technical skill is exciting. As he builds on his experience and puts more hours in at the gym we will see an improvement in stamina and pace. The fact that he stayed with Viktor in the first set whilst playing patiently should worry Jonatan Christie who plays him in the first round.

Jonatan Christie is seeded 5 and has a brutal draw: possibly meeting Axelsen at the QF stage. If so then he could struggle to progress as their h2h coupled with the Danes form doesn’t indicate any easy points. It would be wonderful to see him get to the weekend but it would be a bit of a jaw-dropper if he can subdue the Dane. Last year LEE Zii Jia who is seeded 6, had a thrilling run to the SF before losing in a closely fought match with VA. He is very mobile, with good technical skills, a great player for a neutral to support. He looked a bit lethargic at the Swiss Open so perhaps he is an athlete who needs to compete consistently to maintain his focus and pace. A possible Quarter Final with Momota is on the horizon and to have any dream of progress he must improve on his recent form.

Women’s Singles

Owing to Marin’s late withdrawal from the tournament the top half of the draw is suddenly looking less intimidating for the other players. Akane, Pornpawee, and Pursala would have had to beat her to get to the final; now there is one less obstacle on the road.

Akane Yamaguchi is seeded 3 but still, this will be the first time we have seen her in an international tournament for a year and I honestly don’t know what we can expect. She was the beaten finalist (in three sets) against Nozomi at the All-Japan National Championships in December. Before the pandemic her brief period at World #1 was followed by some inconsistency. At her best, she is a contender for the title, so the puzzle is about the level she is at when she hits the courts on the 17th March. She is known as a retriever but there have been occasions when she has used a fiercer style; combining more aggression with her great court coverage will give her more options when she is under pressure. The prospect of a QF against Pornpawee is intriguing. Mew nearly beat Marin in the Semi Final of the Swiss Open; she seemed down and out but hauled herself back into contention. Peppery unpredictability with unlimited stamina could be a good strategy.

Nozomi Okuhara‘s victory in the final of the Denmark Open over Marin came after a dazzling two sets; she would not let the Spaniard get a foothold in the game. The strategy of frustrating and denying her the chance to build a competitive rhythm disrupted her momentum and was a key element in Nozomi’s success. In the context of 2019 where she consistently reached finals only to lose this was a big breakthrough. The court coverage, stamina and sheer stubbornness of Nozomi are hard to break. She last won in 2016 but with the Tokyo Olympics in mind she will be aiming to become a hard player to beat at the end of a tournament so this is the perfect place to set a marker. The hall conditions should suit her but she must get the right balance between attack and defence.

Ratchanok Intanon – the #4 seed – is coming to the All England for another shot at winning the title. She was close in 2017 but was relegated to Silver by TAI Tzu Ying. We often criticise TTY for lack of patience but I think that May suffers with this too – her sublime technical skills sometimes mean that she doesn’t play the percentages. May could potentially be looking at a semi-final against Nozomi which would be a dream for fans. Rather like Anthony in the MS I wish she was more solid in the third set. It’s harder than it looks to behave with restraint in that section of a match but it is within her capabilities; we have all watched epic games where she fights with incredible grit and courage. In her 2020 win at the Indonesia Masters she overcame Marin in three sets so she can be inspired by this.

Pornpawee CHOCHUWONG’s progress since her victory over Carolina Marin at the Spain Masters in 2020 has been dislocated because of the effect of Covid cancellations on the badminton tour. Nevertheless, she had victories over TAI Tzu Ying and Ratchanok in Bangkok which shows that she has the ability to compete with the best. Her recent SF match against Carolina Marin at the Swiss Open was a defeat but she pushed all the way with a gritty and skilful display. Seeded 6 she has every reason to be optimistic if she can cut some of her errors. It would be an upset if she won the title but she has a chance – especially in the absence of Marin – and the mental stamina to push all the way to the end of a third set. Her obstinate outlook is a big advantage and it could be the foundation of tremendous achievements.

I would love to see Pursala V Sindhu rampage through the early rounds of this competition in the sort of form that won her the title at the World Championships in 2019. She’s a great athlete, but it just seems that sometimes she cannot dig herself out of a hole when the game tilts away from her. The final at the Swiss Open showed her difficulties; she struggled on her lunges to the front court to reach wide shots and wasn’t using any creativity to stop Marins anticipatory game. On the positive side she did get to the final and in the first set she seemed to have a bit more speed around the court. I hope that her coaching environment becomes more settled so that she can continue to develop her range.

So we have a men’s competition where we have to measure athletes against Viktor’s tough standards but Momota has returned to complicate things and a women’s competition that is missing TTY and Carolina but still features players with a realistic chance of the Gold medal later on in the year in Tokyo. All England success this year will go to the competitor who can come to the court with intensity and desire after twelve months of disruption and boredom. Can Viktor prove that he is the new King of the courts?

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my preview for the doubles sector https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/03/08/yonex-all-england-2021-doubles-preview/ or read my review of last year’s competition https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/03/21/yonex-all-england-2020-review/

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Yonex All England 2021: Doubles Preview

The arena in Birmingham awaits. The stage is set for badminton royalty to remind fans why they dominate world badminton. A Super 1000 tournament is the ultimate test and a Super 1000 title is the sign of sporting magnificence.

Men’s Doubles

Will anyone be able to stop the Minion’s progress to the title? Indonesian men’s doubles is the finest in the world but that doesn’t mean the path to the podium is painless.

