No, he won't. As I mentioned, the entire A team, except Sakai, will be attending. Japan's list of participants has already been announced on the NBA website.
Just taking a look at some of the minor tournaments coming up, it seems as though the corporate teams are getting more involved. Quite a few players are getting the chance to compete abroad in these lesser competitions, irrespective of the fact that they have no prospects at all of making it to the National Team, let alone the Olympics. I wonder what the impetus is? I am presuming that some of the extra funding that the NBA has received in the wake of Tokyo 2020 will have filtered its way down to the larger corporate teams; or are the company stakeholders simply happier to have more of the corporate budget spent on these players, given that badminton, albeit slowly, is becoming slightly more prominent as a sport? Or, alternatively, are the corporate teams attempting to appeal to future Momotas or Yamaguchis by showing that they are serious about nurturing players? I have no idea, ... but just to elaborate on some of the upcoming activity: 1. Mongolia International Challenge (June 25-30) MS: Naraoka Kodai (Namioka HS); Maruo Ryotaro (Hitachi Engineering) WS: Suizu Yui (Yonex) MD: Matsui/Takeuchi; Oshima/Tsukamoto; Takano/Tamate (all Hitachi Engineering) 2. White Nights International Challenge (July 10-14) WS: Nakai Yukino (Saishunkan) WD: Nakai/Ono (Saishunkan); Kawashima/Saito (ACT SAIKYO) MD: Ichikawa/Umayahara (JTEKT) Withdrawn: Koga Minoru, Baba Yusei, Omoto Daisuke, Mizui Hirari, Oie Natsuki, Hoshino/Nishikawa (all NTT-East) 3. Russia Open (BWF Tour Super 100; July 16-21) MS: Naraoka Kodai (Namioka HS); Maruo Ryotaro (Hitachi Engineering); Watanabe Dai (JR Hokkaido) WS: Hayashi Moto (ACT SAIKYO); Shimoda Natsumi (Hiroshima Gas) MD: Matsui/Takeuchi; Oshima/Tsukamoto; Takano/Tamate (all Hitachi Engineering); Higashino/Watanabe (JR Hokkaido) WD: Kato/Kashihara (ACT SAIKYO); Honda/Shimizu (Hitachi Chemical) Removed: Saito Shiori (ACT SAIKYO)
The Mongolia International Challenge is currently underway, and Naraoka Kodai (Namioka HS) and Matsui/Takeuchi (MD, Hitachi Engineering) have progressed to the SF. Naraoka will be meeting seed no. 1, Subhankar Dey, this afternoon. Rather surprisingly, darling of the moment and seed no. 1, An Se Young, was ousted in the QF by WR 98, Supanida Katethong from Thailand.
I mean she is now registered as the player from American Vape or Gifu Tricky Panders club. FukuHiro are also from that club. I don't know what kind of company it is.
An Se Young will get exposed just a matter of time. She has all the dynamism of youth but cannot mask her decision making and shot selection immaturity forever. Everyone has that rich vein of form, even Darren Liew and Tanongsak won titles before.
And another win for Naraoka, incidentally on his 18th birthday. 9-21 21-17 23-21 He's got his positive h2h against Vitidsarn back, a shame he couldn't beat him at the WJC.
Pretty impressive win. Kunlavut has been on fire since quite a few IC tournaments. Good to see another upcoming youngster Naraoka winning against hotshot Kunlavut.
So, as of tomorrow, Naraoka will bag 4,000 points, taking him past the 20,000 point mark. This puts him behind Igarashi Yu and Watanabe Koki, but ahead of Koga Minoru, Shimono Hashiru, Obayashi Takuma, and Omoto Shota, ... all of whom are National B team members. I really hope he goes on to win the Russia Open, and places himself within reach of Igarashi and Watanabe. If he manages this, he will have achieved it without the financial support, training sessions, and expertise of the NBA. And while he is at it, I hope he also takes the World Junior Championship in October.
It is interesting to note that Naraoka has given priority to the Russia Open over the Badminton Asia Junior Championships. As he seems intent on amassing ranking points, I get the feeling that he may forego offers of a place at university, and instead decide to enter a corporate team straight after graduation from high school next March. We'll find out at the end of this year.
I wish Asuka Takahashi (Yonex) will be given more chance to play in international competitions. She has good attacking skills. She should work on improving stamina.
Koki Watanabe and Minoru Koga in action first round Canada Open, Koga lost to Lei Lan Xi of China in 3 sets.
Watanabe Koki did well to eliminate Prannoy in straight games. As he only has nine tournaments under his belt, ranking-wise, he will now overtake Igarashi Yu and become the MS top B-Teamer.
Really impressed by Oie's game against Kawakami at the Canadian Open. She looked composed throughout the match, and was able to counter Kawakami's sluggers with an array of intelligent angles and deceptive shots. I have never really watched Kawakami's matches before, but there doesn't seem to be too much variation. She is a hard-hitter ... full stop.
