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.
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.
Olympic champions, world champions and future champions will all be travelling thousands of miles to take part in the All England – one of the most prestigious and coveted titles in the badminton world.
2J0NY61 Badminton – All England Open 2022 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Britain – March 20, 2022 Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi celebrates with trophy on the podium after winning the women’s final Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
Women’s Singles
Seeded to win the trophy and returning as defending champion Akane Yamaguchi knows what it takes to be successful in this tournament. Endless resilience and faultless court coverage is baked into her game. Her speed and tactical nous give her a significant edge, so who can push her to her limits?
Akane’s top half of the draw is peppered with formidable adversaries. CHEN Yu Fei is seeded 4 and is slated to clash with her in a SF. She was outclassed in straight sets in their SF at the recent German Open so she will be reevaluating her strategies over the next couple of days. Sometimes her weakness can be caution and I think she will have to offer far more than her standard patient game if she wants to get on the podium. Nevertheless she must be travelling to Birmingham knowing that she can win it again. There are five Chinese women in the draw with WANG Zhi Yi and HAN Yue also in the top half. HE Bing Jiao is seeded 5 and was only stopped by injury at last year’s tournament. This year her harsh draw means that she could have to face Sindhu then TAI Tzu Ying during the early stages.
I am fascinated to see if Gregoria Mariska Tunjung can impose herself on this year’s competition. Her skills tend towards the flair end of the spectrum and over the past year or so she has worked hard to produce good results against top players. Unseeded, in the top half of the draw, Ratchanok Intanon or Pornpawee will be early tests of her resolve.
Ratchanok Intanon’s adventurous style of play can result in unfavourable outcomes when she faces a determined opponent who tempts her into taking risky shots. CYF and AY are those opponents, and they will be waiting for her if she goes deep into the tournament. Despite that May can unpick rivals’ strategies with her inventive shots so her skills could take her past them if the stars align in her favour.
AN Se Young has had an impressive start to 2023 with two golds and one silver from January’s contests (& is about to contest the final of the German Open). She’s the second seed and so long as she stays injury free, she must be anticipating yet another final. If that turns out to be one more battle with Akane then I think the result will depend on how hard her journey to the last day is. The Head-to-head stats are strongly in favour of the Japanese but recently it appears that the power dynamics are shifting.
Three-time winner TAI Tzu Ying has eschewed the possible benefits of a warm-up in Germany and decided to plunge straight into the S1000. Her mind-blowing skills bring a touch of magic to any match but her mental resilience is below the level of some rivals. If she can get her ‘A’ game flowing early on without escalating injury niggles she can quite legitimately be looking at a fourth title even though she will potentially have to negotiate matches against HE Bing Jiao and AN Se Young to get to the final.
I wonder what Carolina Marin could achieve this year? She has the experience to derail ASY if they meet in a QF and if she passes that test she has to be the contender that everyone is wary of. Under sustained physical pressure there is the risk that she will be dismantled so her tactics should reflect this. PV Sindhu is a consistent medalist at the highest levels. I can’t reconcile this with the absence of a podium finish at the AE. She is unseeded this year in the bottom half of the draw and I’m not sure what we can expect from her, then again last time she competed in Brum was her successful Gold medal match at the CWG so she is well-known for getting her motivation from the big games.
The progression of WS tactics seems to favour the athletes with the toughness to accelerate in the third set. As the hall in Birmingham is usually slow it’s hard to look beyond the top two seeds for the eventual winner.
Women’s Doubles
We are in the middle of a generational shift in WD with more emphasis on attack rather than the attritional play of a few years ago. The idea of a showdown between the more traditional and the newer pairs is mouthwatering.
CHEN Qing Chenand JIA Yi Fan are consistent winners of tournaments and must be favourites to secure this trophy for a second time. Their strategy of attacking aggressively and exerting a steady stream of pressure subdues their rivals quite effectively; they are skillful defenders, so the challenge is where to find their weak spot. Their compatriots ZHANG Shu Xian & ZHENG Yu are seeded 3 and they could meet in the QF if results go their way.