Kevin Sukamuljo & Marcus Gideon – were last year’s beaten finalists and are top seeds. The key question is whether or not they can overcome the sort of strategies Yuta & Endo used against them in the final last year – have they been able to add those couple of extra percentage points to their performance to grab the gold? It is vital that they are focused from the minute they step on court in R1 because there are some outstanding rivals ready to eliminate them. If they get to the QF it’s possible they may meet the talented Indian pair Rankireddy/Shetty or the recent Swiss Open champions Astrup/Rasmussen. Both of these can defend a barrage of flat, aggressive shots so a crucial asset for the Minions is going to be patience, and to be confident in the breadth of their attack. Prediction: Final – they will rock the All England together!

Takeshi Kamura & Keigo Sonoda are Japan’s highest seeds at 3. Kamura has great vision and anticipation with shuttle hunting at the core of his game. Sonoda is the steadfast partner who backs him up and feeds off what he creates. They are the epitome of “fast and furious” with rowdy shouting and a brawny, dynamic approach. They never run out of energy but their head-to-head record against the Minions is quite weak so if they face each other over the net on the Saturday all the stats point to an Indonesian win. Prediction: Semi Final

Hiroyuki Endo/Yuta Watanabe: I adore Yuta’s swashbuckling style and he is nicely balanced by Endo’s steadier approach. It’s a rare player who can match Kevin Sukamuljo’s net play but Yuta is not intimidated by the Indonesian’s blistering reactions and can hold his own. Last year’s champions have every chance of defending their title but as they are ‘only’ seeded 4 they are not going to get an easy passage to the final. It seems extraordinary to me that Yuta has a realistic chance of winning XD as well; surely there must come a point where his stamina is diluted?

Hendra Setiawan & Mohammad Ahsan: these two badminton heroes keep playing at the highest level and digging out results in taxing games. Hendra’s skills belong to a different dimension when he is at the net, and he brings such control and determination to his matches. They did play well in Thailand but were not able to stop Lee/Wang’s hat-trick of titles; in the final of the WTF they were simply overwhelmed by the Taiwanese players high speed muscular approach. They are seeded 2 and I never ever write them off. Prediction SF.

Fajar Alfian & Muhammad Rian Ardianto. I’m not sure what to expect from the fifth seeds. I didn’t feel that they hit their stride in Thailand but when these two are at their best the combination of Ardianto’s crisp smashes and Alfian’s control of the net is exhilarating. It’s crucial that they find their competitive groove quickly, their rhythm in Thailand was too stuttery and they used a lot of energy chasing points rather than dictating games. Its feasible that they could meet the Dads at the QF stage and they will not be the favourites to win that game.

Mixed Doubles

There are exciting athletes in XD at the moment. I’m intrigued to watch the new unseeded pairing of Olympic Gold Medallist Misaki Matsutomo with Yuki Kaneko. When TakaMatsu broke up last year, Misaki switched disciplines from WD to XD in a bid to get a spot at the Tokyo games. I don’t think they can expect to get beyond a Quarter Final but she is a competitor from the top draw and her fans would love to enjoy watching a good run in this tournament. It feels as though this is a competition ready to be won by someone unexpected, especially as Bass/Popor have decided not to compete. I can’t lie, I would adore it if they over-achieved.

Praveen Jordan & Melati Daeva Oktavianti. Seeded 1 and the defending champions – PraMel are sharp-witted and shrewd players. Jordan always looks so strong and menacing; no one has a smash as hard as him. If he is in the right frame of mind he can ride the momentum of a game and annihilate opponents. Melati needs him to be focused and fit so she can concentrate on her own role. He has had an injury but is reportedly back to full training so the mission to retain their title is feasible.

Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino: Yuta is not necessarily the most powerful player but he makes up for that with his anticipation and creativity. It’s incredible that he has the stamina to compete at the highest level in two disciplines. I like the partnership with Arisa because of her strength, when they find their positions reversed Yuta can rely on her to defend the back as he rules the front. This brings an extra dimension to their attack and can really turn the tide in their favour in a game. They are seeded 2 and I can’t really see who can stop their progress to a medal.

CHAN Peng Soon & GOH LIU Ying are the Rio silver medallists and should be looking at this competition as a good opportunity to win a title. I think they must start brightly to try and build self-confidence before the possibility of a QF against Thom and Delphine. They can get to the semi-final so long as they don’t get overwhelmed by the ebullient French pair.

Thom & Delphine: These two are being touted as the future of European XD and possible gold medallists at the Paris Olympics. For now, they are just at the start of their journey but they are a confident duo who like to dominate and dictate the momentum of a match. They are a stylish pair to watch, creative, zesty and always looking for gaps, especially out wide. The intensity and quality of the competition they will face here is a step up from the Swiss Open but it is intriguing to measure them against some of the best in the world. Prediction QF

Women’s Doubles

FukuHiro are top seeds and defending champions – they seem to have added a sprinkle of something extra to their game over the past year. I think they have given themselves permission to be more than good. In Denmark back in October Yuki Fukushima’s energy and desire propelled them on to the title. Hirota’s swiftness of body and mind, her precision and anticipation screw down the pressure on opponents. If they bring the same aggression and accuracy to Birmingham the pair will be unstoppable. Prediction: Final

Embed from Getty Images

Nagahara & Matsumoto are often regarded as the Japanese pair with the most creative spark and aggression. Matsumoto can unleash some brutal smashes and together they are a partnership that routinely wins big events. Their rivalry with their compatriots will be an extra motivation especially after their defeat in the final at October’s Danish Open. They failed to neutralise the influence of Fukushima and that was the decisive difference between them. Prediction: Final

Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu: So, this looks like the last time Greysia will play at the All England and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person to cheer for one of my favourite players. GreyAp competed fearlessly in January’s matches in Thailand and their triumph at the Yonex Thailand Open was a well-deserved, emotional victory. I would love to see them on the podium here but I think the top seeds may just have a little bit extra over them. Prediction: My heart says final but my head says Quarter Final. Good luck girls!

