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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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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

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.

Pearly & Thinaah: What Happens Next?

Before we look forward to Paris 2024 let’s cast our minds back to Paris 2022 and the final of the Yonex French Open. Pearly & Thinaah had negotiated a tough run to the final beating Matsuyama/Shida in their QF and Baek/Lee in the SF and now they faced the Japanese pair Matsumoto and Nagahara. Over three big sets their will to win, their strategy and their fitness saw them grab the title, igniting anticipation from fans for the years ahead.

2RW1KFF Hong Kong, China. 15th Sep, 2023. Pearly Tan, Thinaah Muralitharan of Malaysia.
(Credit Image: © Ben Lau/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire) From Alamy

It’s interesting to remember the challenges Thinaah faced leading up to the tournament; training solo while Pearly recovered from a hamstring injury. Injuries and the risk of injury poses a significant obstacle to this pair’s progress. Since winning Gold at the Commonwealth Games in August 2022 and their later victory in Paris later that year consistently maintaining peak fitness has been a struggle. Beyond the impact upon tournament participation, it disrupts training and overall progression.

WD at the Tokyo Olympics was probably the last hurrah for the “War of Attrition” style. Greysia Polii excelled at endurance, and she stepped on court with experience of the Olympics . T&T’s style could be seen as the natural antidote to long rallies. At their most effective they bring a fizzy counterpoint to the court. Thinaah gives a good foundation to the pair with her defensive vision. Pearly is liberated to use her creativity and go hunting for points.

However, their recent match at BATC against the Indonesian pair Mayasari/Sugiarto was marked by mistakes and hesitancy suggesting they haven’t hit their stride yet in the journey to Olympic qualification. Perhaps the fear of injury has tempered their style and relish for competition.

It’s vital that they avoid stagnating. Reports suggest that Rexy Mainaky has arranged for them to spar with men in training recognizing a gap in standards with the other WD. Lately they have seemed a bit vulnerable to sustained attack – lacking the strategic resilience to break their opponent’s rhythm. Intensified training may offer a solution to this and bolster their competitive edge.

Olympic expectations were high when they were ranked at 5 at the start of 2023. They have slipped a little, but they haven’t suddenly become bad players. They lost their momentum owing to injury so now – if they can both stay fit- there is still time to arrive in Paris with a renewed optimism. Their path to the Olympics has been full of difficulties so far. Yet with resilience and determination, the support of coaches and fans they can step on court to chase their dreams.

If you’re a fan of Malaysian Badminton take a look at https://shuttlehard.com/ and also https://badmintoniacs.wordpress.com/ .

Thanks to Rene Biaoli and the vast community of Malaysian Badminton fans for observations and shared ideas.

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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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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/

Yuki and Sayaka at the Olympics

“If you smile, I’ll be fine too.”
Yuki’s LINE message to Sayaka (Trans by Sebastien @sebad110)

Is it ok to write about FukuHiro? No Japanese Women’s Doubles medal in Tokyo would have been unimaginable six months ago but the top seeds were knocked out at the QF stage. This does not even scratch the surface of Yuki and Sayaka’s Olympics.

Facing elimination together – screenshot from Eurosport.

The badminton world was staggered when Sayaka arrived on court and revealed a heavy knee brace on her right leg. Despite the catastrophe that had befallen her the Gold medal favourites had decided to come and fight.

Sooner or later, we have to accept that for all the time spent on analysis of games and players a match will always end in victory or defeat. Nevertheless, at the Olympics the reaction of these two athletes to a serious injury subverted this into an honourable display that showed the strength of their partnership and their love of badminton played together.

The first match facing Birch/Smith was a chance to see if they could win on three and a half legs. Unbelievably they battled through in two sets. Fukushima carried a big burden: she ran for two whilst Hirota tried to avoid the back line. Their tactics succeeded: 21-13 & 21-14. There had to be a focus on keeping playing time to a minimum and the stats show that the longest rally was 54 strokes with the average length at 11. In the next game against CHOW/LEE the Malaysians seemed prepped to exploit her restricted movement and got the first set but nerves took over and the self-confidence of the Japanese saw them win the following two sets. This time the longest rally was 76 strokes with an average length of 13 per rally.

After the first game Hirota had described herself as at 70-80% and admitted that she had been injured during training on June 18^th. She later said:

“It’s like it became pitch-black. I thought it was impossible to go to the Olympics anymore. I felt very sorry for Fukushima-senpai”
Interview in NHK translated by Sebastien.

