Featured

TAI Tzu Ying: The End of a Beautiful Chapter.

As Tai Tzu Yingโ€™s official retirement settles in our hearts, let us pause to celebrate a player who transcends badminton itself โ€” an artist who rewrites the boundaries of skill.

7th Sep, 2023. Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei hits a return. Credit: Yang Lei/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

She is the enemy of boredom, the one whose fearless creativity elevates her matches to pure theatre. No one can copy the range of shots at her disposal; her technical brilliance is unrivalled. But what truly sets her apart from her peers? She is the Queen of Deception โ€” a thief of time. By shaving away split seconds of anticipation, she bends rallies to her will, turning the court into her stage.

Tai Tzu Yingโ€™s fellow womenโ€™s singles players are all part of the spectacle; this has been a golden age in which each dares the other to reach new heights of skill and resilience. Against players like Ratchanok, the contest becomes a duel of โ€œanything you can do, I can do better.โ€ Percentage play is ignored as they revel in the joy of their imagination. TTYโ€™s results are never a foregone conclusion. Her concentration often drifts mid-contest, allowing opponents to stay with her, poised to deliver a coup de grรขce in the final, breathless points.

Her spontaneous genius is the purest expression of the game at its finest. She makes commentators into breathless fans and fans into believers, reminding the world that badminton is not just a sport, but a canvas for brilliance, daring, and delight.

Thanks for everything TAI Tzu Ying โ€“ enjoy the next chapter!


There are lots of articles about TTY on this blog but here is one of my favourites https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/10/22/tai-tzu-yings-500-wins-excellence-unlimited/ or you may like to read Rene Biaoli’s blog post about Diamond TTY on http://badmintoniacs.wordpress.com

Video courtesy of Shuttle flash


Featured

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 โ€œrightโ€ players were standing on the podium.

Screengrab used courtesy CCTV5

Mixed Doubles – Romantics Assemble!

ZHENG Siwei and HUANG Ya Qiongโ€™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 Axelsenโ€™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 โ€“ one of the pre-tournament favourites โ€“ 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-Linโ€™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 Yikโ€™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 Malaysianโ€™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 womenโ€™s singles for years.

Veterans Ratchanok Intanon and TAI Tzu Ying were both competing in their fourth Olympics. After Mayโ€™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. Carolinaโ€™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.

ยฉ2025

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved

Featured

Olympic Badminton 2024: Women’s Singles

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 Youngโ€™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 womenโ€™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 AYโ€™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 โ€“ 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 shouldnโ€™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 itโ€™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. Itโ€™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.


If you enjoyed this then take a look at my preview of the Men’s Singles herehttps://womensbadminton.co.uk/2024/07/24/olympic-badminton-2024-mens-singles/

Please don’t repost my work in other formats without my permission.


ยฉ2025

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved

Carolina Marin

Two titles in two weeks โ€“ Marin is riding a fabulous hot streak โ€“ 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 Womenโ€™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 โ€“ unrestricted by convention- who were open to using new methods to achieve success.

Fitness will play a pivotal role in the outcome of the Womenโ€™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 Youngโ€™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 โ€˜too much.โ€™  That is the crux of this โ€“ 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 โ€˜out of playโ€™ 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.


ยฉ2025

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved

Featured

TAI Tzu Ying Wins the WTF 2023

TAI Tzu Ying is the Champion again at the World Tour Finals โ€“ 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 Yingโ€™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 โ€˜old legsโ€™ 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 Marinโ€™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 Yingโ€™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 Koreanโ€™s favour but in an epic match TTY forced an incredible win against the odds.โ€‚

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.


If you enjoyed this then take a look at some of my other articles about TAI Tzu Ying on my blog https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/10/22/tai-tzu-yings-500-wins-excellence-unlimited/ about the 500 wins milestone or this one from a while ago about the incredible team who support her https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/25/team-tai-tzu-ying/


ยฉ2025

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved

Featured

TAI Tzu Ying’s 500 Wins: Excellence Unlimited

In a truly momentous milestone TAI Tzu Ying has achieved the feat of securing her 500th victory. Sheโ€™s travelled a long way from the skinny kid winning her first pro match in 2007 to the worldwide icon about to grace her fourth Olympics.