Jongkolphan Kititharakul & Rawinda Prajonjai can be a quick aggressive pair and are capable of despatching lower seeds without too much fuss but their head-to-head stats against the established Japanese players suggest that they are going to struggle to progress much further than a QF. Their R1 game against Tan & Thinaah could be an awkward encounter.

Pearly TAN & THINAAH Muralitharan have a really tough draw because they are unseeded, but since playing in Thailand they have impressed everyone. They possess winnability and seem to be able to squeak a result even when they are up against more experienced opposition. Their victory in the final of the Swiss Open against the Stoeva sisters was a good illustration of their desire; they played to win, not just to defend and they reaped the reward. These two young Malaysians could be some stars in the making.

The doubles competitions in Birmingham are fascinating this year because so many of the top seeds have been absent from the international tour for a year or so. Their challenge is to adapt to quarantine protocols quickly so they can compete at the levels of intensity and focus we expect. There’s no doubt that the people who get to grips with the new procedures will be at an advantage. The saying goes that ‘when the sun comes out it dulls the other stars’, I’m very curious to see what the overall standard of play is. Will the athletes who have been missing now blaze a trail to the trophies despite their lack of match practice? or will they discover that while they’ve been away their European rivals have upped their levels?

If you enjoyed this read my review of last year’s tournament https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/03/21/yonex-all-england-2020-review/

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Team TAI Tzu Ying

TAI Tzu Ying is celebrated as a dazzling player: the best of her generation. She is a sensational athlete who combines breath-taking technical skill with daring and panache. She is applauded by millions of fans worldwide whenever she appears. However, when she wins a title her celebratory snapshot on Instagram always contains at least four more people. This is her acknowledgement of the huge team effort behind her victories. In this article I want to look at some of the people who help light TTY’s path to glory.

“The Team!”
Picture from TAI Tzu Ying’s Instagram post.

Coach LAI – Head Coach

“…all we can do is be better than before.”
Coach LAI in conversation with BWF TV

The badminton Gods were smiling on the day LAI Chien Cheng was assigned to work at TTY’s high school for his Substitute Military Service. Over the years this chance meeting sparked a collaboration that has been a blessing for both. LAI had a good badminton background but made the decision to finish his sporting career when he was 21 preferring instead to put his energy into his post grad studies. After connecting through her school badminton programme, at first, he was TTY’s sparring partner but his importance to her meant that his contribution expanded and in Feb 2015 he became her official coach. By the end of 2016 she was world #1

LAI’s strength is that he understands what style to use to inspire TAI. He is in a position of respect but he is on TTYs wavelength, so his emotional literacy enables him to get the most from his player. She has commented in the past that other coaches have attempted to change her style but she ‘can’t’ play like that. He recognises that there will be no reward in altering her game.

TTY’s impulsiveness and freedom to express badminton joy on court means that she uses shots that rivals can’t imagine. LAI has said that he tries to focus on areas to improve and look for incremental gains. At elite level small advances can make a huge difference and revitalise a player’s armoury. LAI remarked recently that his biggest challenge has been to innovate in training – he was reluctant to copy other people’s methods because it would lead to stagnation. I have heard a similar observation from Fernando Rivas when he has spoken about his work with Carolina Marin. Both men understand that to achieve the extraordinary they have to be pioneers.

Crucially LAI says that he will often find more than one solution to a problem. He has a genuine relationship with TTY that has a foundation in trust and honesty so the communication between them allows a focus on the process of training and this builds a winning attitude.

It was no big surprise in February 2019 to hear that LAI had been asked to become the head coach for the Taiwan badminton team for the Olympics – he was widely regarded as one of the brightest young coaches in the world at that point. In the following six months TTY’s titles dried up. He resigned from his role in October 2019 so that he could concentrate his attention back to her.

However, the relationship did not resume exactly as before. The support team had been reinforced in Jan 2019 and this meant there were three more people to help fuel the search for excellence:

WAN Chia Hsin – Coach

We often see Coach WAN talking to TTY and holding the ice pack to her neck in the intervals in matches. He competed internationally for Taiwan up to 2014 and now works in her team. His responsiblity is to implement Coach Lai’s plans. This is a vital part of the framework around TAI Tzu Ying. He will provide precise assessments on areas for attention, and feedback to LAI to influence strategies. A second coach means that ideas and tactics can be analysed from new viewpoints.

Wang Shih-Ting – Physiotherapist

A large part of WANG’s role is to address aches and pains; I doubt that any elite athlete can avoid these niggles so the challenge is to manage discomfort effectively. Like TTY’s physical trainer – FAN Zan-Yu – she is a graduate of Kaohsiung Medical University. Her responsibility covers post-practice and post-match recovery. Physios tend to use manual therapies like massage to manipulate the body. This helps blood flow and relieves stiffness and we often see photos of this on Instagram as TAI Tzu Ying lies on a treatment table. She will note injury patterns, plan rest and use this information to help fine tune training routines.