Defending champions Nami Matsuyama & Chiharu Shida are part of the new wave of pairs who want to seize control of matches through pacey attacking play. Their exhilarating speed and Shida’s adventurous shots are so dynamic that they can often overwhelm the opposition; once they are in control they are very difficult to beat.
Pearly TAN & Thinaah Muralitharan are also part of the emerging group of WD players who approach matches with bolder strategies. Pearly is capable of audacious shots from the front court and as a pair they have a lot of grit. One of their big strengths is that they persevere and stay positive when they face setbacks together.
Apriyani Rahayu enjoyed glory as part of GreyAp and was able to defend diligently in that framework but the new partnership with Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti has uncaged two attack-minded players who thrive on a more assertive style. They are seeded 8 so if they get to the QF and face ShidaMatsu there will be fireworks for the spectators to enjoy.
The quality of the WD competition is superb this year and there are multiple pairs who have the potential to make it to the finals weekend. The Aimsaard sisters had a great 2022 and are now acknowledged as emerging talent. Japan’s past winners, FukuHiro and NagaMatsu understand how to negotiate the early rounds of big competitions. Kitiharakul/Prajongjai (seeded 7) and the three Korea pairs are expected to do well. Nevertheless owing to the slow hall conditions I think the eventual winners will have to be wily as well as offensive; there will be some long matches leading up to the final so staying injury-free will also be crucial. Taking all these factors into account it’s hard to look far beyond the first and second seeds but I would love PriFad or PearThin to still be fighting at the weekend.
Mixed Doubles
I always include XD in my ‘women’s’ previews because it is the skill of the female partner that cements the success of the pair. One of the most talented players in the whole sport at the moment is HUANG Yaqiong and along with her partner – ZHENG Siwei – is seeded 1. She’s an exceptional competitor who has won this competition twice with different partner each time; most recently in 2019 with Siwei when they beat the 2022 champions Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino. The Japanese pair are seeded 2 this year and are looking to secure their third title in a row (fourth overall). So, who can stop the top two seeds facing off for the trophy on March 19th?
Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue have been knocking on the door of a major trophy for the last year or so. They are fourth seeds and if things go smoothly they could potentially have a SF against the Chinese number ones. It’s clear that all the French badminton players are looking to build for their home Olympics in 2024 so they will have a little way yet to peak. Dechapol Puavaranukroh and SapsireeTaeranttanachai (seeded 3) will be looking to improve on their silver in 2020 when they lost in three sets to Praveen Jordan and Melati Octavianti who have returned after quite a long injury related absence. As they haven’t been on court for a while they are unseeded and they could face Bass/Popor in round 2. The Chinese fifth seeds – FENG Yan Zhe and HUANG Dong Ping – could be contenders too. HUANG is the Olympic champion and this new partnership is steadily making progress.
Verdict
A spectacular event awaits. The best players will be testing themselves at the highest level. The winners will have to battle hard and stay focused on the prize. Go Girls!
Akane in a recent article by Dev Sukumar. Courtesy BWF
Watching a revitalized Akane win back-to-back tournaments in Denmark and France has been one of the highlights of the last few weeks.
Akane on the podium at the French Open. Screengrab courtesy BWF
She has been the standout player on the circuit recently. Whilst some have struggled with the relentless pressure of multiple competitions since Tokyo 2020, she has flourished.
Sudirman & Uber Cup
Akane was at the heart of Japan’s success in the team competitions in Vantaa and Aarhus. Two silver medals do not do justice to her immense contribution. Both times Japan lost in the final to China, but both times she chalked up victories against CHEN Yu Fei in straight sets. There was an all-consuming intensity to these games. She seldom made mistakes and as she upped the tempo of the match CYF struggled to find scoring opportunities because her rival’s court coverage was formidable. Contrast this to their previous meeting in the same competition (Sudirman Cup 2019) and her improvement is clear. The next time these two face each other over a net is going to be awesome.
