YANG Wei (CHN) / ZHANG Jiewen (CHN) 1* BYE NOVITA Jo (E.Java) (INA) / NURLITA Lita (INA) BYE NAKAYAMA Chikako (JPN) / YOSHITOMI Keiko (JPN) 8* BYE THUNGTHONGKAM Saralee (THA) / CHANKRACHANGWONG Sathinee (THA) JULIEN Denyse (CAN) / RICE Anna (CAN) RA Kyung Min (KOR) / LEE Kyung Won (KOR) 3* BYE HARDER Pernille (DEN) / SCHJOLDAGER Mette (DEN) WILSON-SMITH Kate (AUS) / CRABTREE Jane (AUS) AUDINA TJIPTAWAN Mia (NED) / BRUIL-JONATHANS Lotte (NED) 5* BYE BOTEVA Neli (BUL) / NEDELTCHEVA Petya (BUL) TRIPP Ella (GBR) / WRIGHT Joanne (GBR) CHIEN Yu-Chin (TPE) / CHENG Wen-Hsing (TPE) REID Charmaine (CAN) / NICHOL Helen (CAN) BYE HWANG Yu Mi (KOR) / LEE Hyo Jung (KOR) 6* KOON Wai Chee Louisa (HKG) / LI Wing Mui (HKG) EMMS Gail (GBR) / KELLOGG Donna (GBR) BYE WEI Yili (CHN) / ZHAO Tingting (CHN) 4* GRETHER Nicole (GER) / SCHENK Juliane (GER) EDWARDS Michelle (RSA) / BOTTS Chantal (RSA) BYE OLSEN Rikke (DEN) / JORGENSEN Ann-Lou (DEN) 7* YAMAMOTO Shizuka (JPN) / YAMADA Seiko (JPN) WONG Pei Tty (MAS) / CHIN Eei Hui (MAS) BYE GAO Ling (CHN) / HUANG Sui (CHN) 2*
I don't see an obstacle for Gao/Huang to get to the final. The top half will be hotly contested by Yang/Zhang and Ra/Lee. These 3 pairs should get all the medals but who gets what colour is harder to predict. Based on recent forms, I will just tip it to Ra/Lee.
Wei Yili / Zhao Tingting got a bad draw imho. they got into the same quarter as Hwang/Lee. i have a feeling they may not be able to get pass the Koreans. if that's the case, we will have 2 Korean and 2 Chinese pairs in the semi. that will be very interesting!
You are right. Among the top 4 seeds, the weakest is Wei/Zhao and within the 5-8 bracket, Hwang/Lee are considered strong. But I think they're just chasing for 4th place.
I think it is very important for the Koreans that Hwang/Lee win their quarter final against Wei/Zhao. This would prevent Li Yongbo from giving team orders in the semis in order to rest Gao/Huang for the final... This draw is probably the one which gives the most chances of winning to Ra/Lee!