FAN Zan-Yu

FAN has been a great all-round athlete across many disciplines from swimming to frisbee but she’s mainly known as a basketball player. Her duties are centred around maintaining fitness and running the pre-match warm up. She works closely with the physio and ultimately her contribution will give TTY confidence that she has the stamina and agility to beat her rivals. I think that there is an intriguing synergy between basketball and badminton. Both need explosive power, high speed directional changes and 3D vision and both make huge demands on an athlete’s body.

Her Family

TTY has a loving and supportive family who are united in support of her. When they were children, her parents took her and her sister along when they played badminton. As she got older her father used to enter her in ‘open’ tournaments when she would compete against seniors – and lose! She now credits this as a formative experience, one that taught her to accept defeat. Her father is responsible for the idiosyncratic stringing pattern we see on her racket. It’s revealing that she was treated with understanding by them when she wanted to give up training so she could have fun with her friends but they also supported her when she restarted. Her happy relationship with her Grandma is famous on Instagram.

And PS…

Some fans have suggested that I add a little more about TTY’s father here. As well as being a caring and supportive dad he was pivotal in picking Coach LAI as a sparring partner in the first place so it was his shrewd judgement that initiated this fruitful alliance. Throughout her career he has been her manager; overseeing arrangements and ensuring she continues her journey in badminton in the best way possible.

Coach Lai and the team have worked in partnership to inspire and motivate her but they are only part of the story. She is adored by fans and has often commentated that she wants to win for them. Win or lose they offer unconditional support. It’s fascinating to consider how many people have walked along the path to excellence with TAI Tzu Ying.

If you enjoyed this take a look at another article of mine about The Queen https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/02/tai-tzu-ying-genius/

I’d like to thank everyone who helped with information for this piece including DeeTree (@tty4ever and taitzuyingfans.wordpress.com), Shodo0702 (@Sandrali13), eeye24 (@eeye24), Jenny Day, TTY’s Facebook admin and of course BWF TV.

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Michelle Li

by Michelle The

Michelle Li is the finest player in the Pan Am region ever; she sits in the top 10 world ranking with 4 Pan Am Games gold medals, 4 Pan Am Championships gold medals, and a Commonwealth Games gold medal in her pocket. However, that success didn’t come instantly. She has had her own struggles around lack of funding and solo travel while coping with injuries and playing with pain. Badminton glory is something she has pursued since she was a little kid, even after disapproval from her closest people. There was one thing she knew for sure; she is very passionate about badminton and she wouldn’t give it up. She chose to follow her dream.

Embed from Getty Images

In her best days, Michelle Li is a pure delight to watch. Her beautiful shots and powerful smashes, paired with her tenacity, make for a great badminton match for spectators. It’s obvious that she loves to play and enjoys being part of the sport.

Born in Hong Kong, Michelle Li moved to Canada at the age of six with her family. She picked up her first racket at age 11, playing with her mom at a local community center. Not long after, she started training at her current club, Lee’s Badminton. Even in the early days, her coach, Jennifer Lee saw her mental toughness and believed she could succeed.

In Canada, badminton does not get a lot of attention so she has to constantly deal with the lack of financial support. Even though she is a top 10 athlete, it is still a struggle for her to get sponsors. Badminton Canada tries their best to help but they just don’t have enough funding to fully support their athletes.

““Because badminton is such a small sport in Canada, sponsors aren’t interested in badminton. And if I go to Asia, they wouldn’t sponsor someone from Canada. They’d sponsor someone from their own country. So, it has always been a struggle financially to figure out how I’m gonna fund my next tournament,”
Michelle Li

In the past, she often had to travel on her own without a team in her corner. Once in a while her coach could come along, but not always. Incredibly they would sometimes have to talk through WhatsApp to discuss tactics. Definitely not the ideal situation for an athlete mid-tournament. More recently though, she has started working with a personal coach and a therapist from Taiwan who have been able to accompany her to competitions and that has helped her a lot. Covid has restricted this to some degree but she is usually with the Team Canada coaches and fellow players.

Like most elite athletes Michelle has had to overcome injuries. Leading up to the 2016 Olympics, she discovered that she had a tear in her patella tendon, right knee, and hip, along with a broken bone in her right foot. After Rio, she went through surgery and was forced to take significant time off from competing. She underwent grueling hours of rehab just to make her whole right leg felt like hers again. She had to relearn the basics and crawl up the ranking board anew. It was a year that she described as being “really really tough”.

After the rehab things started to look bright again. With strong determination Michelle Li trained hard and has kept improving ever since. She has won 2 Macau Open titles, and made it to the semifinals of some big tournaments beating tough opponents like Tai Tzu Ying and Nozomi Okuhara along the way. Her ‘A’ game is creative and hard-hitting. So long as her focus isn’t diluted by worries about money or pain, she can go toe-to-toe with the world’s best and come away with a result.

With the Tokyo Olympics coming up, Michelle Li has a dream to stand on the podium. Her motivation is to change the sport on her side of the world for the better. She believes a medal would really raise the profile of badminton in Canada and help her make that happen.

Her story will encourage other aspiring juniors to defy odds, pursue their dreams, believe in what they can do, and become champions. She always felt that she wasted a lot of time just trying to figure things out alone, and she hopes her experience can help others speed up their own process. She wants to promote the sport and help people have a better chance of succeeding. Let’s wish her all the very best for the coming Olympics and for the rest of her career! Keep fighting, Michelle!