Victor Denmark Open: October 2021
In the Uber Cup AN Se Young was the only player to unpick Akane’s defence (in two sets) and so this final was an opportunity to see what effect the loss had had upon her Japanese foe. The first set was controlled by ASY; despite a heavily strapped thigh her movement was fluid and dominant. The second set began in much the same way with Yamaguchi struggling to summon up the energy to put any fizz on the shuttle; she was making mistakes too and there seemed to be an inevitability to the Korean’s advance to the top of the podium. By 16-16 Akane was fighting desperately to stay in the match: diving, scrambling, scrapping and just giving everything to stay in contention. 18-18. 19-19. A match point to ASY came and went amidst exhausting rallies. The score reached 23-23 before Akane was able to get the points needed to close it out 25-23. Ominously, in the interval, ASY ripped off her strapping and called for the doctor for the second time.
The third set was a story of triumph and tragedy. As it began, it was obvious that the Korean was less smooth in her movements. With the score against her at 3-7 she was red carded for ‘delay’ but effectively she was trying to work out whether she could continue and at 16-5 down she admitted defeat.
No-one ever wants to win a title in these circumstances, but Akane’s triumph was based on perseverance and her emphatic refusal to concede the game in the second set. AN Se Young missed her opportunity to win when she failed to convert her match point. Akane was very courageous in Set 2 since she committed everything to those long rallies; her grit paid off as ASY wilted under the grueling examination of her stamina. This was a fascinating duel.
Yonex French Open 2021
Yamaguchi’s European success continued with her title win against compatriot Sayaka Takahashi in Paris. A straight sets victory, this was a little more straightforward but there are no easy games at this level. Akane’s top-quality defence and stamina effectively neutralized her opponent’s threat; Takahashi stayed with the momentum at first, but she was forced to cut her margins and go for the line so, as she tired, mistakes crept into her game. The final score was 21-18, 21-12.
Conclusions
Back in July 2019 Akane Yamaguchi was world #1 – albeit briefly – but later suffered training disruption and some shock defeats owing to niggly injuries. In common with many in the Japanese team there were substantial expectations on her shoulders when the Olympics began but she was unable to make a significant impact. Now I think she has revisited her motivation to compete and it has given her a fresh outlook. Her epic battle with AN Se Young for the Denmark title showcased her unending resilience and phenomenal court coverage; I hope we get the chance to see plenty more clashes between these two. As one of the most lovable athletes on the tour plenty of fans will be cheering her on to more podium finishes. The Bali bubble beckons and she can travel to Indonesia with plenty of confidence that she will be making a big impression.
Hot on the heels of Odense the action moved to Paris. It quickly became obvious that some athletes were running on empty; the challenges of a schedule that includes an Olympics, a Sudirman Cup, a Thomas, or Uber Cup and the Denmark Open over the space of 12 weeks following lockdowns, quarantines and illness was a lot to embrace, physically and mentally. Which brings me to Akane, Momota and The Unseeded.
Screengrab courtesy BWF
Akane – Winner Women’s Singles
Whilst some have struggled with the relentless pressure of tournaments since the Tokyo Olympics, Akane has thrived. She arrived in Paris as the Denmark Open champion and continued her hot streak right through to victory in the final again. These back-to-back wins suggest she has rediscovered the form that made her world#1 back in July 2019. It was her defensive excellence, swift court coverage and faultless anticipation which neutralised Takahashi’s challenge today. Akane is the standout Women’s Singles player in the world at the moment.
The Unseeded win Men’s Singles and Doubles: Tsuneyama, and KO/SHIN
It’s always magical to watch an unseeded player battle through to a final and win. Both of the men’s titles in this tournament went to players who were expected to lose earlier on. Kanta Tsuneyama triumphed over the more experienced CHOU Tien Chen in three tough sets; his perseverance and precision shots were the foundation of success and his delight in victory was irresistible.
In Men’s Doubles KO Sung Hyun and SHIN Baek Cheol faced Gideon and Sukamuljo. The Koreans are the former world champions who have been enduring a very lean period over the past couple of years. The Minions are working their way though their own existential crisis at the moment so it was hard to know what to expect from this contest. The Korean’s victory was quite brisk, no long rallies but a relentless drive for the title that stopped the Indonesian pair from getting any sort of toehold in the match. It was a long way from a classic, but KO and SHIN deserved the win. I hope Kevin and Marcus can take some encouragement from getting to the final.