2RR8TM1 Zhongguo, China’s Jiangsu Province. 7th Sep, 2023. Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei hits a return during the women’s singles second round match against Zhang Yiman of China at the 2023 China Open badminton tournament in Changzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Sept. 7, 2023. Credit: Yang Lei/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

She is badmintonโ€™s once-in-a-lifetime star; beloved throughout the world, transcending her sport in the same way that Federer transcends tennis.ย  Dazzling deception is baked into her approach. Her exquisite shots are a shared celebration of her command of the game as her fans provide a soundtrack of delight wherever in the world she plays.

Many people have played a part in shaping her genius โ€“ itโ€™s born of years of hard work, unfettered imagination and joy in competition.ย  Looking back to her formative years it was the support of her family that nurtured the spark of brilliance.ย  Her father introduced her to the sport and โ€“ as the story goes โ€“ took her around the smaller clubs that dot her homeland to take on adults. ย She couldnโ€™t compete equally in terms of strength, but hated losing, so she had to hone her trickery. Imagine if you had been a club player in Kaohsiung suddenly facing TTY across the net โ€“ there must be people in the city who did just this in the early days.

A hand injury suffered when she was thirteen could have been a debilitating setback.ย  Instead, it catalyzed the development of her extraordinary backhand skills.ย  As her father astutely observed, the injury proved to be a blessing in disguise.

TTYโ€™s spontaneous panache on court has been supported by Coach LAI who understands that her flair must be nurtured rather than squashed to fit established playing styles.ย  Her father was key in identifying LAI as a coach on the right wavelength to look after her. The formation of her team โ€“ physio, coach, & trainer has been designed to give her support in all areas of her game.

It’s impossible to pick a favourite TAI Tzu Ying match but the series of breathtaking battles with Ratchanok Intanon over the years standout as the El Classico of the badminton world. The spectacular skills of both athletes elevate these games to thrilling contests between wonderful opponents challenging each other to reach new heights of wizardry. Read more here TAI Tzu Ying & Ratchanok Intanon:ย MayTAI

500 Up, more than 200 weeks as World #1 and not finished yet. Dr TAI’s zest for the game has refocused with the 2024 Paris Olympics on the horizon. It’s impossible to predict what results the next year will bring but we know that when she walks onto the court her fans will be there to clap and cheer, standing ready to support and witness the unlimited brilliance of this incredible player.


If you enjoyed this then take a look at one of my archive articles about TTY https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2022/01/29/tai-tzu-ying-200-breathtaking-weeks-as-world-1/ or this one https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2022/03/02/tai-tzu-ying-at-the-all-england/


ยฉ2025

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved

Featured

Badminton’s Fab Four: The Women’s Singles Players Who Dominate the Sport

The crรจme de la crรจme of Womenโ€™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.

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. Letโ€™s take a closer look at the individuals who make up the Fab Four.

TAI Tzu Ying

TTY is a true icon of the badminton world. Armed with a dangerous combination of unscripted brilliance and technical mastery, spontaneity and deception are part of her DNA. Her creative vision has elevated the sport to a new level. She won the Gold medal at what could be her final BAC. She is badminton’s Most Valuable Player.

CHEN YuFei

As the reigning Olympic champion CYF has nothing to prove. She has been quoted as saying that she no longer wishes to compete ‘ruthlessly’ however she approaches matches with great fighting spirit. Unyielding grit paired with patience and superb technical skills makes her an intimidating rival. After winning Bronze in Dubai she was obviously delighted to be sharing a podium with Akane. Previously, she has mused on Weibo how she would like the opportunity to be friends. Following the medal ceremony she posted memorable pictures of the four of them on her social media which immediately went viral. She couldn’t tag Akane at first, but the Japanese player eventually followed her account after she complained.

Akane Yamaguchi

Akane, the current two-time World Champion, is renowned for her pacey court coverage and relentless stamina making her a very hard player to beat. Despite her small stature, opponent’s shots are rarely out of her reach. She stays focused and never gives up. There are plenty of epic battles ahead between her and AN Se Young.