For more coverage of Michelle Li follow @michellethe22 on Twitter

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January 2021 Review: A Month In Thailand

Shock withdrawals, shock exits and shock reinstatements; January’s tournaments were never dull. Unless of course, you happen to be a player quarantined in the Bangkok Novotel for 20 hours a day with chicken for dinner again. Indomie products were suddenly currency and some athletes were incentivised by the prospect of a year’s supply of the world’s best instant snack.

This is my look at the three Thailand tournaments. I’m not pretending that I’m unbiased, or that I can cover everything but I hope my highlights remind you what a cracking few weeks fans have just enjoyed.

HK Vittinghus’ January was epic. Initially on the reserve list he had the ambition to gamble and start the long trip to Thailand from Denmark with no guarantee of a game. Events moved in his favour when the Japanese team turned back at Tokyo airport following Momota’s positive test. His story stuttered at the Yonex Thailand Open when he lost to compatriot Gemke in R1 but the following week saw him excel and become the focus of fierce support from fans in Indonesia who had realised that the further he progressed the more likely Anthony Ginting was to qualify for the World Tour Finals. Some wild incentives involving Indomie noodles were offered. Through very intense games he found a route to to the final and a match against Axelsen. Along the way, his results meant that Anthony Ginting did qualify. Axelsen powered through the encounter but HK can be proud of his month’s work.

Astonishingly there were triple champions in MD and XD and double champions in MS and WS which suggests that finding the winning formula fast in the impact arena offered big rewards. I think that people with good underlying fitness combined with the resilience and drive to make the most of opportunities were at an advantage. Fatigue – mental and physical – was a factor for some as there was little breathing space between each tournament.

Men’s Singles

The Danish men controlled the courts all month – I’ve already mentioned Vittinghus but the fluctuations in the balance of power between Axelsen and Andersen is fascinating and I’m really looking forward to see who has the upper hand in March. Andersen prevented his fellow Dane from a clean sweep of titles by some tactics at the World Tour Finals that some found controversial. Not me. I felt he was strategically very smart. It’s unfair to reduce his astute strategy to his ‘easy’ concession of the second set. Throughout the match he refused to give Viktor pace from smashes to feed off and this was a key element in his win.

There were times when we saw sublime standards from Anthony Ginting and I was disappointed that he didn’t get to a final. His challenge is to stay with a game at the death. CHOU Tien Chen consistently made the semi-final of all three tournaments but somehow just lacked the resources to finish a match off.

Women’s Singles

Carolina Marin – like Viktor – completely dominated her sector in the first two tournaments; bulldozing TAI Tzu Ying aside as she triumphed in both of their finals . At the season’s finale she was prevented from making it a hat trick by a tactically astute performance by TTY who finally managed to eliminate errors when it came to the crucial stage of the game. This link will take you to my article that discusses TTY’s win in more detail https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/02/tai-tzu-ying-genius/

I’m often dazzled by Ratchanok Intanon to the extent that I don’t give enough attention to the other athletes in the Thai team. Pornpawee Chochuwong can look back over her matches with a lot of satisfaction. We saw her potential twelve months ago when she beat Marin in the final of the Spain Masters and it turns out that that was not a fluke. At the end of a hard month she was a semi-finalist at the World Tour Finals and posed a threat to every player. AN Se Young also caught my eye: she got to three semi finals but couldn’t quite push through to a podium finish.

Mixed Doubles

A deserved hat-trick of titles for the home pair Dechapol Puavaranukroh & Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Bass/Popor). They have been on the brink of good results for a while and this month they competed with gutsy resilience and strong self-belief. They are a wonderful team with excellent mobility, stamina and racket skills.

“This is my reward for nine months of hard work and dedication”
Sapsiree Taerattanachai courtesy BWF Media press office

This success could see them start to dominate their sector.

Women’s Doubles

I’ve always been a big fan of GreyAp and so I was beyond thrilled to watch their emotional win in the YTO. Soon their journey together will end. I’m delighted that they have used these tournaments to showcase their best style: Greysia smiling and Apri roaring on to victory. Well played girls!

Men’s Doubles

The Taiwanese duo – LEE Yang and WANG Chi-Lin – really enhanced their reputations throughout January. Not only did they win all three competitions but their humble self-deprecating comments endeared them to watching fans. Playing to their strengths they used power and muscle non-stop to overcome rivals. They were too fast and furious even for Ahsan and Setiawan to tame and no-one beats the Dads by accident. On the subject of the Dads; once again these two gnarly warriors battled through adversity and showed why they are admired worldwide. Here is my look at Ahsan’s gritty fight to stay in the game when he was struggling with an injury https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/01/20/mohammad-ahsan-player-of-the-day-total-legend/

Finally…Coach Kim, Happiness and Hope

The effervescent Coach Kim popped up in Thailand with the Korean team. Her energetic style radiates confidence and is irresistible. During the interval she seems able to outline any observations to her team in about ten frenetic cheerful seconds then she calmly sits down whilst the opposition coach remains standing.

It was an uplifting few weeks. Back to back tournaments undoubtedly stretched athletes but they still delivered some breathtaking matches full of skill. I think they gave supporters hope that there is a return to regular badminton just around the corner.

Here’s my recent article about Momota https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/12/27/momota-the-return-of-the-king/

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TAI Tzu Ying: Genius

Badminton’s Most Valuable Player

TAI Tzu Ying is the benchmark for all that is captivating about badminton. Her triumph at this year’s World Tour Finals was a radiant festival of skill fused with courage.

Fans suffered through an intense game. The score see-sawed as neither player was able to subdue the other. Marin had dominated January’s tournaments in Bangkok: played 2 won 2. At 15-10 up in the last set of this final she was starting to look unstoppable; she had the hat-trick within her grasp.

I hate matches like this. I love matches like this.

All through the battle TTY had a potent strategy: keep Carolina from dominating the forecourt and net area, keep her pinned back and persist with the difficult questions of her rear-court backhand. It was the unforced errors that were jeopardising her challenge. Marin’s noisy, boisterous approach, constant towel-downs and delays brought friction to the encounter. I have never seen TAI Tzu Ying refuse an opponent’s request for a new shuttle before and she seemed irritated by some of her opponent’s attempts at psychological warfare.

When she stepped on court TTY knew that she had to stay patient and eliminate mistakes. Once a rival hands the initiative to Marin she will lock in on victory, her velocity increases and she bulldozes her way to Gold. Trailing 17-19 in the final set TAI roused herself for a final effort. She pulled and pushed Marin around the court’s four corners and to draw level she produced an exquisite drop that was unplayable. 19-19. She brought up match point with another dazzling drop. Two points in a row and no errors. The title was sealed by a shot that forced Marin to turn and retreat to the back line. Slightly off-balance she misjudged its trajectory and it fell in. It was all over. Victory to TAI Tzu Ying.

An arena with no spectators erupted with applause. All around the world, fans who had been watching through their fingers could celebrate.

“Finally, I won. When I can remain calm and patient, I can win the game. In the end it was a tight game…before this match today I kept telling myself that I had to play patiently. In the previous matches, all my mistakes were caused my own impatience…I made some mistakes and that cost me against Marin because she is fast. I need to put a lot more effort to keep up with Marin’s pace.”
TAI Tzu Ying courtesy BWF Press Office

This win confirms her rise to legendary status. Like Michael Jordan and Lionel Messi, she is an athlete whose skills transcend her sport. Flair blended with ambition is a rare joy to witness and we are privileged to enjoy the genius of TAI Tzu Ying.

If you enjoyed this take a look at this article about TTY https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/10/03/we-miss-tai-tzu-ying/ or this one about the Taiwan mock Olympics https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/08/03/tai-tzu-ying-and-taiwans-mock-tokyo-olympics/

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Taiwans Olympic Hopes

In badminton Taiwan is a small nation that hits big. From a population of roundabout 24 million people there is perhaps a chance of three Olympic badminton medals. Of course, the tournament in Tokyo will test the best; there are so many battles between now and that podium place it is fascinating to consider who could write their own Olympic legend.

TAI Tzu Ying

The wonderful TAI Tzu Ying lights up every tournament. She sublimates sport into art; there is no limit to her creative imagination. The fusion of an unpredictable, inventive vision with brilliant technical skills is at the heart of TAI Tzu Ying’s strategies, but it will take more than this to seize glory in Tokyo.

In Thailand in January she was beaten by Marin in two finals. To her credit she was not crushed – in the third final between the two of them she triumphed. Her inner spirit and motivation to compete are a significant part of her emotional armoury. Top level badminton is not glamorous: after years of sweat, pain and criticism athletes earn the chance to endure sweat, pain and criticism on the Olympic stage. I’m confident she has the psychological strength to face up to the challenges thrown at her on court at the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza.

Maybe TTY has lost a second or two of speed across the ground as she has got older but recently she has offset that with patience, and focused patience will give her a massive advantage over her rivals. Restraint – the ability to judge calmly when the time is right in a rally to commit to the winning shot – is surely the characteristic that divides great players from good ones. TAI’s not-so-secret weapon is her deceptive play and this can disrupt her opponents flow.

Can she return to Taiwan with a medal? Yes, of course! Of all the Taiwanese athletes she travels with the highest expectations on her shoulders. The women’s singles competition is going to be fierce, fellow contenders like Nozomi and Carolina have the experience of medalling in Rio 2016 and they know better what it takes to succeed in front of millions of people. But TTY has the advantage of a formidable coaching team and rock-solid family support – she has all the skills to fulfill her potential and win.

CHOU Tien Chen & WANG Tzu Wei

In men’s singles CHOU Tien Chen is an ever-present at tournament finals with his ebullient physio Victoria Kao courtside. In the early rounds of the World Tour Finals back in January he beat a couple of the players who could block his path to an Olympic medal: LEE Zii Jia & Anthony Ginting. However he lost twice to Viktor Axelsen and that also reminds me of his campaign at the 2020 All England; where he seemed to lose his focus against the Dane and made too many errors. If he comes up against Axelsen it’s important that he doesn’t give him speed to feed off but tries to disrupt the Danes equilibrium.

CTC famously trains and competes without a coach which is uncommon for any elite athlete. This unorthodox approach has liberated him to take responsibility for his development and I think if I wanted one skill to be fine-tuned it would be his killer instinct. Sometimes, when he has the upper hand in a match he is not brutal enough to finish off his opponent and they stage a recovery. He’s at his best when the tempo of the match is under his control and he can feed off errors.