Momota
“….the body is worn out but the heart is fine so it’s OK”
Kento Momota IG story (rough translation)
Sometimes sport is more than victory. Over the past few weeks Momota has consistently refused easy options. His resilience and character has driven him on to compete. When it seems as though his body is aching for a rest he has stepped back on court to play again. As the beaten finalist in Denmark he could have – maybe should have – withdrawn from this tournament; instead his desire for badminton carried him on to the Semi-Final where he eventually had to concede the match because of injury. It’s clear that he is still getting back to his best form but every time he plays he progresses. I’m looking forward to Bali and I reckon it’s not going to be long to wait before his next title. (WTF?)
Yuta and Arisa
Yuta Watanabe continues to impress on the XD stage. I love his spatial awareness: his ability to find gaps on his opponents side of the court is second to none. His support for Arisa – on and off court – is exemplary and so this is the basis of a partnership that will keep developing and keep winning. After today’s win they can go to Bali feeling confident about their ability to be in the mix at the end of a tournament.
Conclusions
Apart from top seeds LEE/SHIN winning the WD competition, the story of this Yonex Paris Open is of athletes triumphing over low expectations, injuries and fatigue. Kanta Tsuneyama’s, road to the MS title as an unseeded player was tough but it’s always extra special to watch ‘upset’ wins like these. SayakaTakahashi reached the WS final despite a career threatening back injury last year. Kevin and Marcus got to their first final since AE2020 and although they lost out to unseeded KO/SHIN they must find some positives in that to fuel recovery from their slump.
This edition of the SC was lit up by the brilliance of the women players. Their spirit and strength were at the heart of the most successful teams.
Misaki Matsutomo
The return by Misaki to Women’s Doubles for this tournament was a bittersweet gift to her admirers. The scratch pairing with Mayu Matsumoto had a few rough edges yet it was a treat to watch. Misaki is a genius at the net – her touch and vision are sensational – but the skill that lifts her to Goddess status is her will to win. At critical moments she can find a new level and seize victory. In the semi-final against Malaysia, especially in the second set, her drive and aggression were unplayable and they beat TAN/THINAAH to seal the win for Japan. I wish her all the best in her Mixed Double’s journey but I wish she was still playing WD.
Akane Yamaguchi – Most Valuable Player
At a pivotal time in the final Akane gave a stellar performance: she had the self-belief and resources to challenge the best and gave BirdJapan hope. She is an outstanding defender; in the final there were patches against CHEN Yufei when she was under intense pressure from the Olympic Champion. Her strategy of keeping her tempo and defending everything however hopeless meant that CYF could never really settle into the sort of rhythm that lets her win 5 or 6 points in a row. Often functioning on instinct, she was simply brilliant and won the match in two games 21-19, 21-16.
CHEN Yufei
In the run-up to the final, CYF was always the nucleus of Chinese victory. In the quarter-final against Denmark her match against Mia Blichfeldt was a ‘must win’ because China – already trailing – risked elimination 0-3 if she could not level before the Men’s Singles. The tie was pulsating with the competitive advantage ebbing and flowing between the two athletes. She held her nerve under intense scrutiny and clung on in the decider to win. In the semi-final against Korea, she lost the first set to AN Seyoung but was resolute and sucked ASY into her patient, error-free style which suffocated resistance. It was only in the final against Yamaguchi’s faster pace that she lost a match.
Pearly TAN & THINAAH Muralitheran
The young Malaysian pair have been catching my eye for the last year or so and they have really started to challenge some of the more established doubles teams. They stood out in this competition because of their fighting spirit and unwillingness to concede defeat. Against GreyAp in the quarter final they battled the Olympic Champions for 90 minutes and saved six match points. There’s no doubt they are the rising stars of this sector and I can’t wait to watch them again.
Honourable Mentions Also To:
CHEN Qing Chen and JIA Yi Fan for closing out the final and refusing to be intimidated by MatsuMatsu. Gregoria for making a fight of it in Indonesia’s quarter final and ending the competition with a 100% record. Mia Blichfeldt for her epic encounter with CHEN Yufei, and Greysia Polii for ‘surviving’.
