Tag: china badminton

Current Status: EXCITED

What’s so good about the Yonex All England Championships?

It’s the chance to be inside a buzzing arena and witness sporting history being made. Will the exciting Japanese duo of Fukushima and Hirota justify their seeding at number 1? Or could another women’s doubles pair rise to challenge them?

For me, nothing compares to live matches. Firstly it’s a shared emotional experience. In Birmingham there will be about 15000 people brought together and we all want to see success and feel as though we played our part in it. I think that watching on TV simply doesn’t come close – it’s like comparing eating chocolates to just looking at the box. Getting caught up in the drama of the moment is a welcome escape from subjects like Brexit, terrible weather and single-use plastics.

This is the world’s best badminton competition and anyone who has ever picked up a racket will be stunned by the quality of the action. Excellence is not an accident though, no-one succeeds in this tournament just by turning up. Failure, sweat and hard, hard work will all contribute to eventual triumph.

I find there is a bittersweet joy in following sport; especially if emotions are tied to a particular performer or country. Tournaments can be a peculiar kind of torture when we stagger from one day to the next, not quite sure how things will end but not able to walk away. Dare we expect the unexpected?

What I talk about when I talk about badminton

Ladies don’t seem to talk much about sport, but as everyone knows, I’m no lady so I think it’s time to share why I’m passionate about badminton.

As it’s the fastest of all racket sports – at elite level shuttles can reach 200mph – reactions need to be high-speed. There are abrupt changes in direction and explosive jumps juxtaposed with deception and delicate net shots. I love the fact that the game is subtle and complex but it allows for physically powerful rampages around the court. To be a shrewd strategist is vital; no one gets to win without having their brain engaged. I’m an average player so I fit sport around life but I’ve come to appreciate that playing badminton and specifically doubles is a highlight of any day. When the doubles partnership clicks, practice pays off, tactics work and shots land. It’s a brilliant feeling to be part of. The things I inevitably pick over at 3am though are the missed shots: the net kill that got away, the serve flicked out beyond the back line and the disobedient legs that just did not move. In sport emotions can be on a roller coaster but running through that is the pleasure of being part of a team. There’s always someone by our side to shout encouragement, pull a great shot out of the bag or kick a little ass.

Is winning important? Of course I’d be lying if I said otherwise, but there is a lot more to sport and life than just that. Small victories, improved technique, better fitness, making new friends, these all add to my love of a game that frustrates and rewards me, often at the same time.