WANG Tzu Wei also enjoyed some great wins at the start of the WTF, notably in three sets against Kidambi and a straight sets victory over the eventual champion Anders Antonsen – losing to him in a return match in the semi-final. At Taiwan’s ‘Mock Olympics’ last year he was beaten in three sets by CTC and he needs to find another level to genuinely be in with a chance of a medal in Tokyo.

I think in the men’s competition it is hard to look beyond Momota but if one of these two get early momentum they could mount a solid campaign. CHOU Tien Chen is the equal of any of the other competitors. His success will depend upon being focused, cutting errors and sometimes just staying with a game. If he can do this and maintain his self belief he could be bringing a medal home.

WANG Chi-Lin/LEE Yang

These two enjoyed a dazzling run of form in Thailand at the start of this year; they carried off all three titles in a clean sweep of the Men’s Doubles competitions. Most notably they beat Indonesian legends Ahsan & Setiawan for gold at the World Tour Finals. So how will they fare in the Olympics against the best that Indonesia, Japan and China can throw at them? I think the draw will be all-important as it’s inevitable they will have tough matches right from the start. It’s hard to expect them to beat the Minions or Endo/Watanabe but their muscular, ferocious approach can be hard to contain. If they get a bit of luck, and carry on their momentum from January they could have an outside chance of Bronze.

Conclusions

I’d love to see one of these players win their nation’s first badminton Olympic medal. It’s a wonderful achievement for any athlete to compete at an Olympics and Taiwan’s shuttlers can travel to Japan with confidence in their ability and with high hopes.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my article about TTY’s matches in the Taiwan Mock Olympics https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/08/03/tai-tzu-ying-and-taiwans-mock-tokyo-olympics/ or this one about Team TAI Tzu Ying https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/25/team-tai-tzu-ying/

India’s Saina Nehwal: Trailblazer & Legend

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Saina Nehwal is the superstar who has leapt over mere sporting boundaries to make history all through her career.

Millions of fans have followed her since the early days of succcess when she was the torchbearer for women’s badminton in Indian. Before her famous victories its profile was modest but she sent a jolt through the sporting community and now the sport is enjoyed and supported by millions.

“when I was a match point down it was like a shock. It was a big match and winning it means a lot to me. Even many years from now those present here will remember how Saina won the Gold. It is a proud feeling” Saina after her CG Gold.

What she says is true. Speak to any devotee and they will remember where they were on the day of the Delhi Commonwealth Games WS Badminton final. Some were at the office watching on a shared TV, some at a club, others were at home with family but everyone recalls the happiness and relief of that moment when she seized her destiny.

E2B2R3 Jakarta, Indonesia. 18th June, 2014. Saina Nehwal of India returns the shuttlecock to Porntip Buranaprasertsuk of Thailand during round 1 of BCA Indonesia Open 2014 at Istora Senayan Jakarta, Indonesia, June 18, 2014. Saina Nehwal won 2-0. Credit: Veri Sanovri/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

She is a dangerous, complex player to face. Her foundations are rugged, she possesses the full array of shots and takes a somewhat orthodox approach: a standard singles strategy of pulling and pushing her opponent around the court, shifting focus from side to side, waiting for a weak return to seize upon and punish. This is hardly the full story though. The characteristics that have elevated her are psychological strength combined with tactical dexterity.

Embed from Getty Images

While she doesn’t have the pace of three or four years ago she can compensate for this with her resilience. She is a good defender and although too much reliance on retrieving can be a weakness I don’t recognise this as a fault in her game. She is an intelligent reader of other players and can out-maneouvre opponents during the match. Of course, this mental strength really draws the sting of a rival. She is lethal once the momentum starts to go in her direction. As soon as this happens she turns the screw and can make sure the other player suffers a drought of opportunities. Her emotional muscle often overpowers because the other player just runs out of ideas.

Since the All England Championships 2019 she has had to cope with a sequence of injuries which will have affected her training and so her fluency on court. As she recovered her fitness the world went into Covid lockdown and numerous tournaments were cancelled. In the end events out of her control have meant that she was not able to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

Saina: The First

Saina was the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships (2008)
She was the first Indian woman to win a Super Series Tournament (Indonesian Open 2009)
First Indian to win an Olympic medal at badminton (London 2012)
First Indian Woman to be ranked World Number 1 (2015)

Saina would have been a success whatever profession she chose; she could have been a scientist, engineer or architect, it wouldn’t matter. She is a person who brings 100% commitment and integrity to whatever she undertakes. She has inspired millions of people all around the world and given so much to the badminton community. The loyalty and passion of her fans is second-to-none and the sport is by far the richer for her influence.

If you enjoyed this take a look at an earlier article I wrote about Saina by following this link https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2019/05/14/saina-nehwal-indias-beloved-champion/

Here is a link to my piece about the current World Champion P V Sindhu https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2019/08/25/p-v-sindhu-world-champion/

FukuMatsu: Running Towards New Challenges

Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto have reignited their careers by forming a new partnership and committing to a year together. By winning the Malaysia Open S1000 they have shown that they are ready to face the best in the world.

Yuki and Mayu first teamed up at the 2020 Uber Cup – a scratch pairing born from the absence of their regular partners. Initially seen as a stopgap the duo showed promise but the relationship was put on ice after the tournament. Fast forward to the end of 2024 and the partnership was given another chance to blossom.

