Tournament website : http://www.allenglandbadminton.com/ Order of play: http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/s...A247C0-51DE-4A7E-A3A6-EED7607702D3&d=20140308 ENG time : http://www.worldtimezone.com/time/wt...ma=Find%20Time One step closer to grand final tomorrow and the tense becomes higher Badminton powerhouse China is showing their power to dominate semifinal slots, 50% are grabbed by their players even court 2 has been booked through all CHN affairs in 4 disciplines MS-WS-WD-XD, contrast with last year achievement. Court 1 (12.00pm) matches : 01) Ko Sung Hyun/Kim Ha Na (KOR) v Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir (INA) 02) Lee Chong Wei (MAS) v Son Wan Ho (KOR) 03) Li Xuerui (CHN) v Ratchanok Intanon (THA) 04) Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (JPN) v Ma Jin/Tang Yuanting (CHN) 05) Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan (INA) v Gideon Markus Fernaldi/Markis Kido (INA) 06) Ko Sung Hyun/Shin Baek Cheol (KOR) v Hiroyuki Endo/Kenichi Hayakawa (JPN) MS, the ideal final of Lee CW v Chen L will happen once again unless the unseeded Son WH and Wang ZM can pull big upset here. Son WH displays good performance to knock out two top players Jorgensen and Tago convincingly and delivering his first ever AE semifinal. WS, Two in-form Wangs for 1 final ticket, hard to predict who will go to last round. Li XR v Intanon, rematch of last year WChampionships epic final, the mouth watering clash of two high calibre WS players MD, INA has secured 1 final ticket, Hendra and Markis against each other to capture their AE champion dream. Endo/Hayakawa v Ko/Shin, the Korean will be motivated to enter final in the absence of Lee Young Dae WD, will Matsutomo/Takahashi deny all CHN final? XD, Zhang/Zhao at their best while their rival defending champion Ahmad/Natsir looks struggling. Hopefully the Indonesian pair will perform better than yesterday as KOR XD Ko SH/Kim HN is tough opponent.
For anyone with access to the recorded QF match between Ratchanok and Michelle Li, it will be very much appreciated if you could share it here Krub.
I am surprised that the organizer arranges all Chinese-semifinal (4) matches in Court 2. While all other (6) semifinal matches are being broadcasted live in Court 1 - which I am delighted of course.
Could be the organizers are afraid these CHN v CHN matches turn out to be of the practice variety hence want to ensure the TV/streaming public get their money's worth. Sorry, that's the kindest way I can put it.
[TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TH="class: largeheader, bgcolor: transparent, colspan: 11"]Courts - Court 2[/TH] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]1.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Starting at 12:15 PM[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]XD[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Nan Zhang [1][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Yunlei Zhao[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Chen Xu [3][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Jin Ma[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]2.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Followed by[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]WS[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Shixian Wang [4][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Yihan Wang [2][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]3.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Followed by[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]MS[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Zhengming Wang[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Long Chen [2][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]4.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Followed by[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]WD[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Xiaoli Wang [1][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Yang (F) Yu[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Qing Tian [5][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Yunlei Zhao[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
[TABLE="class: ruler matches"] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TH="class: largeheader, bgcolor: transparent, colspan: 11"]Courts - Court 1[/TH] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]1.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Starting at 12:00 PM[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]XD[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Sung Hyun Ko [8][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Ha Na Kim[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Tontowi Ahmad [2][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Liliyana Natsir[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]2.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Followed by[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]MS[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Chong Wei Lee [1][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Wan Ho Son[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]3.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Followed by[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]WS[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Xuerui Li [1][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Ratchanok Intanon [3][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]4.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Followed by[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]WD[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Misaki Matsutomo [3][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Ayaka Takahashi[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Jin Ma[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Yuanting Tang[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]5.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Followed by[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]MD[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Mohammad Ahsan [1][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Hendra Setiawan[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Gideon Markus Fernaldi[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Markis Kido[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]6.[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Followed by[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]MD[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Sung Hyun Ko[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]Baek Choel Shin[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: center"]-[/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][TABLE] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Hiroyuki Endo [2][/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: transparent"] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD] [TD="bgcolor: transparent"]Kenichi Hayakawa[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
Hmmm... has the organiser of this year's All England rigged the schedules or formats for the competition? How else can the organiser explain why most of the top Chinese players are in one side of the competition and not evenly split between the 2 halves (the top half and the bottom half)? Or has the organiser purposely arranged mostly weaker opponents in the halves where the better Chinese players are so that the Chinese players can all meet their respective compatriots in the semi-finals? Hmmm..... One thing for sure, there will be at least 4 Chinese challengers for tomorrow's final even before the first game of today's semi-final has started.
While the logic behind the Court 2 arrangement is well understood, I think the XD match should still be the re-staging of the Olympic Gold Medal match, on its own merit. This can clearly be interpreted as a shot across the bow towards LYB. Yes, there was, or is, a problem. But this is not the most effective way to deal with it. This may legitimize the wrong and end up a black eye for the sport.
