2016 US Open Grand Prix Gold

M/Q Report version 1 (updated 3rd June 2016) => http://system.bwfbadminton.com/uplo...rsion 1 (Updated Friday, 03rd June 2016).xlsx

 

Sam, any idea on when the entries are locked in?

 

that sucks... I am waiting to watch a GP at least here in the Bay Area.

 

Most of Olympic-bound shuttlers have withdrawn including MS top-two seeds Srikanth Kidambi and Marc Zwiebler also third seed as well, Rajiv Ouseph. Looking at the draw, Indian players have good chance to nail the title here, their major threat will come from former Korean number one Lee Hyun Il. Second seed Michelle Li is tournament frontrunner alongside with Japanese player Yui Hashimoto also local hopeful Zhang Beiwen who conceded walkover from last week Canada Open final.

2015 WINNERS => https://bwf.tournamentsoftware.com/...235FEF-DA5B-462F-B40B-7F61082DA3E9&d=20150621

MS - Lee Chong Wei (MAS)
WS - Nozomi Okuhara (JPN)
MD - Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen (CHN)
WD - Yu Yang/Zhong Qianxin (CHN)
XD - Huang Kaixiang/Huang Dongping (CHN)

El Monte time : http://www.worldtimezone.com/time/wtzresult.php?CiID=7182&forma=Find Time

ROUND OF 32 Order of Play (12.00pm, 4 courts) => http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/matches.aspx?id=90EECB22-6153-467F-8668-CD1BCE7B2499

 

ROUND OF 16 (02.00pm local time, 4 courts) => http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/sport/matches.aspx?id=90EECB22-6153-467F-8668-CD1BCE7B2499

Men's doubles overwhelming favourite Boe/Mogensen will start their campaign tomorrow against Japanese Saeki/Taohata after got first round bye. Interesting fact that 2000 Sydney Olympic Games gold and silver medalist are collaborating here Tony Gunawan/Yoo Yong Sung. Just concluded Canada Open champion Vietnam pair Bao Minh/Duong Bao Duc were sent packing early by Shimada/Takeuchi.

A premature meeting of H.S. Prannoy and Lee Hyun Il happens at last sixteen, another intriguing tie in men's singles department will see current CAN Open winner B. Sai Praneeth takes on Japanese Kazumasa Sakai. Yui Hashimoto and compatriots look good to progress into next round also second seed Michelle Li and home hopeful Zhang Beiwen as well.

 

The veteran Tony/Yoo can still beat last week Canada open finalist

 

QUARTERFINALS (05.00pm local time, 3 courts) => http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/s...ECB22-6153-467F-8668-CD1BCE7B2499&d=20160708#

Title contender Lee Hyun Il edged past Prannoy, 25-23 / 23-21, another thrilling duel involved recent CAN Open champion Praneeth who lost to Kazumasa Sakai, 21-13 / 17-21 , 20-22. However, India has secured 1 semifinal spot in men's singles department through Anand Pawar v Ajay Jayaram. Lee HI should progress to last four and most likely will meet Sakai who's predicted to pass Kevin Cordon. This Guatemala player created big headline in 2011 London World Championships when he knocked out Chen Long at first round there.

French women's singles player Delphine Lansac surprised 8th seed Aya Ohori and will take on Japanese hurdle once again at last eight, the young talented Saena Kawakami, 2015 NZL GP Gold winner. Strong favourite Yui Hashimoto has her younger compatriot Ayumi Mine for a place in semifinal, big match of this discipline will pit local star Zhang Beiwen against Canadian darling Michelle Li.

2012 London Olympic silver medalist Boe/Mogensen were almost ousted by lower-ranked Saeki/Taohata before prevailed 22-20 in deciding game. They get lesser known Japan combination Shimada/Takeuchi next while the unranked Gunawan/Yoo YS will face Inoue/Kaneko, another Japanese pair at this stage, Hoki/Kobayashi will face second seed Attri/Reddy.

Newly-crowned Canada Open winner Mapasa/Somerville have tough test, Japanese pair Matsumoto/Nagahara. Local best hopeful Lee/Obanana are expected to through into semis and will challenge either Fukushima/Shida or 4th seed Tanaka/Yonemoto. At the top half of draw, US combo Hong JY/Zhang BW have Sweden duo Nistad/Wengberg.

Mixed doubles hot fave, former world top 10 Polish pair Mateusiak/Zieba should have no problem to enter final round and top podium on Sunday's final considering their credibility and possible opponent until last round.