AN Se Young

The new kid on the block has been enjoying a stupendous 2023. Her challenge to the status quo shows no sign of slowing down; in fact she has all the confidence and determination of a champion who knows her moment has arrived.

I love the Fab Four

As the Paris Olympics loom, the sun is setting on what has been a truly magnificent era in Women’s Singles – a Golden Age that has enthralled fans across the globe. TAI Tzu Ying has confirmed that she wants to retire after the Games. The passion and dedication of these four brilliant players have elevated the sport to new heights, inspiring us with their unrivaled skills and determination. Let’s savour every chance we get to be dazzled by these superb players.


If you enjoyed this you may like my post about TAI Tzu Ying’s victory at BAC2023 https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/04/30/tai-tzu-ying-asian-champion-again/


I’m very grateful to one of TAI Tzu Ying’s biggest fans – Kelly Chen – who kindly allowed me to use her personal photos from Dubai to illustrate this article. She has an excellent YouTube channel (@KellyChenTW) if you would like to see more clips of TTY.

I would also like to mention that I used Shu translating’s account on Twitter (@shitouyuqi) to get a sense of what was said by CYF on Weibo. This is a great account to follow if you love badminton.


ยฉ2025

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved

Featured

TAI Tzu Ying: Asian Champion (Again!)

TAI Tzu Ying is the Champion of Asia, securing the title for a third time with an unyielding display of aggression and precision against AN Se Young in the final.

On the winner’s podium.

TTY’s dominance stunned her Korean rival. By refusing to be lured into long rallies; she seized the opportunity to be the aggressor and deployed smashes, drives and drops wherever possible. AN Se Young had taken to the court with a heavily strapped knee and as the match progressed, she struggled to disrupt Tzu Yingโ€™s progress. Under enormous pressure she was misjudging length and line calls as the score kept ticking up.

TAI Tzu Ying kept control over the tempo of the encounter well. The courts in Dubai have helped athletes who kindle and harness speed; she showed no fear. Totally trusting her game plan – and instinct to attack – her hunger for points was unstoppable. Set one flew by in twelve minutes: 21-10. Set two followed a similar pattern and was closed out 21-14.

As TAI Tzu Ying contemplates the end of her career, I am sure she recognizes the preciousness of each moment on court.  As fans we see an added depth and poignancy to every contest, relishing each hard-fought title.  This latest win just serves to reinforce her place amongst the legends of the sport. The Queen is the Queen.


If you enjoyed this then take a look at this one from my archive that I wrote after TTY won the All England for the third time https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2020/03/23/tai-tzu-ying-the-triple-champion/ or this one about AN Se Young https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/03/03/an-se-young/


Autumn leaves falling

TAI Tzu Ying steps on the court

Still she bewitches

ยฉ2025

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved

South Korea’s KIM So Yeong & KONG Hee Yong

Kim and Kongโ€™s impressive victory at this yearโ€™s All England won them a whole lot of new fans. Having witnessed their performances for three days in a row I was enthralled by the dynamic energy they brought to the arena and their sheer will to win.

In an interview they both cited “Costa” as their favourite thing about England. Here they are just about to go into Costa Coffee on the morning of their final. I was lucky enough to bump into them and take a picture.

Before the pandemic they were recognized by the BWF as 2019โ€™s Most Improved Players. Since then, they have been steadily building their reputation as one of the best pairs in the world without always dominating their sector. Nevertheless, they won the 2021 World Tour Finals and got Silver at the 2022 World Championships.

Since watching their magnificent quarter final against the top seeds – CHEN/JIA – I have become a keen fan of their brand of WD. I did not have high expectations for the sixth seeds going into the game. Though they competed well in the first set they ultimately lost it 21-19 and found themselves in a 0-5 hole in the second. They seemed down and out. Yet in an extraordinary sequence they defied the Chinese duo, summoned up their self-belief and started to shift the momentum of the game in their favour.

Both Gill Clark and Steen Schleicher noted KONGโ€™s backhand and net play have been upgraded in the last year. She was playing shots with plenty of ambition, not only in the front court but also exploiting spaces that appeared at the back with confidence and precision. This had a big impact on the progress of the contest (and the subsequent two matches) because it opened up more chances to attack. On the sixth match point in the third set the Korean pair finally secured their win. In my view, it was the standout tie of the tournament.