After an MRI scan, she was diagnosed with an ACL tear in her right knee plus damage to her meniscuses and lateral collateral ligament. She described it as a “desperate time”. A specialist advised surgery but agreed – after two weeks rest from training – that it was feasible to wait until after the Olympic tournament. The Donjoy-style brace she wore was designed to redeploy the way playing pressure impacted on her damaged knee. The stress goes to the healthy parts and away from aggravating the pain.

The final group game was their first loss. Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu had to work hard over three sets but in the end, they just could not find a way through. This meant they had come second in Group A and would meet CHEN/JIA in a quarter final. Even if they had both been fit this tie would have been daunting. The Chinese are superb players; strong and smart so they knew they were in for a difficult day. Yuki’s LINE message to her partner that evening read

“…tomorrow regardless we win or lose, I want us to enjoy the match…Let’s overcome this together. Let’s speak together. If you smile, I’ll be fine too.”
Trans by Sebastien.

It was a brutal physical test and after three sets their goal of a home Olympics medal was gone. At the end they faced the world with tears and their arms around each other. The Chinese players’ sporting behaviour added to the emotion of the moment. Games like this can be very hard to spectate.

Sayaka has a hard six months of rehab ahead but her courageous attitude and the support of Yuki will sustain her. Fukuhiro’s Olympics was tragic and wonderful. I’m so sorry that they were not able to compete to 100% of their ability but seeing their reaction to heartbreak was inspiring. Their bravery and commitment shone through disappointment; the dream has not been lost, only delayed until Paris 2024.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my earlier article about Fukuhiro https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2019/11/06/japans-fukuhiro-can-they-win-tokyo-gold/

Thank you to Sebastien for letting me use their translations of interviews in Japanese and also thank you to all the Fukuhiro fans out there who shared ideas and chatted about the Olympic journey with me.

Brilliant Polii and Rahayu Win Olympic Gold

This was the most joyous Gold medal. Athletes can’t buy an Olympic victory; they earn one over years of perseverance and pain. Even then, some don’t reach their dream, so to watch Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu on top of the Tokyo podium was a glorious moment.

The origins of the triumph stretch back to a young Greysia who was focused on becoming a pro:

“I was born to be a badminton player. And I had that faith when I was 13, that I wanted to make history for Indonesia”
Greysia Polii

Along the way she endured a controversial exit from London 2012 and lost at the QF stage in Rio 2016 with Nitya Krishinda Maheswari. When the news broke that her partner required surgery and was going to retire Polii seriously considered hanging up her racket too.

Looking back this was when Eng Hian – the head of Indonesian Women’s Doubles – had a stroke of genius. He convinced her to delay retirement…to stay a little longer and help guide the progress of some of the younger players. In 2017 along came the talented but raw Apriyani Rahayu: aged 19 with a dislike of being told what to do, but intelligent and ambitious enough to recognise that this was a great opportunity to learn from Greysia. As time passed and the chemistry between them formed it started to occur to Polii that if she could instill a champion’s mindset into her young partner then maybe this could lead to great things. She would need patience, perseverance and to stay injury-free. Perhaps everything that had gone before was preparing her for this.

Fast Forward To Tokyo 2020

The tournament started brightly for GreyAp. Two wins out of two in the group stages and the importance of the final game against FukuHiro escalated. Suddenly here was an opportunity to emerge from the Round Robin as group winners and therefore avoid a seeded pair in the Quarter Final.

Wars of attrition pose little threat to the Indonesian duo. They have the physical resilience to endure a lot and that style of play offers a great platform for the sudden explosions of power from Apri or the creative vision and deft touches from Greysia. The Japanese top seeds could not handle the aggressive tempo of the contest. They were stubborn and resisted over three sets but folded in the last 21-8. So GreyAp entered the knockout rounds and I was feeling optimistic.

It’s been clear over the course of the Olympic badminton tournament that the Chinese athletes’ standards haven’t suffered from their lack of international competition. In the QF against DU/LI Greysia and Apri were asked some hard questions over three sets but they stood firm and refused to let the Chinese win.

The Semi-Final against LEE/SHIN was a daunting prospect but as the match progressed it was always GreyAp who had the upper hand. The competitive momentum that they had been building since the tournamnet began carried them on to the final. Another win, a guaranteed medal, history made.

