I guess they should still be able to get past the group stage. I don't think Egypt have good chances,not sure about England. I know Malaysia also is fielding a very young team,so I do not expect much from them either, maybe only a little expectation for the MD but not so much for others.
Yeah I'm aware of that. I'm speaking in the context of purely this single Denmark Open tournament as a scratch pairing.
1. Version 2 of the M & Q for the Denmark Open has been released, with Bird Japan withdrawals as follows: MS: N/A WS: Okuhara Nozomi (M2), Kawakami Saena (R2) MD: Onodera/Okamura (R5) WD: Nagahara/Matsumoto (M2), Sakuramoto/Takahata (M15) XD: N/A 2. Simultaneously, today, the M & Q for the French Open (October 26-31) was also released, with the following entrants: 1. MS Momota Kento (National A, NTT-East) Tsuneyama Kanta (National A, Tonami) Nishimoto Kenta (National A, Gifu Badminton Association) Withdrawals: Watanabe Koki (National A, Unisys) Naraoka Kodai (National B, IMG) 2. WS Yamaguchi Akane (National A, Saishunkan) Takahashi Sayaka (National A, Unisys) Ohori Aya (National B, Tonami) Withdrawals: Okuhara Nozomi (National A, Taiyo Holdings) Kawakami Saena (National B, Hokuto Bank) Takahashi Asuka (National A, Yonex) 3. MD Hoki/Kobayashi (National A, Tonami) Koga/Saito (National A, NTT-East) Matsui/Takeuchi (National B, Hitachi Engineering) Withdrawals: Onodera/Okamura (National B, Unisys) 4. WD Shida/Matsuyama (National A, Saishunkan) Fukushima/Higashino (National A, Marusugi Bluvic/Unisys) !!! Withdrawals: Nagahara/Matsumoto (National A, Hokuto Bank) Sakuramoto/Takahata (National A, Yonex) 5. XD Watanabe/Higashino (National A, Unisys) Kaneko/Matsutomo (National A, Unisys) Hoki/Matsuyama (National A, Tonami/Saishunkan) <currently reserve no. 15>
One of the players at the Japanese national training camp currently taking place in preparation for the Sudirman Cup has tested positive for COVID-19. The player started experiencing symptoms on September 15, and was diagnosed as being infected on September 16. This is after all players tested negative on September 13, prior to the commencement of the camp. Bird Japan still plans to depart for Finland on September 21.
Hirota coming back would take 9-12 months. If Fukushima is doing well, there would no reason to break the new pairing.
Further updates on upcoming tournaments: 1. Sudirman Cup: Withdrawals: Okuhara Nozomi (WS), Nagahara Wakana (WD) ... Matsumoto Mayu will be participating; but I am not sure who she will be pairing with. Both Higashino and Matsutomo are possibilities. This means that the only established WD pair taking part is Shida/Matsuyama! The current list of participants reads as follows; all in all, it is a rather thin field: MS: Momota, Nishimoto WS: Yamaguchi, Takahashi S. MD: Hoki/Kobayashi, Koga/Saito WD: Matsumoto, Shida/Matsuyama XD: Watanabe/Higashino, Kaneko/Matsutomo 2. Thomas Cup: Participants: MS: Momota, Tsuneyama, Nishimoto, Watanabe K., Naraoka MD: Hoki/Kobayashi, Koga/Saito ... Watanabe Y. and Kaneko will also be joining the delegation, but possibly only as spectators. 3. Uber Cup: Participants: WS: Okuhara, Yamaguchi, Takahashi S., Takahashi A., Ohori WD: Matsumoto (without Nagahara), Shida/Matsuyama, Fukushima/Higashino, ... Matsutomo. ----- So, Okuhara will only be participating in the Uber Cup. Due to 'conditioning issues', she has withdrawn from the Sudirman Cup, as well as the Denmark and French Open. Nagahara, too, is apparently suffering from 'conditioning issues'.
What's the reason behind all the withdrawals? Edit: Oops just saw the 'conditioning issue' reason... whatever that is.
