Congratulations to Gregoria Mariska Tunjung for winning her first World Tour title at the Madrid Spain Masters. With her captivating style of play few women’s singles players can command a crowd like her. Watching her in full flow was an absolute delight and this well-deserved success included victories over two former world champions.
Screengrab of GMT courtesy of BWF TV
Tunjung’s play against Marin and then Sindhu highlighted her exceptional technical skills. Her outstanding touch at the net blends with a sharp strategic vision to make her into a daunting opponent. Her ability to disrupt opponents’ rhythm is rooted in a willingness to use clever deception and finesse which leaves them scrambling to respond. Lately she has added in a new ruthlessness to her shot selection. Her shuttle placement is excellent, so her precise smashing has given her extra options to finish rallies off.
Previously it has been noted that her mental and physical resilience could be further strengthened and recently there has been a discernable shift in her approach which has led to a more consistent performance on court. Back in July 2022 she pulled off a remarkable conquest of Akane Yamaguchi in the QF of the Malaysia Masters in three sets and there was a sense that she was unearthing a new self-belief. Good performances followed leading to an appearance in the final of the Australia Open and high hopes from her fans for 2023.
It’s significant that being ranked in the top 8 can give a major competitive advantage. Gregoria is at her highest ever position: 12, but with perseverance a top ten spot is well within reach.
Soon the qualifying period for Paris 2024 will begin and it looks like she will be meeting upcoming challenges with a new focus. Anything is possible if she manages to incorporate consistency into her game; I’m excited to see what happens next.
Three years after winning gold at the World Junior Championships for the second time GOH Jin Wei hung up her racket in Sept 2021 aged just 21. One of Malaysia’s most promising young players had cut her career short leaving fans and coaches wondering what might have been.
2PD8F3X Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei in action against Germany’s Li Yvonne (not pictured) during day one of the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships at the Utilita Arena Birmingham. Picture date: Tuesday March 14, 2023.
She embarked on a professional career in 2013 and was soon acknowledged as a potential superstar. Just like Akane Yamaguchi – another World Junior Champion – she was unhampered by her diminutive height. Her speed and agility formed a great platform for a dynamic style that forced mistakes and made her into a difficult opponent.
It turned out that her biggest challenge was not a rival she had faced across the net, instead she was having to confront serious health issues which forced her to step away from the courts. The effect on her body of a total colectomy was huge and despite her efforts to minimise the impact of the surgery and the side effects of her medication eventually she had to accept that she was too unwell to handle the demanding training regime at the National centre.
Although GJW had quit the national set up she hadn’t completely walked away from badminton . In fact, by giving herself space she was beginning to see a way forward to manage her health and resume competition. Going at her own pace was effective. She signed a professional contract with Kuala Lumpur Racket Club at the beginning of January 2022.
In a shocking turn of events, she was then issued with a back-dated two-year ban from competing in BWF tournaments. This paralleled the sanctions on LEE Zii Jia following his request to become an independent professional player. Observers were dismayed at the severity of the punishment for actions that in other walks of life would be completely legitimate. On appeal and after high level arbitration, by the end of January the ban was overturned.
After the disruption and emotional roller coaster of her ban she was finally able to focus on playing. She had an encouraging 2022, playing in tournaments from Wales to Bangladesh, gradually accruing points and thus higher ranking. She has fought her way into the top 32 which means that she can enter higher ranking tournaments and most importantly be more selective about what she enters. We see a similar approach from TAI Tzu Ying and Viktor Axelsen; the simple fact is that getting to a QF in these tournaments gets good points.
Following her recent European games concerns have been raised by commentators about her susceptibility to injury, highlighting the need for her to continue to work on her physical resilience. However, it is crucial to look at her performances considering her surgery and the meagre diet she subsists on. In fact, if games are scheduled at an unfavourable time of day, it’s likely that she will be competing on an empty stomach with only fluids for sustenance. I think she is still searching for ways to mitigate the impact this has on her training and recovery.
The Olympic qualifying period begins in May 2023 and she is eyeing the possibility of competing in Paris with optimism bolstered by a renewed sponsorship from Li-Ning. Her journey has been full of obstacles but her determination to overcome these challenges is remarkable. Undoubtedly she is an exceptional athlete with an unwavering dedication to badminton.
GJW has a great YOUTube channel. If you are interested in finding out more about her life then check it out.
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!
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.