This was a final waiting to be won. There was little point in waiting to be beaten by the hot favourites: I think Greysia and Apri realised this and it fed their ambitious attitude. Rahayu brought her ‘A game’ – make that her ‘A+ game’. Her energy and bravery constantly screwed down the pressure on CHEN/JIA. Her aggressive high tempo unsettled their rhythm and her noisy, boisterous attitude helped dominate the court space. At 1-1 in the first set there was a moment when Greysia took the shuttle mid-court on her backhand and pinged it crosscourt into empty space. At that moment I realised she knew they could win. The next point was gained by Polii’s delicate drop which emphasized her intent and desire. It was a close set as the four of them traded points but in the end GreyAp won it 21-19. Advantage Indonesia.

Set two opened with them racing to a 7-2 lead. Both players were decisive and self-assured. Unburdened by tension they were playing without inhibition and exuding self-belief. Everything they did worked. The Chinese tried to get back into the flow of the game but they were being swept along by the irresistable pace and vision of the Indonesians. Incredibly at 18-10 Polii’s strings broke but she had time to grab a replacement racket and win the rally.

There was an inevitability to the final moments as they had outclassed CHEN/JIA throughout the game. The (mostly) empty arena didn’t matter – we were all crying and screaming at our screens together as they celebrated victory. Often the difference between a Silver and Gold medal is simultaneously a universe and barely a whisker. The Indonesia duo had dominated in every area of the court and had played their best ever game at exactly the right moment. Congratulations Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu: Gold medallists and history makers!

If you enjoyed this then take a look at my earlier article about GreyAP https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/01/19/greysap-redux-polii-rahayu-are-back/

TAI Tzu-Ying: Player of the Day

The Olympic Semi-Final

TAI Tzu Ying was breathtaking today as she seized a place in the Olympic final. Her flair and courage were irresistable. PV Sindhu fought hard but at crucial moments she could not contain the creative genius of the Queen.

The battle for the first set saw the balance of power swing backwards and forwards between the two athletes. Sindhu has rediscovered her 2019 form in Tokyo and she refused to allow TTY to get any scoring momentum although she could not take control herself. Both players were utterly focused on their quest for the final. Sindhu led at the interval and stayed with the scoring up to 18-18 but TAI’s strategy of moving the World Champion from side to side whilst trying to push her back succeeded in minimising the threat of the Indian’s power smash. This was very shrewd and allowed her to take charge in the last three points and secure the opening set 21-18.

The second set and a change of ends saw the screw being turned by TAI Tzu Ying. Although it was pretty even at the interval the scoreline was ticking over nicely in favour of Taiwan. Errors started to creep in from Sindhu and she was finding it increasingly tricky to control the shuttle in her long shots. The pressure was relentless and TAI’s exquisite technical skills were allowing her to drive the direction of the game; in the end the set was closed out 21-12

So, we have the priviledge of being able to watch TAI Tzu Ying in an Olympic final: something I have craved for years. Since she started mentioning retirement the focus for fans has been this gold medal match. Moments like these are fleeting, I hope she enjoys the game, with no injuries and does justice to her magnificent talent.

Here is an article I wrote about TTY after her victory at the All England in 2019 https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/03/23/tai-tzu-ying-the-triple-champion/

Today also saw a wonderful performance from Anthony Ginting to reach the MS semi-finals and fabulous play by Polii and Rahayuu to get to the WD final. Two archive articles about them are here https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2019/11/25/anthony-sinisuka-ginting/ and here https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/01/19/greysap-redux-polii-rahayu-are-back/

The Olympics: Men’s Singles Preview

Can CHEN Long rediscover his mojo and defend his Rio Gold or are we about to see a new player on top of the podium? Will Denmark break the hold that China has had on this competition since Lin Dan first won it in 2008 or can one of the men from Indonesia seize the medal?

The competition begins with 14 groups of three players: ONLY group winners will progress to the round of 16 on July 29th.

Kento Momota

It was clear Momota lacked match fitness at this year’s All England so the group games will help him sharpen up. Domination of the net and forecourt blended with lightening speed is crucial to him. He exerts pressure with his great anticipation and is peerless in his match management. He is so good at judging the tipping point in an encounter; usually staying within a couple of points of his rivals score, then switching on his turbocharger and accelerating away to victory. He always has an energy reserve to draw on in the last few points of the final set. It’s arguable that this characteristic breaks the morale of opponents before they even step on court. He remains hot favourite for Gold.

Viktor Axelsen

Viktor was immense in Thailand in January. He created a winning momentum and dispatched rivals at will. His blend of focused power and speed was overwhelming and so the two titles he won had an air of inevitability about them. However he did fall victim to a clever strategy by Antonsen at the WTF so if he wants to upgrade his Bronze from Rio he needs to resist mind games and zero in on the prize. A possible quarter final with Jonatan Christie will be a big test.