Congratulations to China for their twelfth win in the Sudirman Cup – even without some of their best-know stars they arrived as favourites. There were some nail-biting matches and Denmark came close to eliminating them but in the end they deserved their victory.
Thanks be to Yonex who have created a series of tournaments under their ‘Legends’ banner.
pic by Abdul Razak Latif/Shutterstock.com
A team game with different rules. A new “flight” system which allows a team of six to switch players on and off court between points. So, to Japan first and of course hard-core fans are desperate for a glimpse of the two team captains. The players emerge to blasts of dry ice and swirling spotlights; Momoto looks stern then his game face cracks and he waves to the camera. The teams were announced in advance but it is still a shock to see four 15year old players – Nakagawa, Hashimura, Noguchi and Kohara preparing to play.
Kento Momota is the leader of Team Kansha whilst Akane Yamaguchi is boss of team Sixth Sense. So, a tournament where success is based around effective tactics but not traditional badminton game plans: no athlete holds enough flights to remain on court and win a game single handed. It’s up to the captains to decide when to change people about over a total of five matches, 3 doubles and two singles. Potentially the best strategist should win.
A quick photocall, warm up and then to the games. No one can stop smiling. Win a point – celebrate, lose a point – smile. The happiness is irresistible. As the cameras pan round the delight that the athletes feel while playing is clear. It’s been mentioned before that in team tournaments the members of BirdJapan always turn up to support each other and this is another manifestation of that attitude.
THE GAMES
Sixth Sense raced into a 2-0 lead. Akane was relishing her court time and playing some great net drops but in game three the Kansha team halted her players momentum. Game 4 was singles and the highlight was the Momoto versus Kamura flat drive rally. Kamura, the doubles specialist coming out on top but the tide had turned and that one was chalked up to Kansha too. Game 5 was the decider. Sixth Sense were being reeled in. The classic pattern that we see in Momota’s matches was enacted here too; Kansha won after being behind.
TOP TAKEAWAYS
So, it was badminton…but not as we know it! Who cares? It was a chance to see some great players and some up-and-coming ones too
Akane showed some delicate touches, Momota played sportingly and didn’t just try to muscle his way to victory, and Higashino was on good form. Most of all I watched Kamura exude joy on the court and around his teammates.
It wasn’t really possible to gain any insight about the recovery of the World #1 or how game fit these players are. However, in what was essentially a fun exhibition match everyone acquitted themselves well. It’s hard to say where this fits into the training programme but the nature of the games was very stop-start, so potentially making the players cope in a context where they have lost their rhythm is a worthwhile exercise but that probably wasn’t the point. It fills a gap until the tour reactivates in Thailand in January and it was entertaining from the moment the players appeared on screen.
Writing from the depths of lockdown life – where many of us find it difficult to jettison our pyjamas much before midday – it’s incongruous to imagine the elite athletes who are sticking with their pre-covid routines and dreams. But these are the times when we truly see players mettle. Commitment to reaching the Olympic podium won’t be switched on or off according to whim: it’s a vow made in childhood and it has to be honoured.
Who can maintain an edge?
The genius at the centre of the Japanese badminton world is coach PARK Joo Bong. As a player he described himself as ‘greedy for Gold’. His XD Gold at the Seoul Olympics – when badminton was a demonstration event – plus his MD Gold in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympics confirm his place amongst the game’s greats. After retirement and some coaching roles in England, Malaysia and back home in Korea he became head coach of the Japanese team in 2004. In 2012 there was a WD silver for Japan in London then Rio 2016 saw TakaMatsu win WD Gold and Nozomi Okuhara clinch Bronze in WS. His masterplan is designed to reach a crescendo at the Tokyo Olympics.
Badminton stumbled back to life his October. Whilst other sports have reactivated, we have been beset by delays and cancellations. However, the Danish Open – a prestigious Super750 event – offered the chance to gauge which players had maintained their edge. Disappointingly it suffered withdrawals, nevertheless ‘everyone’ from Japan appeared to be ready to travel. Flights and hotels were booked but just before the start of the tournament Denmark experienced a spike in Covid cases and club owners asked their players to remain in Japan. Although this was frustrating for fans waiting to see the re-emergence of Momota the women’s sector still sent most of the top athletes.