2M8G442 South Korea’s An Se-young celebrates after beat China’s Chen Yufei during their women’s singles semi-final match at the Malaysia Open badminton tournament at Bukit Jalil Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
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?
My first memory of watching badminton was as a young kid at my uncles’ house. It was the 1999 World Championship final between DAI Yun and Camilla Martin; sensationally the Dane scored a rare victory in a sport dominated by Chinese players. Martin was the first woman to consistently challenge this. In 2000 at the Sydney Olympics, it was Martin who was fighting the Chinese dominance of women’s singles. She battled GONG Zhichao in the final but had to settle for Silver. In Athens 2004 I distinctly remember the match between Mia Audina and ZHANG Nin won by the Chinese athlete in the third set after losing the first. So, my earliest recollections of women’s singles is a sector where China was the superior force.
Fast forward to the 2008 Olympics. I was in class 9 when I watched Beijing’s grand opening ceremony and started to understand the gravitas of the Games. I heard about Saina Nehwal – a young 16-year-old from Hyderabad – I remember that third round match against WANG Chen. No Indian player had reached beyond round of 16 in Olympics and here she was, defeating a world top 5 player in three sets. I was curious. I started watching other matches to see if she could win a medal. I prayed that Saina should get Yulianti and avoid Tina Baun. Yes, Saina Nehwal did get Indonesia’s Maria Yulianti in the QF. It was a real rollercoaster of a game. Saina won the first set in extra points, lost set 2 easily and had a lead of 11-3 in final but it was not to be, and she lost 21-15 in the end.
It was the era of “Saina versus China,” and I followed her progress everywhere. I saw her winning the first prestigious super series 2009 in Indonesia – in front of a crazy Istora Senayan – defeating another Chinese player WANG Lin over 3 sets. Then came the Hyderabad world championship: Saina reached the QF but on this occasion lost to WANG Lin.
It was 2010 and Saina was flourishing. She won 2 SuperSeries tournaments (India Open & Singapore Open), retained her Indonesia Open title and had made it to world #2. Although seeded 2 for the Paris World Championships, she lost in the QF, this time to Chinese WANG Shixian in two straight games. Her focus was shifting to her first multi sporting event – the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. I saw her winning that gold medal from WONG Mew Choo of Malaysia in three hard fought sets. It was a momentous day for Indian badminton.
China dominated the 2011 World Championships winning all five gold medals. Saina expected to do well in London but lost in the quarters again to the Chinese: this time it was tricky WANG Xin who annihilated her in two games. I saw the brilliance of ZHAO Yunlei winning two medals: a gold and a silver. ZHAO for me is one of the greatest players of all time – the only player to have won two Golds at the same Olympics.
London 2012 and Saina arrived in the UK in superb form with a win at the Thailand Open and a third Indonesia Open victory. She got a straightforward draw until the quarters where she faced tricky Tina Baun. That day she won the first game easily, lost momentum in the second game and I switched off the TV. After 3 minutes I saw the news “Saina in Semis of Olympics games” . As a fan, that day in August is a special day in my life. Knowing Saina had a patchy record against the Chinese I still hoped that after breaking the QF barrier she would give a good fight to top seed WANG Yihan like 2011 Super Series finals, but it was not to be. WANG Yihan had other plans. She was untroubled by Saina in both set s 21-13,21-13. Saina then played bronze medal against WANG Xin. WANG Xin started controlling the pace of the match but soon Saina fought back. When Wang Xin fell, initially, I thought it was a tactic to take a break, but no, it was seriously injury, and the game was ended by WANG Xin’s retirement. When the greatest badminton player of all time – LI Lingwei – presented the medal to Saina, I could not hold back my tears. ZHAO Yunlei won two Golds (XD & WD) in London, the only player to have achieved this at the same Olympics.
Although China won Gold and Silver in the Women’s Singles in London, looking back it was the last time Chinese athletes dominated that sector. Suddenly, women players from around the world were challenging for the most prestigious honours.
2013 was a watershed year and the World Championships in Guangzhou epitomized this. On grand finals day with 11000 spectators shouting “Jiayou!” to LI Xuerui, I thought that the young Ratchanok would falter but it was not the case: she was trailing 19-12 but played a net shot to force a lift from LI X. It was just out at the back line and the deceptive Thai started her show. She won that set 22-20, lost the momentum in the second but in third game she controlled her lead and won the match 21-14. On the biggest stage China lost the gold medal to a young Thai girl.
