BWF World Championships 2023: Singles Preview

Viktor Axelsen and AN Se Young have reigned supreme over the past year. Nonetheless their rivals are descending on Copenhagen determined to challenge their auras of invincibility.

Grab your popcorn and get ready for the excitement overload that the World Championships will deliver. I’m looking forward to some famous victories, fierce contests and heart-stopping surprises.

Men’s Singles

No one becomes the World or Olympic Champion by chance and Viktor’s recent track record is a testament to his dedication and ruthless winning mindset. Who has what it takes to compete against him? The chasing pack offer so many intriguing possibilities.

The top half of the draw throws up some potentially tricky opponents. India’s HS Prannoy is lined up for a R16 clash with LOH Kean Yew, with the subsequent QF likely to be against Viktor. Prannoy is enjoying a good run of form and knows that he is capable of causing a big upset. Kunlavut Vitidsarn is seeded 3 and beat Axelsen in 3 sets at the India Open final in January so he is also a credible threat, although he will have to negotiate a way past a resurgent Lakshya SEN and probably the current All England Champion LI Shifeng as well.

The bottom half of the draw is fascinating. The two standout unseeded players here are NG Tze Yong and LEE Zii Jia. LZJ is rebuilding his confidence with a new coach after a tough year; NTY is the epitome of dogged undemonstrative determination. Both can be world beaters when they are at the top of their game, but both cannot get to the QF. Realistically it’s possible that both will suffer an early exit – the curse of the unseeded competitor – as Zii Jia’s first match is against Jonatan Christie whilst Tze Yong could encounter Anders Antonsen in his second.

Kodai Naraoka is seeded 4 whilst SHI Yuqi is 8 and the prospect of a QF between them is fascinating. Naraoka’s endless stamina allows him to relentlessly pursue every point whereas SYQ is more enigmatic. Endurance skills are likely to be key here, especially if the hall is slow.

Women’s Singles

Who has the inner strength to go head-to-head with AN Se Young and come out on top? The most likely players are the other members of the Fab Four. Akane Yamaguchi is the defending champion and aiming to win it for the third time in a row. Reports from Japan have revealed that she injured her right foot a few weeks ago. Her style hinges on exceptional court coverage so it’s crucial that she has made a full recovery.

This is probably TAI Tzu Ying‘s last chance to win Gold at the World Championships. Her victory in two sets over ASY at the Asian Championships recently is thought provoking given Se Young’s subpar performance. It’s hard to determine if she was worn down by her path to the final or was hampered by an injury niggle. Generally speaking she can neutralize TTY by offsetting her spontaneous creativity with relentless retrieval.

CHEN YuFei is seeded 3 in the top half of the draw which sets up the possibility of a SF against ASY. She has all the patience and all the shots needed to counter the Korean. She is the most likely to find a way through, especially as she has the skill to ramp up her scoring at pivotal parts of the match to capitalize on a rival’s mid-game slump. Her weakness can be caution but I wonder if AN Se Young has the inclination to exploit that.

Outside of these top four seeds could anyone else get on the podium. PV Sindhu always unleashes her ‘A’ game at the big events and if she is fit, she may feature in the medals. The draw has not been kind to her: if she overcomes ASY then she would unlock a SF showdown against CYF. Gregoria Mariska Tunjung is starting to realize the potential that marked her junior years. Her creative flair has always been exquisite but now it is seasoned with more mental resilience which is making her a tougher rival. She could be quite a menace to Akane’s ambitions if they meet at the QF stage.

Predictions?

More than a billion people will be watching to see who can outshine the two top seeds. Considering that Viktor’s home advantage should give him an extra incentive to win, it is likely he already has one foot on the podium. The Women’s Singles seems a little more open. AN Se Young’s future is golden, but she will be stretched from the moment she steps on court.

Some spectacular clashes are on the horizon, so get ready to relish the battles ahead.

If you enjoyed this, then take a look at my recent article about AN Se Young https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/03/03/an-se-young/ or this one about TAI Tzu Ying and Ratchanok Intanon https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/04/09/tai-tzu-ying-ratchanok-intanon-maytai/

Featured

Badminton World Championships Preview: Part 2

China’s athletes have the potential to win both titles in the women’s sector plus XD as well. However, nothing is certain except that this tournament promises outstanding matches between players with sublime skills. This really is a meeting of all the talents so jump on the emotional rollercoaster and enjoy the ride!

Women’s Singles – Beware Marin Incoming!

The million dollar question is how Carolina Marin is feeling? Have her injuries and recovery diluted her game. If she is 100% then everyone should fear her return because she will be hungry for the fight. Her aggression and knack of scoring sequences of points can be overwhelming. In the opposite side of the draw to CHEN YuFei and TAI Tzu Ying she will be determined to do everything she can to meet one of them in the final.