Women’s Doubles– The final at the Denmark Open between NagaMatsu & FukuHiro – was seen by many as a possible rehearsal for the Olympic final. The starring role of deciding who may get Gold in Tokyo was taken by Yuki Fukushima. She was a handful all through the match. Her consistency, precision and variations were top quality and so she defused the more attack-minded rivals. The 2020 All England champions Fukushima and Hirota are a team with plenty of experience. Their defence is rock solid and they are all-rounders with no real weakness except that sometimes they become a little predictable. The 2018 and 2019 BWF World Champions – Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara – are a very sparky duo; happy to take chances and be creative when they are hunting points. Matsumoto is a tall hard-hitter who is spatially aware and great at the net. I used to think they have the best chance of Gold but after the DO I’m not sure. It wouldn’t be a shock if the final was an all Japanese duel.
Women’s Singles – Nozomi was in dazzling form at the Denmark Open. Her victory over Carolina Marin in the final meant we didn’t have to suffer with her on the podium as she added to her silver medal collection from 2019. Clearly she has continued to train hard and her play was at a consistently high level. Already an Olympic medallist she has unswervingly said that her target is Gold in front of her home crowd. Akane Yamaguchi did not travel to Europe but is another who has big expectations on her shoulders. Briefly world number 1 last year, the end of 2019 was disrupted by injuries. It’s likely that despite the disadvantages of this hiatus in play she may benefit from the break to address those niggles. The conditions at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza are likely to suit both players so with a good draw they will be challenging for top honours.
Men’s Doubles – in world badminton this sector produces the most insanely exciting games and two of the best pairs are from Japan. The real speed kings reside here, with the emphasis on swift reflexes, shrewd tactics and power. The current All England champions – Yuta Watanabe and Hiroyuki Endo – have all these characteristics along with resilience, determination and courage. There is quite a big age gap between them (Yuta is only 22 and Hiroyuki 33) and so we would have to wonder if the partnership will continue after the Olympiad, but never mind, for now they burn bright. Yuta’s brilliant net play balanced by Hiroyuki’s strength and power from the rear court is hard for rivals to counter. They have a remarkable record against the world Number 1s – Indonesia’s Sukamuljo & Gideon, and a final between these four exceptional athletes, a repeat of the final in Birmingham is one that would delight everyone. The second duo from Japan consists of Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda: they live the phrase ‘the fast and the furious’. Sonoda is always bouncing on his toes, his internal dynamo just never seems to rest. These two can dazzle with their speed and athleticism and it’s likely they will be fighting compatriots for a medal at the knockout stages in Tokyo
Men’s Singles – Momota is world number 1 and favourite for the Gold. His net skills, anticipation and reflexes mean that his games have a quality that makes victory seem inexorable. His psychological power over his rivals – the aura that surrounds him on court – gives him an extra weapon to use. His mental strength and emotional self-reliance are key characteristics that will help him survive yet another delay to his date with destiny. Who has the ability to challenge him? The Danish Open showcased the progress of Anders Antonsen who will try to upset him. Viktor Axelsen along with Taiwan’s CHOU Tien Chen are credible challengers too, but, all fans crave a MomoGi final in every competition, and Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting definitely has the potential to earn a medal in Tokyo. The importance of stamina and focus can’t be overstated in the context of beating Momota. I’m confused as to who the other Japanese competitor may be. Kenta Nishimoto made the SF in Denmark or Kanta Tsuneyama – who did not travel – could be the second player.
Mixed Doubles – the leading Japanese pair, Yuta Watanabe & Arisa Higashino, are the All England champions of 2018 and runners up from 2019. Arisa is renowned as an aggressive hard-hitter if she is in the rear court, so when she and Yuta find their traditional positions reversed in a match, they do not suffer too much disadvantage. Her partner has fine technical skills and is always searching for space to score points. They are a formidable pair but there is a risk that Yuta may be spread too thinly.
There’s no doubt that once the XXXII Olympiad starts the Japanese competitors will be challenging for a podium spot in every sector. The standout athlete for me is Yuta Watanabe; he is an extraordinary player who competes in Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. The big question is whether he can win two events; can he withstand the physical and emotional strain that getting to the knockout stages in both would bring? A home Olympic medal guarantees immortality and to wait an extra year before walking out onto the court at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza must be particularly frustrating for the Japanese team. All of us – players and fans – are eager for the sport we love to restart properly.
