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.
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.
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.
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!
Graphic courtesy BWF
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 32nd 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.
In a breaking news story the Rio 2016 Gold medalist has announced that she will be unable to defend her title in Tokyo.
Picture from Shutterstock/ Hafiz Johari
The devastating news came after she felt some discomfort in her left anterior cruciate ligament during training last week. The medics have confirmed that she will have to undergo surgery to repair both meniscus and the torn ACL. It’s quite hard to speculate what the future holds but there is no doubt that this is a serious injury. She had the drive and self-belief to recover from a similar problem to her right knee so she knows the scale of the work that awaits her.
Marin is a fierce competitior who has shown a fantastic commitment to the sport throughout lockdown. She has been willing to travel far and wide to continue playing in tournaments; her two wins in Thailand in January were out of the top drawer.
This is the statement from Carolina’s Twitter feed
The tournament in Tokyo will not be the same without her. Best wishes Caro!
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.
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.
Artwork by Nekokite
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?
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
Tai Tzu Ying by Abdul Razak Latif/Shutterstock
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.
“Just to be back competing is the best feeling in the world!”
Marcus Ellis
After seven months away we have been treated to a superb tournament in Odense. The joy of this competition amongst the gloom has been brilliant. There were plenty of performances to savour from new discoveries and old favourites; here is my review of the finals.
Men’s Singles: Anders Antonsen v Rasmus Gemke
Like a fairytale taking shape in front of our eyes: two friends since boyhood in a head to head in their home final. Antonsen was the higher ranking of the two but Gemke has pulled off good results against strong opponents in the past. The stage was set.
Anders Antonsen artwork by Rachel Florencia
Perhaps the first thing you need to know about this match is that neither man was able to walk unaided from the field of play. It was a brutal encounter that drained every bit of stamina from both. Gemke took the first set, he was the more composed and clever shot placement forced his advantage 21-18. Near the end of the second set Antonsen was in serious danger. Gemke’s endless work and pressure was preventing him from getting any sort of rhythmn. It was 19-19 and Gemke was two points from glory but then two errors handed the favourite a lifeline which he clutched and built upon. Antonsen closed out the final set 21-12; Gemke had given everything and could not deal with Antonsen’s variations of pace when he was already running on empty.
Men’s Doubles: Ellis/Langridge v Ivanov/Sozonov
It’s often been said of the Englishmen that they don’t enjoy getting out of bed to compete for anything less than a Gold medal. That is slightly harsh but they are definitely a pair who raise their game as they progress through a competition.
The opening exchanges saw Ellis and Langridge with the upper hand and they led 9-4 until the Russians forced their way back into the game. They fed off power, and Ivanov’s savage smash combined with some great serves allowed them to take the first set 22-20. At the interval we heard the English coach – Anthony Clarke – urge bravery because holding and lifting was playing to their opponents strengths. The second set was won after they used his advice to take the fight to the net; as it neared the end mistake after mistake from both sides disrupted all momentum but Ellis and Langridge were able to battle a way through and triumph 21-17. All square. Decider!
Chris Langridge is a player who wears his heart on his sleeve and there were times in the final set when he appeared quite dismayed by his errors. Ivanov & Sozonov had learnt from their earlier mistakes and were benefitting from a nimble strategic response. Whilst Langridge chuntered on about the state of the shuttle – getting a yellow card in the process – the Russians started running away with the set: rapidly it was 7-2 and there seemed to be no way back. Suddenly though the English duo fought back. (Langridge later said a comment from a spectator had energised him). In a patchy passage of play they managed to snaffle points and got to the interval with a small advantage 11-10. Langridge at the net had the vision and reflexes to dig out points under extreme pressure, Ellis too showed courage and stamina as they eventually seized the last set and the title 21-18.
Women’s Singles: Carolina Marin v Nozomi Okuhara
A breath-taking, intense game from both players. The tempo of the match, the court coverage and the hunger to win was magnificent. Okuhara was simply wonderful; over lockdown she has raised her game. Her speed, tactical dominance and willingness to commit completely resulted in a deserved victory 21-19, 21-17. Carolina played well but it was just not her day. She was frustrated by Nozomi’s brilliance and this time she had to settle for Silver.