 

They didn't played a single match at all to enter this QF. 1 bye and 1 w/o win still make them nothing compare the JPN XD pair who got their winning from rubber game, Ryota Taohata/Koharu Yonemoto.

They need to be extra ready to win this QF match then.

 

A number of surprises, Kevin Cordon , esp. Talk about world ranking.

 

SEMIFINALS (01.00pm local time, 2 courts) => http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/s...EECB22-6153-467F-8668-CD1BCE7B2499&d=20160709

The favourite Lee Hyun Il looks unstoppable to book final spot but Kevin Cordon proves he's no pushover, eliminated more fancied opponent Kazumasa Sakai at quarterfinal. Last hopeful for India camp in this GP Gold, Ajay Jayaram will take on Japanese youngster Tsuneyama, 2014 Asian Junior silver medalist. Both Lee HI and Jayaram didn't drop any single game en route to last four, on paper scenario they may meet in last round. Ayumi Mine shocked her older teammate, more favoured Yui Hashimoto. The unheralded Mine has Bulgarian veteran player Linda Zetchiri to eye final berth. Bottom half of draw will see Japanese teen Saena Kawakami faces world number 20, Michelle Li.

Third Japanese rival will waiting Boe/Mogensen at last four, Inoue/Kaneko who experienced thrilling match against surprising combination Gunawan/Yoo YS, 21-18 / 21-23 / 23-21. Another Japanese pair Hoki/Kobayashi are challenged by third seed Cwalina/Wacha. An all Japanese final will be high possibility to happen in women's doubles department, it's USA v JPN, Hong JY/Zhang BW v Matsumoto/Nagahara and Tanaka/Yonemoto v Lee/Obanana. Mixed doubles frontrunner, Mateusiak/Zieba pushed hard effort to eliminate Taohata/Yonemoto in their first match here and should pass next stage to overcome USA-CAN partnerships Lee HL/Phyllis Chan. Aussie pair Middleton/Leanne Choo v Kobayashi/Nagahara will feature in top-half draw semifinal clash.

LIVE TV (Court 1, 01.00pm) matches :

1) Lee Hock Lai/Phyllis Chan (USA/CAN) v Robert Mateusiak/Nadiezda Zieba (POL)
2) Linda Zetchiri (BUL) v Ayumi Mine (JPN)
3) Ajay Jayaram (IND) v Kanta Tsuneyama (JPN)
4) Saena Kawakami (JPN) v Michelle Li (CAN)
5) Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen (DEN) v Takuto Inoue/Yuki Kaneko (JPN)

 

FINALS (01.00pm local time) => http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/s...EECB22-6153-467F-8668-CD1BCE7B2499&d=20160710

XD, Yugo Kobayashi/Wakana Nagahara (JPN) v Robert Mateusiak/Nadiezda Zieba (POL)

WS, Ayumi Mine (JPN) v Saena Kawakami (JPN)

MS, Lee Hyun Il (KOR) v Kanta Tsuneyama (JPN)

WD, Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara (JPN) v Shiho Tanaka/Koharu Yonemoto (JPN)

MD, Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen (DEN) v Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi (JPN)

Japanese shuttlers will feature in all five finals, two titles have been secured through WS and WD categories. Barring any big upsets the veterans Lee Hyun Il, Mateusiak/Zieba and Boe/Mogensen should top podium. A maiden GP Gold final for JPN upcoming talent, 20 years old Kanta Tsuneyama who emerged as champion in Finnish Open International Challenge last April, stunned Nguyen Tien Minh at final there. His toughest hurdle en route to the last round happened in last eight when he eliminated 8th seed Spaniard Pablo Abian that spent 72 minutes duration.

 

Probably no BWF live streaming for the US market and a very poor line up of matches in my opinion for a Grand Prix Gold. Lucky for me, I lost interest after Tony Gunawan and Yong Sung Yoo were eliminated. On a side note, I am glad to see Carsten Mogensen is playing again even though I am not a fan of his partner's gamesmanship and delaying antics.

 

The old warhorse, Lee Hyun Il, a great player, is at it again winning another GPG title taking on players mostly 8 to 10 years his junior, sometimes more as in the case of his final opponent Kanta Tsuneyama, aged 20.

However, last week at the Canada Open, he was denied the title by Sai Praneeth. Proves that LHI, who's able to take the second of the back-to-back tournament, is still going strong, an evergreen.

 

The web streaming was pretty good quality even if it didn't show much in the way of replays.

The Women's singles and Doubles games were quite entertaining and worth a watch.

Good ol' LHI still got it. His opponent looks fabulous with amazing speed and all the right instincts. LHI was just his inexorable, consistent self.