I think the other countries are also not sending their established players,looking at the Malaysian squad for Sudirman Cup(who is in the same group with Japan),there's probably only one really highly ranked participant for MS,WD and MD. MS - Lee Zii Jia WD - Pearly and Thinaah MD - Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, but I expect the backup MD pair might be quite good as well as I saw some of Man Wei Chong's junior matches and he is a pretty decent player, although I am not sure how he and Tee Kai Wun's teamwork will be like as I believe they just paired recently. I don't think the XD or WS for Malaysia are highly ranked so I think Japan will have an advantage there. But I think that if Malaysia pairs up Pearly Tan and Man Wei Chong as a scratch pair for XD, they could be competitive as I believe they had beaten several top pairs before although they aren't an official partnership. Overall,I still expect Japan to top the group stage and advance to at least the quarterfinals.
What is the conditional issue referring to? QUOTE="kurako, post: 2812961, member: 134435"]Further updates on upcoming tournaments: 1. Sudirman Cup: Withdrawals: Okuhara Nozomi (WS), Nagahara Wakana (WD) ... Matsumoto Mayu will be participating; but I am not sure who she will be pairing with. Both Higashino and Matsutomo are possibilities. This means that the only established WD pair taking part is Shida/Matsuyama! The current list of participants reads as follows; all in all, it is a rather thin field: MS: Momota, Nishimoto WS: Yamaguchi, Takahashi S. MD: Hoki/Kobayashi, Koga/Saito WD: Matsumoto, Shida/Matsuyama XD: Watanabe/Higashino, Kaneko/Matsutomo 2. Thomas Cup: Participants: MS: Momota, Tsuneyama, Nishimoto, Watanabe K., Naraoka MD: Hoki/Kobayashi, Koga/Saito ... Watanabe Y. and Kaneko will also be joining the delegation, but possibly only as spectators. 3. Uber Cup: Participants: WS: Okuhara, Yamaguchi, Takahashi S., Takahashi A., Ohori WD: Matsumoto (without Nagahara), Shida/Matsuyama, Fukushima/Higashino, ... Matsutomo. ----- So, Okuhara will only be participating in the Uber Cup. Due to 'conditioning issues', she has withdrawn from the Sudirman Cup, as well as the Denmark and French Open. Nagahara, too, is apparently suffering from 'conditioning issues'.[/QUOTE]
'Conditioning issue'. Apparently there is a problem with their physical condition, but no details have been published. As one player at the training camp tested positive for COVID-19, I am wondering whether this could be Nagahara; but again, there has been no follow-up in the media. It may have been one of the players chosen to be a sparring partner. On another, more positive note with respect to physical conditions, Takahashi Ayaka has announced that she is pregnant!
Does anyone think that England may trouble Japan in their group stage match? I watched them play against Malaysia,their doubles are quite strong, especially in XD and WD. I believe England's XD pair is ranked no 7 in the world and the WD pair is no 14 so they actually have skills. I think the XD pair may have the hunger to win after losing today as well. I know some of Japans MD players also recently retired and England's MD pair gave the Malaysian World No 8 pair quite a fight today as well,so if lets say all three of the doubles matches are won by England,it could cause an upset. Or do you think it is unlikely? Sent from my SM-A307GN using Tapatalk
Ellis/Smith haven't been performing particularly well against Malaysia, so they probably will have even bigger problems against Watanabe/Higashino. Lane/Vendy have played solid against Malaysia, so Hoki/Kobayashi or Watanabe/?? will most likely have a hard time. MS, WS and WD should clearly go to Japan though, unless Momota decides to choke once again during the group stage
sorry, this is probably been answered Why the sudden retirement from the MD and Endo? What reasons given?
Intersting situation in the Jap - Eng MD: Ben Lane just split the cork off the shuttle while doing a defensive shot, with the cork tip landing in the net and the feather part going over but being hit into the net by Saito attempting to kill it... Umpire and service judge decided to call a let. Does anybody know the rules for such an uncommon situation?
decided? as if they didn't know off the top of their head? i'm not surprised. BWF Statutes, Section 4.1: Law of Badminton 14. LETS 14.2 It shall be a ‘let”, if 14.2.4. during play, the shuttle disintegrates and the base completely separates from the rest of the shuttle; https://extranet.bwfbadminton.com/d...ion 4.1 - Laws of Badminton - Version 1.0.pdf
Alright, thanks mate Was wondering what exactly the rules say, since the Umpire didn't directly call a let but instead asked the Service Judge to come over and they had a quick conversation before calling the let. Seemed (to me at least) like the Umpire wasn't exactly sure on what the rules say about this situation and therefore he consulted the service judge...