The encounter between FukuHiro and NagaMatsu could be a trial run for the Olympic final match at Tokyo 2021. If so then Yuki Fukushima holds the destiny of the Gold. She was the MVP and the driving force behind FukuHiro’s victory. Her accuracy, power, reliable serves and her skill at mixing up the pace was just too much for her rivals to oppose. There were times when Nagahara and Matsumoto were the architects of their own downfall, often too passive, they could not get the initiative and press home their attack. It was a surprise that they were not able to hit top gear but although they won the second set, the final score was 21-10, 16-21, 21-18.
The Mixed Doubles provided the upset of the tournament with the German pair Mark Lamfuss and Isabel Herttrich seeing off the Adcocks over three sets. Chris Adcock commented post match that they could just not keep up their usual attacking pace through the whole game. Lamfuss and Herttrich certainly had a much tougher journey to the final and this may’ve given them a better approach to the encounter.
Final thoughts
This was a longed-for tournament that delivered on every front. The Danish badminton authorities offered us hope that the tour can resume safely. It exceeded all our expectations. My personal highlight – amongst many – was the virtuouso performance by Nozomi Okuhara but every athlete, official and member of support staff played their part in making this a memorable few days. Congratulations and thanks to everyone.
Wow – we were treated to a dazzling match for the WS title at the Denmark Open this evening.
“I’m happy! Long time no see for a title! Compared to other opponents, Marin is faster and has a harder attack. I was focussed on defence and footwork, and my feet moved very well today. Overall the match went well for me.” – Nozomi Okuhara via BWF media service
This was set up to be a thriller right from the start: Carolina V Nozomi is Attack v Defence and Noise v Calm. A nail-biting encounter was in prospect, a match to showcase all that is wonderful about this generation of Women players. Both have been World #1, and both were Olympic medallists in Rio. Outstanding quality that has been waiting months to get on a court.
In many ways this tournament has been an opportunity for both players to push the reset button. Carolina successfully returned from her cruciate ligament injury but has suffered some personal tragedy over the past months. Nozomi had a bittersweet 2019 where she gave consistently high-quality performances but was not able to close out championship matches; she ended up with too many silver medals.
Okuhara’s path to the final – consistent straight set wins in every round – suggested she was on a mission. Marin’s progress was no less impressive: Bei Wen ZHANG took a set off her in their Quarter Final but the Spaniard has such high fitness that it would not have dented her energy levels.
Set 1 Carolina Wins The Toss
Right from the start it was clear that these two competitors emphatically did not spend lockdown watching tv from their sofa. Fabulous, high tempo badminton with both players giving everything for every point. Okuhara was in great form. The Japanese player was using her big defensive clears to put Marin under huge pressure. Of course, her game was far more nuanced than this. Her court coverage was superhuman, her snappy reflexes and great technique meant that although she wasn’t hitting outright winners her strategy was getting points on the board. Marin was hitting good shots but was being frustrated over and over again. Although she won the toss, and chose the ‘best’ end Carolina lost the first set 21-19.
Set 2 Silver or Gold?
Both players continued to push each other to play sparkling badminton. The tension was growing. Carolina had to get back into the game and she knew the pattern in 2019 from Nozomi was silver, silver, silver. What could be done? At 4-3 there was an exchange between the two of them which highlighted Okuhara’s hunger and desire. An exchange over the net, superb anticipation and a venomous reply taking the score to 5-3. The BWF commentary team pointed out that Marin was not her usual self between points, she was not hustling the pace along as normal. Did she have a worry about her stamina after so many months away from the tour? Nozomi continued to screw down the pressure and Marin was becoming more exasperated. Whatever she threw at her rival was coming back at her. Her only options seemed to be to try and go for the margins but this high risk strategy gave rise to more lost points. The title was moving out of her grasp until we came to 20-15 to Okuhara. Match points. Danger zone for both players. 16-20 one point saved with a savage smash; 17-20 another point saved after a long rally. Then Nozomi launched an attacked on Carolina’s backhand, moving her forward and back until it culminated in a title winning smash. Game!
A magnificent encounter that highlighted everything to love about women’s singles. Two brilliant players who went all-out for the title. Congratulations to Nozomi and commiserations to Carolina. What a time to follow women’s badminton!
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Women's Badminton 