in tennis, asia is not strong as participants. While asia is one of big market for tennis industry. Same case for soccer. Sadly asia seems need badminton to be popular in europe and US to secure badminton to stay in olympic in long run.
Yup, it needs hard effort by BWF to produce badminton as popular sport in America and Europe continent. Australia has progressed one step to host Super Series tournament next year despite badminton is still minor sport there.
this started since 2011~china face lots of pressure in junior stage. li yong bo even dismiss china 2nd team(junior) and train them with the senior. i think china might at most win 1 title in individual,let see.
Uh, I'm pointing at the spread of strength. Popularity-wise, I think BWF has done quite well. Whether many countries see badminton *really* seriously (i.e. badminton for glory, not backyard sport), that is the question. I mean, athletes from Asian powerhouses train 24/7 (exaggeration mode:ON). Heck, some of those countries consider badminton as national sport. Athletes (national team) enjoy being sent into int'l tournaments, doctors, etc, etc. For God's sake, no wonder Asians are strong in badminton. While somewhere, I've seen an European athlete resorting to YouTube for financial sponsor so that he could enter tournament. Trust me, I've seen one.
Jonatan Christie!! Good luck source : http://badmintonindonesia.org/app/funstuff/photofolder.aspx?/616
Actually, Jonatan is one of the actor in the movie "KING". This movie is about badminton here you go : [video=youtube;9uJdIeIXX4U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uJdIeIXX4U&list=PLE38E5A45791D6703[/video]
Yes, not only this year. Very few non-Asian believe they can make it as full-time badminton professionals. In Indonesia, there are more who think they can or at least they think it is a better option than other career.
I know it's unlikely but wouldn't it be nice if we have an European winner this year. It will do wonders for the game if Roth or Stoeva win this year. We can expect an explosion of interest in Bulgaria and Germany.
viktor axelsen did it and i don't see why no other european player can do it again...then again...european players usually mature into better players later in their careers...with the exception of peter gade and viktor axelsen, maybe carolina marin. also, remember chris adcock/gabrielle adcock (then, white) were world junior runner ups in XD few years back.
Ihsan and Kevin/Masita are in Semifinal. good. i think this is the best INA MS achievement in the last 6 years since Tommy ? meanwhile, Fajar/Yantoni lose. that's ok. QF is already good and they ost to the 1st seed
Ihsan Maulana won QF match, 21-8 / 21-10 against home player while INA MD Fajar/Yantoni lost to top-seed Li JH/Liu YC, 14-21 / 18-21.
Yup....QF is a respectable result for Fajar/Yantoni considering Li/Liu are the reigning AJC champion and they have also tasted senior-level tourneys this year. I look forward to seeing Yantoni and Fajar again next year. I believe Fajar is still eligible (born in 1996). Despite the so-called talents we have in BS in recent years (with players like Vito, Gifar, Riyanto), this year is actually the first year in many that we manage to get at least a medallist (last 4 placing). Hopefully, Jonatan can achieve SF too. Kevin/Masita's victory in the QF is expected and they will now possibly face a tough CHN opponent in the SF.
They are at least one-level different. Hana at least fulfills her seeding (5/8). That's sufficient for me.
stefani stoeva looks set to become the only european semi finalist of this years WJC...19-14....go fabian roth!