Tian/Zhao scraped thru G1,22-20. They know each other too well,it boils down to who can out-think who and who is more motivated to win.
Commentator Gill Clark has mentioned the winner between these two will grab the final ticket to play in the season finale in Shenzhen. So they are not just playing for pride but also for a ticket to SS Finals because Bao Yixin and Zhong Qianxin have occupied the second rank.
this is indeed the first time we have all 5 top and second seeds in a SS final. the closest one were 3 No1 and No 2 in 2008 Swiss Open http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/s...9A655F-C9C2-41BE-B47D-48B7196662AB&d=20080316, and 2012 All England http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/s...8E19F0-EF7A-406C-8521-B862219B169A&d=20120311. Coincidentally, both times LCW ended up as runners-up. Will that be a third time lucky? We did have a 5 No 1 in the final not too long ago at the 2012 China Masters http://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/s...E495A3-646F-4EC9-A3BE-7562F8954131&d=20120916.
All WD pairs should watch this video and learn from the two China pairs Definitely a whole class above all the others in terms of power play, defense, maneuverability, stamina, speed and precision. These two pairs rule in all these areas If any of the other WD pairs are to compete with China WD, they have to watch this vid and learn how the pairs win points against one another. Good chance for other countries to tactically progress
I do not think SS finals is like the Olympics where you get to choose among the top 8 to qualify. They only qualified the top two pairs/players in the top 8 from the same country.
I understand that. What I'm saying is that another pair will move up to replace the injured pair Bao/Zhong.
Not sure about the SS Finals rule, Gill implies Bao/Zhong cannot be replaced even if both pairs today too qualify on merit.
Perhaps GC forgot about Zhong's injury withdrawal. I'd say both Wang/Yu and Tian/Zhao are in subject to the two-per-nation rule.
The two CHN WD pairs are fighting tooth and nail whether for honour or a place in the SSF, top class badminton.
one think they lost the olympics gold that were rightly theirs, and the other think, oh no you're not!