That triumph provided the headlines but if we look a little deeper into the tournament there were other signs that China’s supremacy in WS was being dispelled. P V Sindhu defeated two Chinese opponents back-to-back (WANG Yihan & WANG Shixian) to clinch Bronze; now she has gone on to win a total of five World Championship medals. The stand-out QF for me was the thrilling match between Ratchanok and Carolina Marin. The young Marin lost in three tight sets but has gone on to win the tournament three times, as well as numerous Superseries events and 2016 Olympic Gold.
I have watched greats come and go. I saw the utter dominance of China but the 2013 World Championships and the arrival of Ratchanok, Carolina Marin and Sindhu changed the landscape of Women singles. Later that year an unseeded 16 year-old became the first Japanese woman athlete to win the Japan Open. Akane Yamaguchi stunned the world with her victory over the up-and-coming TAI Tzu Ying; now she is reigning two times World Champion and TAI Tzu Ying has held the World #1 spot for Taiwan for longer than 200 weeks.
Badminton in Women singles is no longer China vs China. Over the past few years, it has become the most diverse group among all 5 disciplines. However, with CHEN Yu Fei winning Gold at the Tokyo Olympics, HE Bing Jao an ever present top ten player and the rise of WANG Zhi Yi and HAN Yue it is arguable that the fightback is on, and the Chinese team are trying their best to reclaim their dominance.
Follow Aakash on Twitter for more Badminton analysis @Badminton1993
This is always a lively tournament despite -or perhaps because- some of the big guns from the badminton world are missing. Like the Olympics it’s only held every four years and there’s an exquisite pressure when national prestige is added into the mix.
Some performances really stand out. India’s haul of 3 Golds was exceptional. Sindhu, Sen and Rankireddy/Shetty ruled finals day with a self-belief and swagger that was unstoppable. These athletes have delivered gold when the weight of expectation was heaviest.
In the singles competition there was an opportunity for a Golden Indian double. First up PV Sindhu faced Canadian Michelle Li. Sindhu is a renowned big game player with notable successes in all the blue riband competitions and she arrived on court prepared to unleash her power game. She was uncontainable and dispatched LI in two sets. In the Men’s Singles Lakshya Sen was the hot favourite for the title and he came from behind in his debut Commonwealth Games to beat Ng.
PV Sindhu with GOLD. Screenshot courtesy BBC
In Mixed Doubles the Singaporean couple Terry HEE and Jessica TAN got the first Gold of the day in two sets. Their attack and intensity gave them a momentum that Ellis & Smith failed to disrupt. In the Men’s Doubles, Lane and Vendy couldn’t live with the quality of Satwik/Chirag and went down in straight sets. Lastly, in the Women’s Doubles, Pearly TAN and Thinaah Muralitharan demolished the English opposition and will be bringing Gold medals home to Malaysia. England had finalists in all three doubles competitions but they had to settle for Silver in each match.
Team Competition
Malaysia’s Gold in the team championship was a great example of an inspired group of players who ignored their critics and seized their moment. Many predicted struggles owing to the absence of LEE Zii Jia however with NG Tze Yong amassing confidence with each success they rode their momentum right to the top of the podium. It was a well deserved Gold. India fought hard and were rewarded with Silver, the Bronze to Singapore. For the first time ever, England failed to win a team event medal.
It’s been an enjoyable tournament with lots of good quality play but not many surprises. However, representing Malaysia, NG Tze Yong has shown incredible grit and nerve since the beginning of the team tournament and he can be proud of his achievements over the past two weeks. Lauren Smith, in getting to two finals, has fed off the home crowd and blended their support with a focus on the prize. I’m fascinated to see how successes and failures in Birmingham fuel performances in the upcoming World Championships.
The bombshell word ‘retirement’ was spoken by TAI tzu Ying about a year ago and a shudder passed through her millions of fans. Seven months into lockdown with no big tournament since YAE I’m beginning to understand what the badminton landscape will look like without this extraordinary player and I don’t like it. Jaw dropping visionary play blended with virtuoso racket skills is a mix made in badminton heaven so a tournament without the chance to witness a reverse slice straight backhand drop executed by the Queen suddenly loses a little glitter.