All H2H for tomorrow's matches Court 1: Ko/Kim vs Ahmad/Natsir: 0-1 LCW vs SWH: 5-1 LXR vs May: 4-2 Matsutomo/Takahashi vs. Ma/Tang: 0-0 Sandra vs. Kido/Fernaldi: 1-0 Ko/Shin vs. Endo/Hayakawa: 0-0 Court 2: ZZ vs. XC/MJ: 15-2 WSX vs. WYH: 2-9 WZM vs. CL: 0-5 YY/WXL vs. TQ/ZYL: 8-3
Court 2 ZN/ZYL v Xu/Ma - I think Xu/Ma look great at the moment. If based on a fair fight, I think they will take it. WSX v WYH - I think it's got to be WYH. My choice because of a less painful audio assault in the final WZM v CL - DUH! WXL/YY v TQ/ZYL - the way the senior pair dismantled the Koreans today was scary. Got to be them. Court 1 KSH/KHN v Towi/Butet - a tough one to call. Both KSH and Towi can go walkabout during the match. Butet should be more than a match for KHN. I'll take the INA pair based on experience. LCW v SWH - Tremendous win for the Korean today over Tago. Don't think LCW has hit top gear yet. Can't see Son having the offence to hurt LCW. LXR v Rat - the Battle Royale, Olympic champ v World champ. But both have been scratchy so far. I am a Rat fan so I have no choice but to pick her. And a Rat v WYH battle in the final would be much better. Misaki/Ayaka v MJ/TYT - I can't see Ma Jin being denied today. She's been super. Sandra v Gideon/Markis - if you don't have a nickname, you haven't made it yet . Sandra on a mission to win the whole thing. KSH/SBC v Endo/Hayakawa - while the Japanese are seeded higher, I wonder if they have a plan to neutralize the light speed the Koreans play at. Should be a sumptuous battle.
ZHANG NAN/ZHAO YUNLEI VS XU CHEN/MA JIN I used to think that MJ/XC would be a tougher opponent for Towi/Natsir (should they take care their KOR opponent) so normally I would hope that ZN/ZYL win this but their qf showed unless Towi/Natsir left their unforced errors somewhere, whoever win this tie won't really affect result at finale. Still, I want ZN/ZYL win this. And please, a good and entertaining match please. WANG SHIXIAN VS WANG YIHAN WSX showed a very great composure beating a rather confused Saina Nehwal in straight games. Still, her head to head against Yihan doesn't look good at all. Yihan will happily trounce her imo. WANG ZHENGMING VS CHEN LONG Chen Long to take this. Too risky if they give this for WZM. WANG ZIAOLI/YU YANG VS TIANG QING/ZHAO YUNLEI Umh? KO SUNG HYUN/KIM HA NA VS TONTOWI AHMAD/LILIYANA NATSIR I won't be fair here, haha. Towi/Natsir for their finale and try to three-peat. Good or ugly win, I will approve. LEE CHONG WEI VS SON WAN HO Somehow, I want an upset here. Sorry Malaysian fans. LI XUERUI VS RATCHANOK INTANON Rat won't do good with her lazy start like against Li yesterday. I hope she win it and... if met Yihan, try to win it. Tough tough tough task for this lonely girl. MISAKI MATSUTOMO/AYAKA TAKAHASHI VS MA JIN/TANG YUANTING MJ/TY will win this. I lost record of MJ pair lately, she seems a very good partner for everyone. What an asset. MOHAMMAD AHSAN/HENDRA SETIAWAN VS GIDEON MARKUS FERNALDI/MARKIS KIDO Ahsan/Hendra for finale! KO SUNG HYUN/SHIN BAEK CHOEL VS HIROYUKI ENDO/KENICHI HAYAKAWA KOR with slight edge imo. GOD I'm so sleepy now.
MJ may have been rejuvenated by her young partner. She even started killing at the net. It's too bad that YY once again robbing a promising partner from MJ. TYT is clearly the most complete up-and-comer. It's hard to find another backcourt player who has her level of defence and competence in the front court.
Three players will feature in two matches in the SFs:- They are Ko Sung Hyun in MD & XD, Ma Jin in WD & XD and Zhao Yunlei in WD & XD. The Chinese have again stamped their class as they will be battling against themselves in the 4 matches in Court 2 today. They will also be playing in 2 matches in Court 1. Son Wan Ho was the surprise package with his win over K Tago (S5) and he should improve his ranking with reaching the SF. He also dumped JOJ (S4) in the 1st round of the main draw.
Poor MJ has had to be the utility player for the team, slotting in to fill gaps, always the second fiddle. I really hope this combinations with TYT, as you said, rejuvenates and energizes her. I wish for her to win both titles (if the boss allows)
Gideon is indeed awesome. He is a very hardworking player, agile, but he needs to manage his temper well, he is quite young though, perhaps Kido could nurture him. Hopefully he has enough gas tank for 3 tight games. However, for this year AE, i still prefer Ahsan/Hendra to bring Gold.