RESURGENCE
The Malaysian men’s team has played 14 final ties at the Thomas Cup, the second most among all nations, but had been through a 12-year wait to return to the final stage in the last edition in 2014, where they surprised the world by eliminating top teams such as preceding Asian Games gold squad Korea, 13-times Thomas Cup champion Indonesia and 8-time runner-up Denmark, eventually settling with a silver medal. This year, the 6th seeded team has been drawn in the same group with no.3 seed Korea, whom they hold winning records against in round-robins in the 2015 Sudirman Cup and 2014 Thomas Cup. Also in the Group C are England and Germany.
A set-off ceremony was held at BAM on Tuesday.
Top Malaysian doubles duo Goh V Shem (L) and Tan Wee Kiong remained undefeated in their five matches in their run to the final tie at 2014 Thomas Cup. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
Yoo Yeon Seong (L) and Lee Yong Dae, Korea's top men's doubles team and current world no.1. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
DARKHORSE LOOMING
India women’s team has made their home fans proud with a semifinal appearance in New Delhi in 2014. India’s no.1 doubles Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta actually led the first-doubles tie 9-5 in the decider in the semifinal duel against Japan’s 4th-ranked (current world no.1s) Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi. A win would have helped seal a 3-0 victory and send India to their first Uber Cup gold-medal tie, but they eventually gifted away their first loss of the week and gave Japan a come-from-behind win. The 2016 Olympic qualifiers are hoping to secure their top doubles ties, just as last year when they were unbeaten until the semifinals, and bring India back to the podium.
India's top women's doubles team and Canada Open winners Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta have made the list for Rio 2016, their second Olympic appearance. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
NEXT-GEN VICTORS
Three of the most exciting #TeamVICTOR singles rising stars, Taiwan’s Wang Tzu Wei (21 y.o.), Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie (18 y.o.) and Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei (16 y.o.) will make their debut in the premier badminton team championships.
Christie has been one of the breakthrough players to watch this year, winning the fifth deciding rubber to give Indonesia a golden finish at the inaugural Badminton Asia Team Championships. In April, the teenager earned his first career bronze medal at Superseries (Premier) level at the Celcom Malaysia Open.
Jonatan Christie has been one of the fastest rising young stars in singles. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
18-year-old Christie made it to his first Superseries semifinal in Shah Alam this year, only losing to world no.1 Chen Long in three. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
Swiss Open men's singles bronze medalist Wang Tzu Wei. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
2016-05-02 |
2016-06-08 |
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