Akane Yamaguchi is looking to retain her title although in her first match she will likely face Gregoria Tunjung who has beaten her twice in a row recently in Malaysia. She is enduring a bit of a slump in form and has a very tough draw considering she is seeded 1. Having said that, she is the current All England Champion and I expect that her extraordinary court coverage, grit and resilience will get her through most matches successfully.

CHEN YuFei is seeded 4 but who can stop her advancing to the Gold? She is an expert at frustrating her opponents and forcing errors since she excels at reducing their opportunities to score. She combines this with an ability to accelerate her own scoring at key times in the match. She is seeded to meet Pornpawee in R16 and I think this could be a tricky encounter if Mew stays aggressive and is able to impose her own tempo on play. If YuFei prevails then a QF against Ratchanok Intanon is on the cards. May will typically be provoked by CYF into risky shots but her death or glory approach under pressure could backfire. If Ratchanok can hold her nerve and triumph, then we could be looking at the 32^nd edition of the #MayTAI.

If TAI Tzu Ying is allowed to play her way then she could upgrade her World Championships Silver from Huelva. Millions of fans will be hoping that this is the year her brilliance earns Gold. She has proven before that she can use patience to defeat CHEN YuFei but as usual she is going to have to eradicate errors and loss of focus. AN Se Young is still a little prone to fatigue based injury after a succession of tough matches but she is also ambitious for the big titles.

Women’s Singles promises stellar clashes beginning from R64. Although China’s Chen YuFei is hot favourite, her compatriots HE Bingjiao and WANG Zhiyi could both travel deep into the competition.

Women’s Doubles

The battle hardened pair of CHEN Qing Chen and JIA Yi Fan should seize their opportunity to defend their title and win the Gold again. This sector feels quite open as it’s in a transition phase with some players on the cusp of retirement whilst others need to step up a level with an eye on the future. The main threat to their quest for a hat-trick of Golds will come from the Japanese and Korean pairs. LEE/SHIN (Silver 2021) could derail them at the SF stage whilst a possible final against Hirota/Fukushima (3, yes three Silvers) or KIM/KONG looms. FukuHiro have shown the strength of their partnership throughout Hirota’s injury crisis and this competition on home soil could be a great chance to put past Tokyo disappointments behind them. My possible dark horses to overachieve would be the Malaysian pair of Pearly TAN and Thinaah Muralitheran. They’ve just won at the Commonwealth Games, are continuing to improve, and will be arriving on court full of confidence.

Mixed Doubles

The magnificent partnership of HUANG Yaqiong & ZHENG Siwei belongs at the top of the podium. They arrive in Japan in red-hot form and should be looking to complete their hat-trick of World Championship titles. One of the pairs standing in their way are compatriots and Olympic winners HUANG Dongping and WANG Yilyu. Owing to the seeding only one of these teams can get to the final. The defending champions from Thailand Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai could find themselves in a semifinal with Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino. It’s difficult to foresee a final that doesn’t include two pairs from these four however I think Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue could disrupt Yuta and Arisa’s campaign. The French couple are on an determined trajectory towards the Paris Olympics so will expect to be still scrapping for points on finals weekend.

China’s players could win all of these titles but it would also be true to say that Japan has the personnel to equal that and they have home advantage. The World Championships 2022 is overflowing with awesome players in every sector – it’s going to be a fantastic tournament.

If you enjoyed this then take a look at Part 1 of my preview which looks at the men’s sector https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2022/08/18/badminton-world-championships-preview-part-1-the-men/

Featured

Badminton World Championships Preview Part 1: The Men

The annual battle for the title of World Champion is about to get underway in Tokyo. I’m anticipating some exhilarating triumphs, a few shocks and plenty of fun along the way. Grab your popcorn and get ready to enjoy the best badminton on the planet.

Men’s Doubles

With no clear frontrunner for Gold this promises to be a compelling contest. Speed Kings beware! the playing hall is likely to be slow and they must have a Plan B or a Plan C if opponents give them a bumpy ride.

The draw is difficult for the three highest ranked Indonesian pairs – they are all in the top half – so there is real risk they will be toe-to-toe towards the end of the tournament. If it unwinds as per seedings then world #1 Kevin Sukamuljo and Marcus Gideon could face Fajar Alfian & Muhammad Rian Ardianto in the QF. Whoever controls the tempo, and the net has the best chance of making the SF. When Kevin unleashes his creative energy anchored by Marcus they are unstoppable. I hope to see Sukamuljo back to his irrepressible self – that cheeky, annoying, talented athlete who can do anything with a shuttle, seemingly without trying. The sky’s the limit so long as these two get into their flow. Nevertheless FajRi have a great chance of Gold, they live under less under the microscope than the Minions and have had an uneventful build-up – unlike Marcus who is recovering from surgery and Kevin who is celebrating his engagement to Valencia. All four players must minimise errors and get comfortable with the drift early on to build a winning momentum.

Two of the most successful players ever at the WC are Hendra Setiawan (4 Golds) and Mohammad Ahsan (3 Golds) seeded 3 with a bye in R1; lets see how their old bones hold up to sustained physical pressure over successive days. If they avoid injury, they are the equal of any pair and I would love to see them on the podium.