Anders Antonsen

Antonsen dreams of Tokyo Gold. His progress over the past couple of years has been impressive – he put down a marker in his victory over Momota at the 2019 Indonesia Masters and has continued to prove his quality in tournaments since. His victory at the Denmark Open 2020 was magnificent but I think his covid-adjusted performance in January’s Thailand bubble was more revealing. A first round exit followed by a SF defeat in two sets suggested he was still suffering from the effects of infection. His victory in the World Tour Finals highlighted his invention and opportunism.

Sun Tzu said “If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him” and AA certainly succeeded in unbalancing Axelsen with his tactics. I’m intrigued to see if he can repeat the feat.

Jonatan Christie

Jojo has a really brutal draw to negotiate if he is to medal in Tokyo but he looked bright and hungry for success at the Simulasi Olimpiade in July so I’m optimistic that he’ll be ready for the battles ahead. His route to the final means that he will probably have to overcome Shi Yu Qi, Viktor Axelsen, and Momota. Anyone who can do that in the space of a few days deserves Gold.

SHI Yu Qi

Shi Yu Qi ‘s form is a bit of a mystery and we are only going to get a clear picture once he steps on court. The last couple of years have been disrupted by injury as well as covid but if he is back to his best then he will be a challenger for a podium place. He has a clash with Jonatan Christie in the Round of 16 and if he progresses then Viktor awaits.

Anthony Ginting

Ginting has so many of the qualities we look for in an Olympic champion. Speed across the court synchronised with breathtaking shots means that he challenges for titles at the highest level. In January in Thailand he dazzled but only in flashes and I was disappointed he didn’t get to a final. There have been times when he has failed to break a rivals impetus; he gets set on a particular strategy and if that starts to fail under pressure he struggles to alter his approach and loses his grip on the game. Commentators have speculated that he would benefit from more stamina but I think it’s more to do with self belief. Anders Antonsen will probably try and block his path to the semi finals; if Anthony can get past the Dane then he has a great chance to impose himself on the competition. Dream Big Anthony!

LEE Zii Jia

About two years ago I remember seeing LEE Chong Wei tip his fellow countryman as a possible prospect for Gold in Tokyo. Since then he triumphed over Viktor Axelsen at the All England 2021 so can take a lot of confidence from beating the world’s best. He has speed, agility, power and a trademark backhand smash, but a tough route to the podium. Feasibly CHEN Long followed by a QF against CHOU Tien Chen. He doesn’t have a good H2H against Chou so this will be a big challenge to negotiate before he can start dreaming of a medal.

CHEN Long

Lee Chong Wei recently observed that it’s impossible to know the kind of form Chen Long is in because he has only competed domestically during the pandemic. I’m unconvinced that CHEN long can defend his Gold from Rio as his form has been so inconsistent following that win. Carolina Marin seems to have coped much better with motivating herself after winning sport’s highest honour. This analysis is probably too simplistic and dismissive though. The resources of the Chinese will have been focused on preparing him for this campaign so we may see a revitalised player on court.

CHOU Tien Chen

Assuming CTC wins his group he will have a bye in the following round and a possible QF against either CHEN Long or LEE Zii Jia. His record against CL is terrible (0-9) but they haven’t met for a couple of years; against LZJ he has the upper hand (5-2) but the Malaysian is improving all the time. CTC is a consistent presence in semi finals but often just seems to lack the resources at the death to finish things off. Taiwan has maintained a good focus on the Olympics including simulations and so the second seed will be well prepared for his second Olympiad.

Predictions

The QF could look at bit like this:

			Winner
Momota	V	Ng	Momota
Axelsen	V	Christie	Too close to call
Ginting	V	Antonsen	Ginting
LZJ	v	CTC	CTC

The Semi finals then would probably be Momota against Axelsen/Christie and Antonsen/Ginting clashing with LEE Zii Jia or CHOU Tien Chen. We all know that this tournament has the potential to post some freaky results; the man who adapts quickly to an empty arena and can step away from the shadows of the pandemic will have an advantage. I see Christie and Ginting as dark horses: of course they will have to overcome a substantial Danish challenge first. Always though we circle back to Momota and he must still be the favourite for Gold.

Here is my Women’s Singles Preview https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/07/17/the-olympics-womens-singles-preview/

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

Kunlavut Vitidsarn and SHI Yuqi

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Fast Forward To Tokyo 2020

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The Olympic Semi-Final

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Kento Momota

Viktor Axelsen

Anders Antonsen

Jonatan Christie

SHI Yu Qi

Anthony Ginting

LEE Zii Jia

CHEN Long

CHOU Tien Chen

Predictions

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