Thursday, 21 Nov 2024

News | BWF World Tour

The YONEX All England Open 2020 is set to kick off next Wednesday, and it promises to be one of the most exciting editions yet. With the recent challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak and the cancellation of some Olympic qualifying events, the All England tournament takes on added importance.

For athletes who were counting on those events to secure their spot in the Olympics, there is now an extra sense of urgency to perform their best in Birmingham. This is particularly true for the women’s doubles gold medallists from Rio 2016, Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi. They will need to surpass at least one of their compatriot pairs in the top 8 of the rankings to secure their place.

In addition to Matsutomo and Takahashi, other top players confirmed for the tournament are Pusarla V. Sindhu, Carolina Marin, Viktor Axelsen, Chou Tien Chen, Chen Yu Fei, Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, and Zheng Si Wei/Huang Ya Qiong. These players are sure to provide some thrilling matches and showcase their skills on the court.

However, there have been a few late withdrawals, including Indian players Chirag Shetty/Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Attri Manu/Reddy B. Sumeeth, HS Prannoy, Sameer Verma, and Sourabh Verma. The concern regarding the COVID-19 outbreak has raised worries among the competitors, especially with the tournament taking place in the United Kingdom, where the number of infections is increasing.

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Most of the players had a break from the HSBC BWF World Tour in February due to the continental team championships. The cancellation of the YONEX German Open 2020 has made the All England tournament even more crucial for players to assess their current form and gauge their performance against tough opponents.

The absence of Kento Momota, who is still recovering from a traffic accident, is expected to create an open playing field. This opens up opportunities for former All England winner Shi Yu Qi, who will be looking to regain his winning form on a stage where he has previously excelled.

One player who will undoubtedly draw attention is Lin Dan, the legendary player who has won six titles at the All England. This tournament might be his last chance to add another victory to his impressive record. Lin Dan’s first test will be against three-time world junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, making for an intriguing matchup right from the start.

Aside from the established players, there are also a number of up-and-coming names to watch out for, such as Lakshya Sen, who will be making his All England debut against Hong Kong Open champion Lee Cheuk Yiu. The women’s singles category will feature promising talents like An Se Young, Phittayaporn Chaiwan, Wang Zhi Yi, and Kim Ga Eun.

With an exciting lineup of players and the added drama surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, the YONEX All England Open 2020 promises to be a thrilling tournament that fans won’t want to miss. Be sure to follow all the action and witness the best badminton players in the world compete for glory.

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