Tuesday, 24 Dec 2024

BWF News

The 2014 Victor Korea Open marks the beginning of the new MetLife BWF World Superseries, promising an exciting season of top-quality badminton action. This year is especially significant, with several major competitions scheduled, including the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Thomas/Uber Cups, and World Championships. As the first Superseries event of the season, the Korea Open sets the stage for engrossing contests between established stars and a young pack of emerging players looking to make their mark.

Young Players to Watch

One of the most promising young players in the tournament is Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi. Last year, as a 16-year-old, she won her home Japan Open Superseries and followed it up by winning the BWF World Junior title. Yamaguchi’s progress will be keenly watched as she competes in the Korea Open. However, she faces tough competition from an array of Chinese players, including Wang Shixian, Wang Yihan, Yao Xue, Han Li, and Suo Di. Other contenders include BWF World champion Ratchanok Intanon from Thailand and defending champion Sung Ji Hyun from Korea. The Women’s Singles category promises exciting and unpredictable matches.

Lee Chong Wei’s Challenge

In the Men’s Singles category, the No. 1 ranked player, Lee Chong Wei from Malaysia, is the one to watch. Fresh off his victory in the BWF World Superseries Finals last year, Lee is determined to continue his winning streak. However, he should be cautious in his first-round match against local hope Son Wan Ho. Son defeated Lee in the final of the India Open Superseries in 2012 and has been in excellent form, with a 12-match winning streak in recent tournaments. Other players expected to make an impact in the Men’s Singles category include Du Pengyu from China, Jan O Jorgensen and Viktor Axelsen from Denmark, Kento Momota and Kazumasa Sakai from Japan, and Tommy Sugiarto from Indonesia.

Tham Khảo Thêm:  News | BWF World Tour

Doubles Favorites

In Men’s Doubles, home stars Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yeong Seong are the favorites to clinch the title, despite being seeded fifth. In Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles, Chinese pairs Yu Yang/Wang Xiaoli and Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei are the frontrunners due to the absence of top-ranked Danish pairs.

Highlights of the Tournament

Some notable highlights from the tournament include the success of BWF World Junior champion Akane Yamaguchi and the impressive performances of the qualifiers in the Men’s Singles and Doubles categories. Former Men’s Singles No. 3 Simon Santoso, who has slipped down the rankings, hopes for a comeback this season. The Indonesian player qualified for the main draw and faces a tough opponent in Chen Long from China. Additionally, several Korean players have also qualified in various categories, adding to the excitement of the tournament.

Stay tuned for thrilling badminton action and follow all the updates on Carnegiecentre.com.