The Badminton World Championships start on August 19th so I’m taking a look at some of the main contenders for Women’s Singles gold.
This discipline is full of talent – and unlike the men’s singles it’s not dominated by one person – so it will be an intriguing contest right from the beginning. All tournaments offer a rising intensity as players progress through the rounds: physical endurance can be sapped as well as the emotional drain of competition. The parity of ability amongst the top seeds means that being able to deal with tournament pressure will have a huge part to play. Who will relish the fight?
“…every player has a chance of being crowned champion.” Ratchanok
Nozomi Okuhara: Contender
Nozomi’s been in the waiting room this year – she hasn’t enjoyed the same level of success as Akane and yet she is a fabulous player. Her tactics often mean she gets stuck in a war of attrition so I’d like to see a bit less patience and more drive to finish off a rally. I think her edge is blunted by predictability so it would be great to see her surprise her opponent (& us!) a bit more often. Prediction: Final.
Tai Tzu Ying: The Queen
Shutterstock
Tai Tzu Ying has never won the World Championships and goes into this competition as #2 seed. Because of her hints about retirement and her lack of big tournament form recently, fans have focused on this title with the sense that time is running out. I cannot pretend to be neutral about Tai Tzu Ying – the way she plays is brilliant and gives me so much pleasure – so I wish I felt more confident about this tournament. Her possible path to the final is tough and includes Sindhu who would relish a big battle. Prediction Semi Final.
Akane: World #1
Akane’s triumph at the Indonesian Open quickly followed by success in the Japan Open – her home tournament – means that she enters the World Championships as #1. Since disappointment in the Sudirman Cup her game has become more aggressive with a willingness to push her rivals around. She can’t just win everything from now on though, can she? Prediction Semi Final.
Chen Yufei
Feifei is a very clever player with the might of the Chinese coaches behind her. I think she is good at rebalancing her game to beat whoever she faces. Often she traps ‘flair’ players into thinking they will conquer her by playing their natural game. She waits it out and then finishes them off; her natural strength means she can get through three draining games. It’s been said that her weakness is her inability to cope with her nerves but this seems to be eratic. Prediction: Final
P V Sindhu: fighter
(Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
Sindhu is renowned as a big match player and this skill is a huge advantage in the top tournaments. By her own standards 2019 has been quite quiet but July saw her spring into life. It was great to see a refreshed player getting her game back. I love her style when she unleashes her inner badminton beast and dominates the court with her aggressive smashes and drives. I think that’s going to be the secret of success for her; when she’s confident and plays like that she can become unstoppable. She is seeded 5 and her path to success looks very tough: Zhang Beiwen in R16 and possibly TTY in the quarters. Prediction: QF owing to hard draw.
Saina Nehwal
2019 has seen Saina endure various injuries and this has obviously disrupted her training programme. Her half of the draw is no picnic & includes players like Chen Yufei and P V Sindhu. She always has the desire to win and heaps of experience but realistically I can’t see her progressing beyond QF. That’s not necessarily a bad performance in the context of her year so far. I see this competition as her opportunity to continue to work on her match fitness and focus on her aim to get to Tokyo 2020. Prediction QF
Ratchanok Intanon
“… women’s singles is so competitive that on any given day whoever can control herself and play her style of game will be the champion.” Ratchanok
May lost out in the Thailand Open Final to Chen Yufei but she played very well in that match. CYF won because she played with patience and endurance – often in rallies she was content to simply keep sending the shuttle back. Towards the end May did slightly alter her approach but by that point it was too late. It’s been noticeable that since then she has been posting plenty of evidence on IG of her hard work in the gym so perhaps this means she’s preparing her body for longer games with less reliance upon a dazzling winner and more focus on turning the screw. Prediction Semi Final
Any Surprises?
Funny things can happen in knock-out tournaments; sometimes athletes really fly through their games and suddenly find themselves in a quarter final. The Indonesian players -Fitriani & Tunjung – are both talented but frustratingly inconsistent. Their homeland can have high hopes of medals from others but it would be a welcome shock if honours came from WS.