They carried this winning attitude right through the rest of the competition. In the semi-final ZHANG/ZHENG were beaten in straight sets on the fourth match point. In the final they completely overwhelmed their compatriots BAEK/LEE to become the All England Champions 2023.

KIM and KONG already have an Olympic Bronze, making it tempting to consider their chances at the upcoming Paris Olympics for a shot at Gold. With a nimble approach to tactics, resilience, and a determination to win they can plan for a deep dive into the Olympic draw. Undoubtedly, they are strong contenders, and it will be exciting to see how their journey unfolds towards the 2024 Olympics.


If you enjoyed this take a look at BadmintonBites piece about KIM/KONG https://badmintonbites.com/kim-so-yeong-and-kong-hee-yong-one-of-badmintons-fastest-rising-pairs/

This link will take you to my recent article about AN Se Young https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/03/03/an-se-young/


ยฉ2025

Amanda Bloss All Rights Reserved

Featured

TAI Tzu Ying & Ratchanok Intanon: MayTAI

Nothing stirs my badminton soul like the thought of a showdown between TAI Tzu Ying and Ratchanok Intanon. When two of the most technically brilliant players in the modern era meet, we know to expect gold-standard excellence. It’s the El Classico of the badminton world.

Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei (L) and Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand shake hands after the women’s singles quarterfinal match at the Malaysia Masters 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 18, 2019. Credit: Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

On court they inspire each other to reach new levels of genius. I often feel that TAI Tzu Ying can step into a different dimension away from her opponent, but against Ratchanok it is as though they hold hands and journey together. That is not to underplay their intense desire to defeat the other. During a match their creative vision, tempo and accuracy is dazzling.

At the time of writing (April 2023) there have been thirty-five fixtures between them with the current head-to-head standing at 20-15 in Tzu Yingโ€™s favour. The first was as far back as 2010 at the Indonesia Grand Prix Gold quarter final; it was over in 32 minutes; a straight sets win for May.

Over the last 13 years there has been over 29 hours of play between them so it is tough to pick a favourite match, but I often rewatch the All-England final from 2017. There are not enough superlatives to do it justice. To the accompaniment of spectatorsโ€™ delighted gasps and spontaneous applause there were so many beautiful shots played with verve and daring. It ended with a victory for the kid from Kaohsiung: TAI Tzu Yingโ€™s first All England title.

Fast forward to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, over a decade has passed since that quarterfinal in Indonesia, and the stage was set for another highly anticipated showdown between two badminton superstars. They took to the court with a spot in the semifinals at stake.

What ensued was a pulsating match of skill, strength and grit as the two athletes battled over three exhausting sets.  May unleashed some breathtaking shots and secured an early advantage winning the first set 21-14.  Tzu Ying โ€“ facing intense pressure โ€“ had to dig deep.  She mounted a fierce comeback, and the tie became a true test of finesse, athleticism and mental toughness.  In the end it was TTY who clinched the match and a place in the semifinals winning 14-21, 21-18, 21-18.  It was world class; a true test of willpower with both players leaving everything on the court. Owing to Mayโ€™s distraught reaction at the end I find it too heartrending to rewatch. I wish it had been the final.

TAI Tzu Ying has observed that playing against May can be like looking in a mirror. They have trained together when young, and now have a warm relationship despite their rivalry. Their mutual respect is evident in their comments on each otherโ€™s social media and reportedly TTY included references to May’s play in her doctoral thesis.

Tzu Ying has mentioned that she plans to retire sometime in 2024 and I cannot help but wonder if Ratchanok and the rest of that golden generation of women’s singles players will be considering hanging up their rackets soon. The MayTAI is a highly anticipated event in the badminton calendar. The matches have become the stuff of legend. It is a testament to their talent and dedication that they continue to captivate fans year after year, cementing their status as some of the greatest players of all time.


This is an article from my archives about TAI Tzu Ying https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/02/tai-tzu-ying-genius/

Thanks to KH (@WKueihua) on Twitter for sharing this interesting news article with me about the friendship between the two players https://www.nownews.com/news/5639580


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