In her most recent interview on Badminton Unlimited TTY offers some reassurance to her supporters. She is certain that she will continue to compete until next season ends and then she will mull over her options. This means that we can enjoy the anticipation of watching her participate in her third Olympics. I would love to see her on that podium in Japan, alongside some of my other favourites like Ratchanok, Nozomi or Akane. Imagine a Gold medal match between May and Tzu Ying; this would be a version of paradise for me and lots of other fans.
Coach Lai has been smart in keeping training fresh. TTY has mentioned before that she doesn’t go out ‘much’. Pictures on Instagram frequently show her enjoying being outdoors and I’ve often joked that she should work for the Taiwan tourist board when she retires. The beautiful scenery around her gives a spectacular backdrop to a bike ride or hike with her training partners. Without the intensity of a jam-packed tournament calendar she should be able to address any niggling injuries, and enjoy a fitness programme with an altered aim. I think that the focus will have been adjusted because she will not have to be on a (literal and metaphorical) treadmill to get prepared for next week’s match. This is why we have seen her enjoying cross training and sports like beach football and boxing. The emphasis on agility and flexibility remains but there will be interesting cross-fertilisation from other sports. It’s a good time to review technique and strategies but most of all this is a chance to emotionally refresh and rest intelligently.
The playing career of an elite player is really quite short. Movement has to be explosive with instant changes in direction and this can trigger severe pressure on knees and arms. Press conferences after finals are often conducted with the winners pressing ice-packs to their shoulders. The emotional cost of competition can be challenging too; stepping onto court with the hopes of your nation upon your shoulders is not easy; especially when supporters don’t see the hours of sweat in training. Added to this are the constant demands of the tournament schedule: international travel may seem glamourous but an endless landscape of airports and hotels can quickly dull the excitement.
We have three tournaments planned for Thailand in January 2021 with exacting covid protocols insisted upon by the Thai authorities. Quarantines, regular swab tests and temperature checks blended with stringent hygiene requirements and social bubbles should give reassurance to many but perception of risk is diverse. It’s impossible to predict where we will be in the trajectory of this pandemic by then.
Covid has annihilated the tournament schedule and it has given many athletes time to pause and reflect on their career path. The motivation to train without a reason is hard to maintain so it is reassuring to see that Tai Tzu Ying can still get up early in the morning, leave her house at 7am and start training at 8.30. This is the mark of a true champion. The players who can keep their enthusiasm and focus amidst the crisis will be the ones who return stronger. I long to watch her next game.
Who will be the next Indian badminton player to win a medal at the Olympics? The current World Champion, and Silver medallist from Rio 2016, Pusarla Venkata Sindhu must have high hopes. Sindhu has a reputation as a ‘big tournament player’; the bigger the stage, the bigger the prize. This is a player who motivates herself by focussing on the major titles, the ones that everyone wants to win.
Photo by Karunesh Johri courtesy Shutterstock
When she is performing to the best of her ability, she is unstoppable. There are times when her attacking power is breath-taking. Nevertheless, her erratic form can be very frustrating for her supporters. Playing singles can be a lonely game. It requires strong self-belief. Sometimes when she plays her confidence seems a little unsteady. She can look quite vulnerable, but this should be an area that her coach will help with. Even when playing alone on the court there should always be someone at her side during the mid-game break offering encouragement and suggestions.
We all know by now that Tokyo 2020 has become Tokyo 2021. Coach Agus Dwi Santoso was appointed to the national coaching team in February and the unexpected extra months could give him and the players chance to build their training routines rather than be drawn into increasingly desperate firefighting. The Indonesian has a great pedigree and has recently been working in Thailand with players like Busanan and Kantaphon. It is a key moment for Indian badminton. Since Coach Kim left, Sindhu’s form has been inconsistent and the other top players seem to be drifting with time running out for qualification. With a fresh approach and a clear vision they may still be able to turn things around.
Sindhu is a fantastic player; no-one flukes winning a World Championship final. The fundamental strategy in singles is about movement. At her best, Sindhu’s aggression has its foundation in her ability to control the rally by moving her foe around the court and provoking a weak shot. Her technique and strength mean that she already hits the shuttle fiercely; her stature allows her to find steep angles. This gives less time to the opponent on the other side of the net. Sindhu follows up her smash very swiftly – often with a net kill to bury any weak return. This is a wonderful way to keep pressure high and provoke mistakes.
Her offensive game is not simply based on smashes. Her fast, flat clears (very different to the loopy kind we all see at local club nights), and punched drives are a good way to keep the momentum of the match on her side. It’s dangerous to attempt to gain recovery time by clearing over her head; a slight misjudgement and a savage riposte is the result.