Michelle Li from Canada can push anyone on her day and often gets good results but realistically I don’t think she would trouble Chen Yufei (assuming she gets past Saina).
Chochuwong had a great run in the Thailand Open but again her draw is tricky. Lastly He Be Jiao is seeded 6 so has to be taken seriously as a possible semi-finalist.
So, in conclusion…
That gold medal, that title, the culmination of years of work, is realistically within the reach of about eight of the players. It’s going to take an immense effort – physically and emotionally – to clinch the prize. I also think it requires someone to play with inspiration and joy; there is more to winning this than mere sweat and toil.
Akane has always been a formidable player with plenty of successes along the way but suddenly her achievements have become supercharged and she is unstoppable. Women’s Singles is an incredibly competitive discipline at the moment so what is it that is giving her the edge over her rivals?
Pic from Hafiz Johari/Shutterstock.com
Bizarrely I think it was failure that has spurred her on. Looking back to the Sudirman Cup, the crucial tie in the final was the Women’s Singles: Akane Yamaguchi against Chen YuFei. It was a three game battle with neither player consistently dominant. The Chinese crowd was very noisy; it was an intense and passionate atmosphere with huge emotional pressure exerted on both athletes. It’s been noted that at one point in the game Morten Frost described Akane’s play as erratic. That’s quite a brutal assessment, but the point is that in the end she lost.
Both players finished flat out on the floor but CHEN Yufei was the victor. Video courtesy BWF
We all know it’s a team competition but losing that three game match was pivotal to Japan’s eventual loss in the final. The Japanese team oozed togetherness and exuberance as they supported each other through the tournament so it must have been utterly devastating for them all not to get gold.
Up until recently Akane has always been known as a retriever, which often means that she is a defender. This is a very simplistic reduction of an elite athletes game; it’s quite a reactive style but she is great at covering the court and very quick to regain her base position.
However, things have changed since the Sudirman Cup…everyone had some time off before they got back to training. Time to recover physically and mentally but also an opportunity to take stock. Then came July and one of the principal events in the badminton calendar: The Indonesian Open.
It was a fresh Akane with an evolved style. Suddenly she was applying her explosive power to a more attacking game and the final against P V Sindhu showcased how effective this new aggression was.
Sindhu found her game being squeezed. Yamaguchi, above all, was being ferocious in her follow-ups. There were some ruthless flat drives, and midcourt smashes. There was more pressure applied in rallies. She began each game like a tornado and barely relaxed her focus. No longer content to react, Akane was taking the game and demanding to win.
Akane wins the Indonesia Open – Video by kind permission BWF
It was a great victory. Sindhu played well but just couldn’t equal Akane’s fierceness; without warning Yamaguchi had stepped up her game.
So we come to the Japanese Open – her home tournament. Her progression to the final took in triumphs against Sindhu and Chen Yufei to set up a meeting with her compatriot Nozomi Okuhara. The scoreline of 21-13, 21-15 lets you know it was an emphatic victory. Again, this was the evolved style. Yamaguchi went toe-to-toe with Okuhara and it was her intensity allied to some awesome accuracy that meant she was able to withstand Okuhara’s propensity for lengthy rallies.
“I was worried I wouldn’t be able to win the long rallies, but I was patient, and whenever there was a chance to make a decisive shot, I was able to make the sharp shots,” said Yamaguchi.
I think it’s a good measure of Akane as a woman and an elite player that she took the worst kind of defeat and used it as fuel for progress:
“I wish I could’ve played this well in the Sudirman Cup final. The loss in the final made me learn and helped me improve.”
The road to Tokyo 2020 has a lot of twists and turns yet but momentum and big match experience counts for a lot. I want to end this piece by urging you to watch the film clip below – the happiness on Akane’s face is so infectious it is an utter joy to see.
Kadang coretan yang ku buat ada maknanya, kadang hanya asal saja suka-suka. Yang jelas, aku senang membuatnya. Terima kasih telah menyempatkan diri melihat-lihat laman ini.
Women's Badminton 