If Indonesia misses out on the title, then it could be coming to India’s Rankireddy/Shetty. They won Commonwealth Gold without dropping a set so will arrive in Tokyo full of self-belief. There is a strong Danish influence in their camp, and they credit Boe with giving them a more tactical approach to matches. They will need to raise their game at this event, but they were also part of India’s victorious Thomas Cup team and have proven that they can seize wins under pressure. A QF against defending champions Hoki/Kobayashi is on the horizon and there is no way they will be dismissed in two sets.

Plenty has been written about Aaron Chia and SOH Wooi Yik and the semi-final hoodoo. They have fallen at that hurdle 6 times recently and according to their seeding the likelihood is that the pattern will repeat. There were occasions at the Commonwealth Games when the partnership looked flat so the challenge for them is to reignite their spark in the course of the early rounds to advance. LEE Yang and WANG Chi-Lin have suffered the classic dip in focus that is often experienced by Olympic champions. They too must revitalise their all-energy style if they want to get beyond a QF with the Malaysians.

At the opposite end of the scale in terms of intensity are the Danish duo Kim Astrup & Anders Skaarup Rasmussen. Their passion drives them onwards and I think they will blaze their way through the early rounds until they run out of steam. I’m ready for a possible semi-final with Kevin and Marcus or FajRi and it’s not impossible to see them as outsiders for a medal.

Men’s Singles: Viktor Rules OK?

Owing to the dominance of Viktor Axelsen some dismiss this sector as boring and repetitive but I completely disagree. Nothing stays the same in sport, eventually someone will find a weakness to exploit. There’s an excitement around all his matches as we wait to see who will dare to trespass upon his unbeatable aura. Badminton Insight analysed Axelsen’s play on their YouTube channel and they explain how he closes out results so successfully.

Viktor is on an incredible winning streak but rivals can take heart from the fact that he was outperformed by LOH Kean Yew in the first round last year. It’s possible to unsettle him but who has the nerve and the patience to do it?

LEE Zii Jia sacrificed Commonwealth Games participation to recuperate from his hip injury and focus on preparation for this tournament. He is like a human hand grenade with sudden explosive power that he can detonate anywhere on court. I’m sure that he has the desire and stamina to get to the final and win. I’m nervous about a possible QF against Momota or Sen though because they are both very canny players. If he is allowed to rampage he can demolish an opponent but they are capable of containing and frustrating him.

Over the past 18 months Lakshya Sen has consistently shown that he can beat anyone on the tour. Training in Dubai with Viktor had a huge impact on his game. He’s removed impetuous errors that could derail a game and replaced them with patience and tactical nous. He is astute at his game management, really good at balancing attack with defence and reduces opponents options for victory. He’s the newly anointed Commonwealth champion and India’s best chance of the title.

Anthony Ginting has the most horrific draw of any of the top seeds; it’s so bad it’s hardly worth being seeded. I hope he can progress but he will probably have to overcome Rasmus Gemke and SHI YuQui to earn the right to face Viktor in a QF. His form has been steadily improving so perhaps he can fight his way through. Jonatan Christie looks to have a smoother path in the early stages and is slated to face CHOU Tien Chen in a QF.

The random variable in this competition is SHI YuQui. None of us know what to expect from this lovable, enigmatic player after his enforced break. He has struggled to hit previous heights since the ankle injury back in 2019 but he’s back, no-ones played him for a while so he might spring some surprises. If things go well for him (and badly for Ginting) he could face Viktor in the QF. An appearance in the final would be the stuff of dreams.

Three players who at present seem to be struggling with focus or form are defending champion LOH Kean Yew, Kento Momota (winner 2018 & 2019) and Anders Antonsen. All three of them could put together a good run of results and be on the podium; the most likely being Momota who competed well at the Malaysia Open.

So, who can beat Viktor?

TAI Tzu Ying: Player of the Day

This was a bravura performance from the world #1 that finally advanced her beyond QF at the World Championships for the first time in six attempts.

TTY’s touch and strategy today were dazzling. From the outset she took control of the tie. Her shots – especially her drops – punished Sindhu all over the court. Deploying pinpoint accuracy, TTY was mean with her margins and screwed down the pressure on her opponent. The rallies were driven on at a brutal pace; in-between the rallies TTY barely took a breather, she kept focused and kept the momentum of the game rolling. Sindhu could not get any foothold in the match however hard she fought. A virtuoso victory over two sets: a wonderful time to love TAI Tzu Ying.

What colour medal will it be?

If you enjoyed this take a look at my article from the archives about TTY https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2021/02/02/tai-tzu-ying-genius/

Men’s Singles

Women’s Singles

Predictions?

Share this:

Women’s Singles – Beware Marin Incoming!

Women’s Doubles

Mixed Doubles

Share this:

Men’s Doubles

Men’s Singles: Viktor Rules OK?

Share this:

Share this: