You're absolutely right about both of them! I don't know how Lee Meng Yean could get past BAM fitness testing. It's affecting her performance, a lot.
as long as got stamina, then consider pass. you see last time ex-national player Hoon Thien How how did he able to pass the BAM fitness testing...
Good luck! You have a tough opponent coming up! I've listened to some of your podcasts in the past which is really insightful to the world of professional badminton so awesome job on keeping that up. Yeah, it's a tough one. As a player, getting to 21 points first is your lifeline in any tournament so you have to take every opportunity as they come. The ethical and moral dilemma becomes very blurred when the stakes are this high and this close. And now, I've just listened to your thoughts on the situation. Totally agreed, nobody at that level would or should give up the point because they feel bad. Putting emotions aside, the call is the call (right or wrong), and you have to live with it and move on. You have to play the next point and extend the lead or fight back. It is definitely irony in LCY's case, having clinched victory in a similar manner at the HK Open before, and now having lost the match, the slot for the WTF goes to the very player who faced the bad call in that event (Ginting). At any rate, this is all part of the sport of professional badminton and everyone just has to continue on. I do hope net camera footage can be used for challenges to the umpire/service judge calls in the future. Video review in other sports allows for the correct call to be made (and I'm sure players would appreciate an extra 30-60 seconds of rest during these challenges).
Antonsen is playing so defensive. He is deliberately not smashing, willing to clear over and over again to the back.
That was an aweful first set for Antonsen if he wants to be a contender at this year's Olympics. I expect better of Antonsen.
So I read that Antonsen caught covid. But according to this article, Antonsen said the symptoms were mild and he recovered quite quickly: https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/ba...or-antonsen-as-he-tests-positive-for-covid-19 If there wasn't any long lasting damage by covid, I'm not sure why he performed so badly today. I can only guess that he was out for 2 weeks with no training when he had covid.
Omg, the podcaster made it to the finals! HKV played well. First game was great, but second game was to quote/paraphrase Gill, but a shadow of what was once capable. Spare a thought for Anders, because Covid is no joke. It wrecks the body hard and I fear it will take the best away from those who encountered it and survived. HKV, you deserved your spot in the finals, no doubt about that. Physicality, luck, mental toughness is all part of the sport and how the varying circumstances affect different players all plays a part in their tournament progressions. All the best in the finals, because I know you'll give it your all. I'm sure the podcast after the event will be great as well!