Checking all the former world champions list, I realized that it's extremely difficult for any non-CHN player to win a world champion. This is not a question for Lee CW, it's a question for all non-CHN players. China just grabbed its 9th Sudirman Cup, the 5th in a row. Besides that, it holds the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup too. All the individual world champions since 2009 (World championship and Olympics) [TABLE="width: 500"] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD]MS[/TD] [TD]WS[/TD] [TD]MD[/TD] [TD]WD[/TD] [TD]XD[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]2009[/TD] [TD]Lin Dan[/TD] [TD]Lu Lan[/TD] [TD]Fu HF/Cai Y[/TD] [TD]Zhang YW/Zhao TT[/TD] [TD]T Layb/KR Juhl[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]2010[/TD] [TD]Chen J[/TD] [TD]Wang L[/TD] [TD]Fu HF/Cai Y[/TD] [TD]Du J/Yu Y[/TD] [TD]Zheng B/Ma Jin [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]2011[/TD] [TD]Lin Dan[/TD] [TD]Wang Y[/TD] [TD]Fu HF/Cai Y[/TD] [TD]Wang X/Yu Y[/TD] [TD]Zhang N/Zhao Y[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]2012[/TD] [TD]Lin Dan[/TD] [TD]Li X[/TD] [TD]Fu HF/Cai Y[/TD] [TD]Tian Q/Zhao Y[/TD] [TD]Zhang N/Zhao Y[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] In all 20 Individual World Champions in the latest 4 years. T Layb/KR Juhl was the only non-CHN world chmapion, who won the WC 4 years ago. There is none World Champions from other countries since 2010. Many people suggested Lee CW as the best MS, LYD as the best MD, but there's no comparison at all from the number of world champions they have won. How hard it is to win a world champion for non-CHN players, even though China has won 19 world champions already. Based on this observation and fact, I suggest to have a survey to find out which non-CHN players could win a world champion, potential players I come across are: Lee CW Lee YD Tontowi Ahmad/Lilyana Natsir ... or still none
To me it has to be Lee CW for this edition. The 'wind', i.e. circumstances, favour him except that he is his own worst enemy. For MD, it's either Bo/Mo or LYD/KSH; XD has to be Tantowi/Lilyana;WS, my picks are Intanon R and Sung JH (either one,of course). For WD,I don't see anyone capable of denying WXL/YY. But,overall, I believe only Lee CW can do it. The post-LOG Lin Dan nowadays is weakened and vulnerable, and Chen Long is just about to reach his peak, by next year probably. After Lee CW, the next best hope is MD, the two aforementioned, not in any order. I'm watching Lee CW's form in the coming INA PSS for a better gauge of his chances assuming he's not holding back anything. Don't quite agree why he's giving the following SG Open SS a miss though I can understand his implicit reasons for it.
MS- LCW, Tago WS- SJH, Inthanon, Saina, Juliane MD- Bo/Mog, LYD/KSH, Kim/Kim, Indonesia, Thailand WD- Indonesia, Korea XD- Indonesia, Denmark, Poland
I think XD has better chance than LCW because Tantowi/Lilyana are in better form this year as they showed in the recent SC and the age factor too. On the other hand, LCW now has 4 Chinese players to play for and 3 of them have won over him in the past 12 months (not to mention CL two in a roll) and again the age factor for him.
My suggestions (considering all the players) are 1) MS - LCW, CHenLong 2) WS - Saina Nehwal, Li Xuerui, P V Sindhu , Ratchanok 3) MD - LYD/Ko 4) WD - No doubt about it... YY/WX 5) XD - Lilyana/ahmad
MS. Lee Chong Wei. Although I find it unlikely if he has to vs three Chinese players including Chen Long and Lin Dan at one stage or another. MD. Lee Yong Dae + Ko Sung Hyun. If they are on form. I can't see the Danish pair shining at the WCs. XD. Tantowi/Natsir. Definetely a good chance for this pair. WS. Ratchanok/Sung Ji Hyun. Both seem to be playing well at the moment and have beaten Chinese players before. I've given up on Nehwal. WD. Yeah nah.
MS => Lee Chong Wei WS => Saina Nehwal, Juliane Schenk MD => Ahsan/Setiawan, Ko SH/Lee YD XD => Fischer/Pedersen, Ahmad/Natsir It's slim chance for others to win WD title.
the most likely non-CHN winner will be in the men's doubles, INA, KOR and DEN all have a chance. CHN's defending champion is off form since the Olympics and the young pair LXL/QZH although playing really well this year but still untested at the big stage. having said that CHN still has 4 pairs in the draw and none of them are easy by any means especially playing at home. the next and only other possible will be LCW in MS but I still rated him as the 3rd favour after CL and LD.
I believe Juliane Schenck won't attend 2013 WC following her split from German Badminton Association.
most likely Shenk will in, the German Badminton Association said that she already qualify for WC and they will let Shenk decide, the association wont pull her out from the entry list, and i think she is one of the Garmany and European best hope to get a medal in 2013 WC
World Championships offer no prize money but the association, German Badminton Association (DBV), does not say that they will support her financially to attend the WC, and as you may realize, the WC offer no prize money! btw here's some information by BCer from Germany at dedicated thread about Juliane Schenk: http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php/115013-Juliane-Schenk?p=2097011#post2097011
Yupp, she is qualified and the association allowed her to play the WC'13 but she doesn't want to. Back to topic: MS => Lee Chong Wei WS => Ratchanok, Linda??! MD => Ko SH/ Lee YD, Setiawan/Ahsan WD =>.....CHN XD => Ahmad/Natsir
Linda??? I don't think so.. She may surprise one or two.. But she still need to develop a lot to take a world championship title.. Ratchanok.. Though she surprised some of the top 10 in the recent times, she still did not overcome the chinese wall yet(though she has beaten Li xuerui long time before)... So, if she faces any of the player before semis or quarters, she could not tackle.. Sung Ji Hyun and Saina both are out of form these days, But a sure semifinal entry will be there from either one of them.
I can't see any Chinese pair beating Setiawan/Ahsan in current form. In fact, I can't see anyone beating Setiawan/Ahsan full stop. They are the most likely non-CHN players to be world champion.
If I have to bet then I'll definitely put my money on SanDra They're currently in a tremendous form, I hope their WC journey won't be anticlimactic as for xd it would be either Tontowi/Lilyana (Yes, I'm biased ) or Fischer/Pedersen (If they manage to regain their top form) other departments, I'm not so sure....
No, they beat them in SF with three games. I think it's very interesting if they meet again in the next WC.
yes qiu zihan/liu xialong, setiawan/ahsan , and Ko/Lee are the pairs to watch out for.... one thing I know, it's definitely not Koo/Tan who can win the World Championship.... unless they change the scoring system to who can shout the loudest at your opponents gets more points or who can show the best eye contact or most boastful in front of the net..... otherwise i cannot see koo/tan beating any single pair at the moment....
