Training inside the water... it's tough though [video=youtube;mc6-gfQlM5o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mc6-gfQlM5o[/video]
Those who know Chinese can watch the below video. Interview of WSX and a few team officials comment about WSH [video=youtube;OA0kKw6yeF0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA0kKw6yeF0&feature=related[/video]
Hi everybody, Recently I've become a fan of Wang Shixian from the beginning of this year but lately I noticed she's been struggling with her form, losing the last four team/individual tournaments starting with the Asia Badminton Championship 2011 to Lu Lan, then beaten by Juliane Schenk in the Sudirman Cup, trounced by Tine Baun in Singapore Open, and eliminated by Cheng Shao Chieh in Indonesia Open SS. While watching her play against the South Korean Bae Young Joo in the Sudirman Cup and then just yesterday against Linda Zechiri in the second round of BWF World Championship 2011, I was listening to the commentator, the legendary Morten Frost, indirectly giving his unintended "advice" to Wang Shixian while he was conversing with the other regular and well-respected commentatator Gillian(Jo?) Clark. I find what the great Morten Frost said about Wang Shixian's standard of play, her style and fitness level was so telling , accurate and useful that I really hope somebody could translate what he expressed into Mandarin and convey the message to Wang Shixian. Basically, this is what his golden words were as far as I can remember - he said more or less the same thing on both occassions: (1) Wang Shixian must develop a more attacking play and become an all-rounded player to raise her level of play another notch; her play is a too passive and reactive with hardly any smashes, becoming easier for her opponents to read and anticipate her strokes. In fact, in her 1st game against Bae Young-Joo, in all her overhead winners there was not a single smash, even when she did smash once or twice throughout her match, her smashes were more a placement shot with little power, so much so that a stronger or quicker opponent would probably be able to return the shot. Similarly in her match against Linda Zechiri, he commented that if he were her coach he would certainly train her to inject an attacking play as an added arsenal,considering her stroke play and technique is already very good. He even said her style of play was so predictable that he was able to coach Tine Baun to beat her soundly in their Singapore Open encounter; (2) Wang Shixian's fitness is suspect, especially when her style of play requires a lot of running and longer rallies. He noticed that just before the second mid-game interval against Bae, she was breathing somewhat heavily and showing signs of fatigue, and would struggle and probably lose the match should it go to a third gane decider. Please somebody translate the above and bring it to Wang Shixian's attention!
Wang's form in the current WC is quite good. I watched her game yesterday and she's simply superb in every department. SURELY a title contender this week. WISH HER ALL THE BEST
Wang Shixian, Learn to attack or give up badminton! Somebody please translate this into Mandarin for Wang SX to read: Wang Shixian, nobody taught you how to attack or you don't know how to smash? Aren't you tired of and frustrated of being under attack all the time by your opponents such as Tine Baun, Juliane Schenk, Saina Nehwal, Cheng Shao Chieh, as well as your team mates Wang Yihan and Wang Xin? Also your physical fitness is suspect, especially so in three-setters. The legendary Morten Frost said though you are ranked world number 1, you still have a lot to improve. While watching you play against Bae Young-Joo in the Sudirman Cup 2011 and again when you were playing Linda Zechiri in the 1st round of the just concluded World Championship, he commentated that you must inject an element of attack in your play and become all-rounded. He said if he were your coach, he will certainly train you to attack more - your style of play is too passive and reactive, even too predictable and easy to anticipate your shots. In fact he read your game so well that he personally coached Tine Baun how to beat you in the Singapore Open 2011 which she did convincingly, practically demolishing you. Actually, he considered Wang Yihan to be potentially the best player among the four of you ( including Wang Xin and Jiang Yan-Jiao) except for her lack of consistency and weak nerves. She also praised Wang Xin as the sort of player he liked for being an all-rounder with good attacking skills and some tricky shots. Also he commented that your fitness is not enough, especially when you have to run a lot based on your style of play and, therefore, you would struggle should the match goes to three games. However, the other commentator said you are mentally strong and possed excellent technique, able to make your opponents twist and turn, but she (I heard her name was Jo or Gillian Clark) also agreed with the great Morten Frost that you should develop an attacking and all-rounded play, thereby raising your game to another level. Wang Shixian, I take the trouble to write all this because you are my favourite women player but lately I am very dissappointed with your performance and worried that you may go downhill very fast as more and more players are attacking very well, moving very fast and reading your game correctly. Don't be like Lee Hyun-IL, the South Korean male player who hardly smashes and tries to wear down his opponent with long rallies, very tiring for himself too - that's why he never wins a single major title though he ranks quite high, about 10 to 15 most of the time, occassionally defeating top players. Wang Shixian, you are still very young, have strong nerves, possessed marvellous technique in stroke play - all you need to do now is to acquire a dynamic attack as one of your arsenal in addition to your existing strengths and I am sure you will become the true world champion and stay as number one for many years! Wish you all the best. You can do it. Don't you want to be a great badminton player just like your coach Zhang Ning?
Sorry I wrote tha above message without realising my previous one was posted, this being the first time I joined such a forum. My apologies for more or less for repeating my message. I just learnt Wang Shixian was beaten again by Cheng Shao-Chieh, the second time in less than two months. If she doesn't buck up, learn to attack/smash more and build up her physique, I'm afraid she will slide down and be out of the top 10 soon, just like her compatriot Lu Lan after winning the world title in 2009 and previously Zhu Lin after her All-England title. Hoped Wang Shixian reads my message.
Wow, yet again she failed to shine in a major tournament.. Losing to CSC of Taiwan. Felt sad for her. yup, if she doesn't buck up fast, other players will catch up with her pretty fast.
I heard some commentators said that she has the best footwork among all the WS players. But really lack of power. I'm sure ZN and other Chinese WS coaches realize that already.
Zipping around with good footwork (but not great) can only take her so far, she definitely has got to get back to the drawing board and figure it out with her great coach and see where they go from there on. All the best WSX.
Whenever Tine Baun was asked about her views of the Chinese women players, she never mentioned Wang Shixian as a threat, always saying Wang Yihan and Wang Xin as players who can really attack well, that's why she 's more concerned about meeting this two. In fact when she last met and lost to Wang Xin in the Singapore Open Final, she conceded that Wang Xin was the better attacking player. Don't forget,in the same tournament where she was coached by the great Morten Frost, she actually destroyed Wang Shixian with such ferocious and powerful smashes that even Wang SX admitted she had no answer to it. I won't be surprised that Li Yong Bo drop her from the next team tournament or championship where national honour is more important than individual success, eg Uber Cup, Asian Games, Olympic Games, which was exactly what he did to Wang Yihan previously by not selecting her for the last Asian Games, saying she had to prove herself again despite being ranked world number 1; she was also not fielded in the recent Sudirman Cup.
