He certainly will get more from the CBSL just playing in it, and there's no guarantee he can even survive beyond the QFs here. Yesterday, his match with fellow junior teammate, Sun Feixiang, was a grueling, tight attritional three-setter winning by the narrowest of margins, 25-23, 23-25, 21-19 in 1hr and 19 mins. I won't be surprised if it takes a toll on him today. Besides, I've no idea when he has to fly back to China for his CBSL matches.
Not too surprising for me, both Chen Xiaoxin and Zhao Junpeng only started showing decent results internationally this month or so, therefore unnoticed by the sponsors who would rather save the money for the bigger name players, I guess.
Seriously, I doubt 18-yr-old Chen Xiaoxin can take on Sung Ji Hyun yet, but it'd be a good gauge of her current standard. Way to go for CXX who can only get better going forward.
Darren Liew's fine form continues, I think he's a good chance of entering the final as Lee Hyun Il is out of the picture in his half of the draw, unless Lee Dong Keun has other ideas tomorrow.
QUARTERFINALS (03.00pm) => https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/matches.aspx?id=A347FB40-3FF9-46EC-9F99-E782E68E37F5 As predicted, host Korea dominates this tournament and on course to sweep all five titles. In singles categories, there's one home players in each quarter. Son Wan Ho will take on TPE veteran Hsueh Hsuan Yi who disposed 2013 WJC Heo Kwang Hee. Another local promising star Jeon Hyeok Jin has Parupalli Kashyap and defending champion Lee Dong Keun will be tested by the in-formm Liew Daren. One remaining MS quarterfinal tie will see two unheralded shuttlers face off, Chen Chun Wei against Hwang Jong Soo. The heavy favourite Sung Ji Hyun willl find Chinese hurdle at today's evening, 18 years old Chen Xiaoxin who managed good run last week in Macau. Local new talents, Kim Ga Eun and Lee Jang Mi also progressed into last eight and face Lee Chia Hsin and recent US GP Gold winner Ayumi Mine respectively. One more home representative, the unranked Jun Joo I stunned her more fancied compatriot Kim Hyo Min yesterday will meet Japanese upcoming player Natsuki Nidaira. A relatively new combination Kim JH/Ko SH surprised second seed Kedren/Puavaranukroh with two straight-games victory and no impossible for this pair to enter last round while top-seed Lee JH/Lee Y have stern test today Japanese pair Saeki/Taohata at upper-half of draw. Rio bronze medalist Jung KE/Shin SC will Japanese rival en route to final, US Open champion Tanaka/Yonemoto in last eight and either Sakuramoto/Takahata or Matsumoto/Nagahara in semifinal. At bottom half draw, Korea has guaranteed 1 final spot. The world number one Ko SH/Kim HN were struggling to overcome Kim JH/Kim SY yesterday and another teammates will be their quarterfinal opponent, Kang JW/Eom HW.
Sung Ji Hyun makes CXX looks amateurish. CXX is rattled, lost confidence, clueless how to play SJH; every time she thought she gets something right, SJH does something else to catch her off guard. CXX inexperience told, ably exploited by Sung JH.
Sung JH made CXX run all four corners with fast clears, drop shots and quick intercepts with her height and reach, reducing CXX to passivity, only reacting and unable to take the initiative most of the time. It's a lesson CXX will never forget, hope she learns from it and emerge the wiser next time, a growing up process.
SEMIFINALS (11.00am) => http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/s...47FB40-3FF9-46EC-9F99-E782E68E37F5&d=20161210 Son Wan Ho is home last hopeful to nail MS crown, the junior Jeon Hyeok Jin couldn't fulfill the expectation, lost three games to Indian experienced shuttler Parupalli Kashyap and the on-fire Liew Daren overcame last year winner Lee Dong Keun. The Malaysian will see Taiwanese representative Chen Chun Wei for a place in final. It seems Korean men's singles has slow development even though Heo KH and Jeon HJ showed promising start last year, both of them have failed to grab the opportunity here despite only few higher-ranked players show up in this event. Reversal of fortune in WS category, local ladies did well at homesoil, recent WJC bronze medalist Kim Dae Eun and Lee Jang Mi accompany clear favourite Sung Ji Hyun to secure last four spot. Kim will find Japanese challenger, Natsuki Nidaira in her path to create all Korean affairs on Sunday's finale. Chae YJ/Kim SY stunned defending champion and recent CHN Premier winner Chang YN/Lee SH in gruelling match that spent 73 minutes. However all Korean finals prospect is open wide as Jung KE/Shin SC will take on Japanese inexperienced pair Sakuramoto/Takahata. It's KOR-TPE affairs in MD semifinal, on paper top-seed Lee JH/Lee will book another final spot after Macau Open last week, their teammates Lu CY/Yang PH have tricky test former world champion Ko Sung Hyun with his younger partner Kim Jae Hwan. Two intriguing mixed doubles semifinal tie will pit world number one Ko SH/Kim HN against Singaporean Terry Hee/Tan Wei Han and well-improved Choi SG/Chae YJ will meet the explosive Thailand duo Puavaranukroh/Taerattanachai. LIVE TV COVERAGE (11.00am, Court 1) : 1) Ko Sung Hyun/Kim Ha Na (KOR) v Terry Hee Yong Kai/Tan Wei Han (SGP) 2) Son Wan Ho (KOR) v Parupalli Kashyap (IND) 3) Jung Kyun Eun/Shin Seung Chan (KOR) v Ayako Sakuramoto/Yukiko Takahata (JPN) 4) Lee Jhe Huei/Lee Yang (TPE) v Chung Eui Seok/Kim Duk Young (KOR) 5) Choi Sol Gyu/Chae Yoo Jung (KOR) v Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA)
Malaysian "lone ranger" Liew Daren reach to the final just now and he will up against Korean favour Son Wan Ho for the title tomorrow...
choi/chae is too error prone, if they can fix this I think they have the chance to be better than ko/kim.
Nope, they only bring raw material squad who's still far from expectation. It's hard to find new talented player including China, only few of their youngsters have showed significant breakthrough so far. Host KOR has assured 2 titles through women's category, we'll see tomorrow whether the lower-ranked Lee Jang Mi and recent INA Masters champion Chae Yoo Jung/Kim So Yeong could topple their favourite compatriots, Sung Ji Hyun and Jung Kyung Eun/Shin Seung Chan respectively. After three failed attempts in Superseries tournament (SGP Open, KOR Open and DEN Premier), it's time for local hero Son Wan Ho to top podium at homeground GP Gold. His final opponent is the nothing to lose Malaysian Liew Daren who looks in good shape along this tournament particularly in last two rounds how he downed Lee Dong Keun and demolished Chen Chun Wei. Son had difficult times to overcome Parupalli Kashyap in tight contest. Ko Sung Hyun will be the key factor to deliver two titles here, sadly that his juniors couldn't progress in last round. Korea is struggling to find another stellar double specialist to follow Lee Yong Dae path and keep their prowess in men's doubles discipline. Lee Jhe Huei/Lee Yang score back to back final after last week triumphant in Macau and no impossible to repeat the winning momentum once again. An ideal final in mixed doubles department as top two seeds will face each other, world number one Ko/Kim must be wary for Thailand duo capability as they outmaneuvered Choi/Chae in semifinal with solid defense, hard smashes and unpredictable placement. FINAL ORDER OF PLAY (11.00am) => http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/s...47FB40-3FF9-46EC-9F99-E782E68E37F5&d=20161211