Month: May 2023

Featured

Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan: Players of the Day.

Pearly Tan & Thinaah Muralitharan seemed destined for a two-set exit at the Axiata Arena today but then something extraordinary happened.

Screengrab courtesy of the broadcaster

By the middle of the second set the two Malaysians were struggling to get any sort of foothold in the match.  Fukushima and Hirota were consistently winning rallies as they ensnared their opponents in a war of attrition. They were repeatedly sending up big clears, extending rallies and targeting a visibly exhausted Pearly for point after point.

Suddenly something shifted.  The fans detected a glimmer of…something… and a resistance was born.  Intelligently Tan & Thinaah called the Japanese bluff and turned their strategy back on them.  Perhaps the exertions of last week’s Sudirman cup started to be felt.  Incredibly they managed to level the scores and then held on under incredible pressure to force a decider.

The third set began horrifically for PearThin and I suspected that they had given too much to stay in the match.  They were 1-6 down before they managed to start clawing their way back into the tie.  There was a mesmerizing rhythm to the exchanges.  The Malaysian pair kept prolonging the rallies and Hirota especially was put under immense stress.  Between them, FukuHiro misjudged the baseline 5 times in the first half of the last set and Tan/Thinaah seized their chance.

All four athletes were tired, seemingly functioning on muscle memory as they fought from point to point.  All four should be proud of their resilience and desire. But with the score deadlocked on 12-12 Pearly – completely depleted – summoned up some last energy and scored a big point at the net: 13-12.

The duo who never give up just didn’t give up.  The lucky spectators at the Perodua Malaysia Masters were treated to an exhibition of resilience, teamwork and spirit with touches of brilliance at key moments.  They closed out the final set 21-16. What a day for Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, fantastic! That was a GAME.

If you enjoyed this take a look at my old article about Tan/Thinaah. It needs an update but it’s still fun to read https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/11/21/pearly-tan-thinaah-muralitharan/ or this one about FukuHiro https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/08/27/yuki-and-sayaka-at-the-olympics/

©2024

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved

Featured

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.

Photos by kind permission of Kelly Chen

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.

©2024

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved