Victor CHINA Open 2018 : Round of 32-FINAL (18-23 September)

Only a fool would deny PJB's success as a coach of the overall team, and I did no such thing. I talked about one specific player, for who's development this year "stagnation" would be an euphemistic term. While I have no doubt that the coaching staff have contributed greatly to the positive development of AY, there is no denying that it is currently not working at all.

Let's not forget that for the majority of the time she's been in the A team, she's been a teenager. Heck, she's been a teenager for half of last year, when she played more matches than any other singles player (including men) in the world. I just fear that at this rate, this singular talent and fantastic sportswoman will be burned out before she turns 22 and that this may rob her of a real shot at the home Olympics.
She's stated in several interviews that her strength is enjoying the game....what's left of that in 2018? Crying after losing the S/J League finale to Takahashi, crying after losing the AG team match, injuries through apparent overwork (source: @kurako) and one disappointing performance after the other (this includes the Uber Cup finale, for examble, where she won, but made so many catastrophic errors).

The gambling comment was of course made in jest, but it contains a grain of truth. I have a hard time imagening that short of a longer injury (or a suspension) in "duty first" Japan, she will get what I - layman and outsider, of course - think she desperately needs - a break from the sport to grow as a person, to not have pressure on your young shoulders all the time and return to the game when you're ready to have fun again. Because "fun" is not what she looks like in 2018.

 

Well, the service judge is unbeatable hahah

 

Marin is such a fighter, she is capable of turning the match around

 

eh i thought she was slimmer a bit after that training camp before Asian games no?

anyhoo i'm not expecting much from AY for tokyo2020 or post that... we shall see whether i'm right or not

 

So is Okuhara, great fighter

 

Looks like Marin is a bit under pressure. She had forgotten to scream a few times after winning a point.

Not that I complain about the no screaming

 

I should put it in the context of her WC form

 

in any case, what had happened to talented yamaguchi? isnt ChinaOpen is the last title she won?

 

Good one, NO

 

is there a stream for CCTV-5? thanks.

 

Marin keeps piling on the pressure, no let-up in her attacks

 

I had completely forgotten that this was only SF.
Crazy rallies

 

Okuhara is so bad. I dont know its mental or what. Always like to sit down, Everytime hits the net never pick up the shuttle and just keeps staring at the coach.

 

She is tired

 

Marin looks like she just started playing... Is Dr. Fuentes in practice again?

 

ouch second losses to Marin in a week.... poor NO

 

Marin making big bucks these 2 weeks.

 

i guess i'm ok with Marin vs CYF final....

 

Rampaging Marin

 

Marin is physically stronger than NO, obviously