Her long stride and reach give her good court coverage but she can look a little susceptible when the tables are turned and she is forced to defend the corners. Getting trapped by a sequence of ‘over’ reaching can undermine her poise. The disadvantage of a high centre of gravity is the risk to stability. I think this is a weakness that has been exploited in the past but has improved. People often claim that tall players lack agility and balance but this is a skill that can be developed in the gym and it’s obvious this is an area that has been worked upon.
If Sindhu plays with conviction, she has no-one to fear. Her precision and power make her invincible since her attacking game is so hard to defuse. She has extra time now to prepare for Tokyo and must use it to her advantage. She has a great chance of getting on that Olympic podium and upgrading her 2016 Silver to a 2021 Gold.
HBJ’s win at the Korea Open was an immense result. In the context of her failure to win a title since 2016 (French & Japan Open) this should be the victory that her self-belief has craved.
“Now that I have won my first title in three years, I can’t say anything because my brain is empty”
The gulf between being a good player and being a winner is huge. We can see this a lot in the world top 20s. If we look at players like Tunjung and HE their ability is not in question but they don’t seem able to convert a good position into a win. Part of the reason is experience: success in junior ranks does not always translate into senior successes. HE has been around the elite players for quite a while; her world ranking is 7 so evidence is here of a competitor who has the skills to achieve much more. Morten Frost remarked during the game that HE needed more variety in her shots to convert play into points. She was using lovely cross-court drops through the match and her smash/followup combinations were good. She seemed very comfortable with her hitting from the rear court.
She has been edging towards a tournament win all year: she’s been to two finals (but lost both) including one to Ratchanok in India. This match was different. At first against May, she was second best; particularly when she was drawn into any net duel. May dictated the play and suddenly HE was a game down with four match points to save. Incredibly she fought her way back into the contest. HE soaked up Ratchanok’s pressure and in a similar strategy to one we have seen CHEN YuFei use she just kept returning the shuttle therefore allowing May to make crucial mistakes.
Winning this tournament and putting an end to the gold famine may be the event that liberates her confidence in herself. As she said:
“From this tournament, I’ve learned some ways to win, particularly when I fall behind and I think that will be useful in my coming tournaments”
Well, time will tell. Her joy after the win was obvious, as she threw not one but two rackets into the crowd. She has the skills, the fitness and the expertise of the Chinese coaching set-up behind her and this is a great time for her to discover the habit of winning. Tokyo2020 is getting closer!
The tour swings by Europe for October: first Denmark then France. In the last few months we’ve seen Akane dispatched in R1 (thrice), Nozomi crumple somewhat after her World Championship final mauling by Sindhu and HE Bing Jiao end her 3 year search for a title; so what does the Danish tournament have in store? In a year of jaw-dropping upsets, giant killings and injuries will we have predictable problems or unexpected catastrophes? One thing is certain, the final in Odense will not be between the top two seeds….or will it?
TAI Tzu Ying: Defending Champion & World Number 1
So what can we expect? Well, the extraordinary is ordinary for TTY. Her stunning technical ability combined with a no-limits approach is an irresistible blend. Her weakness is often her focus, which can drift. Sometimes she snaps back into the match and scores points at will, but occasionally the momentum is handed to her rival and the game is lost. She is defending champion but only seeded 4. To her advantage, Coach Lai will be looking after her full-time now he has stepped down from his Taiwan national team duties. Prediction: Final
P V Sindhu: World Champion & seeded 5
Following the excitement of Basle, Sindhu has crashed out of two tournaments without touching the podium. In the larger context of her career this isn’t a concern; clearly her normal life has been disrupted by the hoohaa surrounding her fabulous victory. More alarming though is the unfortunate departure of coach Kim; I hope appropriate support is in place to fill the gap. Tunjung is her R1 opponent and she is very capable of beating the Indian. AN Se Young is potentially her next challenge. It’s no exageration to say she has the worst draw of any of the seeds. Prediction either early exit or final!
CHEN YuFei: Ms Consistency & seeded 2
Since the beginning of 2019 Feifei has won four finals (including the All England), lost 5 semi-finals, and had a crucial role in China’s victory in the Sudirman Cup. Her style is patient and clever; often she ‘just’ keeps the shuttle in play and sets traps for her unwary opponents to walk into. Perhaps because of this approach she seems less susceptible to injury. Her first round opponent is the giant-killing YEO Jia Min who could spring a surprise: if CYF is to progress she must be ready as soon as she steps on court. Prediction: Semi
Carolina Marin: She’s Back!