Yuki at 31 years old could have chosen an honourable wind-down to retirement after a series of setbacks including the heartbreaking injury to her partner at the Tokyo Olympics and the missed qualification for Paris 2024. Instead, she found a new spark by linking up with Akira Koga in mixed doubles and collected wins that reinvigorated her confidence. Then came the retirement of Mayu’s long-term partner Wakana Nagahara, prompting Mayu to leave her domestic team and join up with Yuki at Honegori Sagamihara.

Now, the pair has pledged to spend a year competing together; aiming to play with freedom and avoid the pressure of high expectations. It’s a smart approach that allows them to embrace their potential without the burden of perfection.

Their chemistry on court is undeniable; their smiles are uplifting. Yuki can be a good defensive anchor; calmly absorbing pressure and setting up attacks. Mayu has a sharp, hard smash and a good reach so the rotation between them doesn’t expose weakness but I prefer her around the front court. She has courage and good spatial sense. Her cross court play and audacious shots can turn a rally’s momentum around. There are still errors of communication between them but the base level of two former world #1 is so high they should be able to overcome glitches.

FukuMatsu have arrived. Who knows how far this journey will take them? The Malaysia Open victory was just the beginning of what promises to be a thrilling partnership.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my piece about FukuHiro at the Tokyo Olympics here https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/08/27/yuki-and-sayaka-at-the-olympics/

My friend – Rene Biaoli often writes about Malaysian badminton and you can find his website here https://badmintoniacs.wordpress.com/2025/01/07/hello-axiata-arena/

Carolina Marin

Two titles in two weeks – Marin is riding a fabulous hot streak – will she stay fit enough to challenge for a podium place at the Olympics this summer? The danger that she poses to the Fab Four is real.

The winning moment.
Photo by kind permission of Rachel Drew.

After her recent All England victory CAI Yun analysed some elements of her game and compared her to rivals. He pointed out that as a three-time winner of the World Championships and the current Olympic champion she has nothing to prove at the big tournaments. This can liberate her from the pressure that many top athletes suffer and allow her to play freely.

Spain has world-class tennis players but no big tradition in badminton. Her incredible career achievements put her at the centre of the world of Women’s Singles, but she has often been culturally a little on the fringes. Her partnership with coach Fernando Rivas is key because they were both outsiders – unrestricted by convention- who were open to using new methods to achieve success.

Fitness will play a pivotal role in the outcome of the Women’s Singles tournament in Paris. Her main rivals for Olympic medals are all battling injuries. Akane has just returned to competition, TTY mentioned hamstring problems, AN Se Young’s knee is a bit dodgy, and CHEN YuFei has persistent soreness. Who can maintain their physical condition to vie for Olympic glory? Carolina has recovered successfully from two career-threatening ACL injuries and possesses the emotional strength to move on. Tribute must be paid to the team behind her, who keep her motivated through dark days and the gym grind.

I am always fascinated by her behaviour on court. CAI Yun mentioned this too. She has mastered the art of PsyOps and has been allowed by the badminton establishment to push the boundaries of conduct towards her opponent. She can be quite intimidating; if she were a lawyer, I would want her on my defence team.

Everyone knows about her slightly unnerving shouts but there are other tactics that can disrupt the momentum of a match. Toweling down, and requests for court mopping are completely legitimate in my opinion but there is an undefined point where it becomes ‘too much.’ That is the crux of this – if no one is prepared to say what is too much then why criticize a player who has added it to their armour?

The shuttle is another weapon that Marin uses. It is never ‘out of play’ even if the point has concluded. Often it is not returned directly to an opponent but flicked away off to the side. Just small things that stall the progress of a match can become immensely powerful.

Marin stands poised on the brink of history. She has the mental resilience to surge past everyone and cement her legacy as one of the all-time badminton greats.

Thank you to Rene Biaoli (of https://badmintoniacs.wordpress.com) for kindly translating CAI Yun’s thoughts about Marin’s recent All England win. Thank you to Rachel Drew for allowing me to use her photo of Carolina.

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Mixed Doubles – Romantics Assemble!

Men’s Singles: Viktor Victorious Again

Men’s Doubles: The Dormant Champs Reactivate

Women’s Doubles

Women’s Singles

Top Takeaways

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Quarterfinal Showdowns

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Quarterfinal Showdowns

Kunlavut Vitidsarn and SHI Yuqi

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KFF Singapore Badminton Open 2024

Kapal Api Indonesia Open 2024

Takeaways

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TAI Tzu Ying

CHEN YuFei

Akane Yamaguchi

AN Se Young

I love the Fab Four

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Women’s Singles – Beware Marin Incoming!

Women’s Doubles

Mixed Doubles

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Men’s Doubles

Men’s Singles: Viktor Rules OK?

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Final 2017 v Ratchanok Intanon

Final 2018 v Akane Yamaguchi

Final 2020 v CHEN Yufei

Simply the Best!

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Vivacity: Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo

Bullet Proof: Kento Momota

Speed: Anthony or Yuta?

100% Legend: Hendra Setiawan

Street Fighting Man: Anders Antonsen

Firepower: Praveen Jordan or Viktor Axelsen

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Vision: TAI Tzu Ying

Explosive Power: Carolina Marin

Win-Ability: Misaki Matsutomo

Accuracy: Ratchanok Intanon

Stamina: Nozomi Okuhara

Potential: AN Se Young

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Men’s Singles

Women’s Singles

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Men’s Doubles

Mixed Doubles

Women’s Doubles

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Coach LAI – Head Coach

WAN Chia Hsin – Coach

Wang Shih-Ting – Physiotherapist