What a thrill to see the irrepressible Marin back on court and winning the China Open! She was playing freely with no loss of speed so it seems that her recovery from her horrible injury has been good. It’s difficult to predict how she will progress here but there is no doubt that she is entering tournaments because she can win them. Don’t underestimate how unnerving it will be for her opponents to play her so soon after damaging her ACL: should they try and put pressure on the wounded side? Prediction: Hmmm, not sure…
HE Bing Jiao: Seeded 7
Winner of the Korea Open – including saving 4 match points against Ratchanok – HE Bing Jiao is often an overlooked player on the tour. This low profile has been caused by a Gold famine (3 years up to Korea) and her compatriot’s success. It’s feasible that her Korea Open win will be the beginning of a medal rush. Seeded 7. Prediction QF.
Ratchanok Intanon: Seeded 6
“Sometimes to be a champion, it’s not just about the competition, it’s also about how you live your daily life”
The losing finalist at the Korea Open has enjoyed a good year so far. For all her balletic grace on court she is a gritty fighter who never gives up even when the situation seems irretrievable. Her racket shoulder does seem to be quite heavily strapped these days but that isn’t particularly unusual for many players. Recently I think she has been beaten by CYF & HBJ because they sat back and let her try to force the game. She doesn’t need to play like that, it would be good if she sometimes had a bit more patience. Prediction: QF
Nozomi Okuhara: Seeded 3
Things haven’t been easy for Nozomi since her loss in the World Championship final against Sindhu. A couple of bad results haven’t suddenly made her a bad player though. In my opinion she can sometimes rely too heavily on her retrieving abilities. I’d like her to be a bit more ‘Momota’, that is to say, more unpredictable and more explosive. All top players are refining their skills constantly so it will be exciting to see how her game evolves in the run-up to Tokyo2020. Prediction: Final
Can Saina & Akane Escape From The Treatment Room?
Saina’s had a miserable few months with injuries; just as it seems she is back to full fitness she suffers a setback. This must make it impossible to follow a progressive training regime and the risk exists (albeit small) that she will not qualify for Tokyo. Prediction 50/50 whether she is fully fit to play but if she does then QF
Akane – seeded 1 – on the other hand has had a pretty good year culminating in a wonderful July. She became world number 1, won the Indonesian Open and then the Japan Open over a few crazily successful weeks. The euphoria around this has diluted somewhat owing to her premature exits in the World Championships, the China Open and the Korea Open. She has had a back complaint; this disrupted her training and hindered her movement in a match. However, the good news -according to Morten Frost on Badminton Central – is that she has told him the back injury is healed. “No back problems any more”. However, she is having a problem on her right calf muscle. Prediction QF
These two players- if they are fit- could win the tournament, but there’s no evidence either of them have regained full fitness. I’m more hopeful for Akane and a decent run of games is just what she needs now.
Any Fairytales For The Home Contingent?
The WS category has Line Kjaersfeldt and Mia Blichfeldt who are both fine players but the seeding is against them and I can’t see either making much headway against Ratchanok and similar top 10 competitors. Just as an aside I think it’s a different story in MS. Who would bet against Viktor getting to the final? He’s ‘only’ seeded 7 but I think that’s the product of his allergy blighted summer. Anders Antonsen is another live prospect; his improvement over the last months has been terrific and it would be no big shock to see him on the podium too.
In Conclusion
Any surprises? The most competitive sector of badminton always throws up something. It wouldn’t be impossible for someone like SUNG Ji Hyun, Tunjung or AN Se Young to overachieve and get to a semi-final. If the seeding plays out then it will be Akane Vs Feifei on October 20th. I love to watch tournaments unfold; it’s not only about the spectacular wins, for true fans its also the pleasure in seeing a favourite improve, a new player burst onto the scene, courage under pressure or simply a beautiful shot. Often the player who gets a feel for the arena early on can build her momentum towards Gold. P V Sindhu has a very harsh draw, but if she can hit the ground running it could be a great final to contest. Aside from podium finishers, I hope Saina can compete well. She’s a legendary player and this year must be terribly frustrating for her. This is going to be a fascinating competition and may the best woman win!
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Women's Badminton 