Glad to see her name in the entry list of the US Open.. http://www.badmintoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php/128412-US-Open-Entry-List
Oh my, that was the first time I've seen the video of her injuring at the Olympics. Tears in my eyes, incredible heartbraking to see. I hope she recovered well.
Congratulations Sayaka Sato on winning the Scottish Open! Finally, you made it... http://www.badzine.net/news/scottish-open-sf-–-sato-sfying-progress/32832/
And she just won the Jeonju Korea Masters, beating Sun Yu. I'm so happy for her that she really is 'back' after that horrific injury. And oh my she looks fast on court! She is so... bouncy!
Sato not looking good early on in the Asia Mixed Team Championships... This isn't going to help her stay above Ohori for long.
Sato never quite reached her full potential.. Even after all these years on the circuit, she has still the same weaknesses.. Very low focus/ self-confidence, lack of intuition/ creativity, she plays the same strokes over and over, also pretty inconsistent, and too emotional on court. Aya Ohori has much more potential in my opinion.
https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/...3A06FB-E57B-487D-8866-ADC83F07997F&d=20170617 Well done to Sayaka Sato for making it through to the semi finals of the Indonesian Open. I don't recall anybody post ACL reconstruction having gone so far in competition. I fancy Japan to take the Uber Cup next year. Their depth in players is truly awesome.
Again, Akane Yamaguchi lost to Sayaka Sato again! Sato defeated Yamaguchi in the All Japan Championship Final last December.
Congratulations Sato! Overcomes SJH in three to win Indonesian Open 2017. Great performance from her, and credit too to the Japanese team management for showing faith in this player. smautf
I haven't seen her play this well for a long time. I wonder whether she'll be able to maintain it (but I have a niggling feeling she can't).
Very low focus? Have you ever watched her matches? her game is built on two major pillars that's focus and discipline. There's nothing you can't achieve with proper discipline and she showed that by winning a PSS after so many years of struggle. Lack of creativity, yes but isn't it the major and I believe the only point where the Japanese ladies lack? They are more physical in nature, long rallies, swift movement, great punch clears, accurate serves and most importantly resilience to keep the shuttle in play. But never really creative like the Thai girls or never very smart like some other top WS players. I guess it's in the coaching. Lack of self confidence, well that's obvious, having ACL reconstruction and failing to win anything big in so many years. But not so shabby after all, she's still going strong, believing in her destiny. Same weaknesses, some players are naturals some are trained by practicing a shot over and over, Sato is one such player, her great physicality and overall core strength has allowed her to practice so hard and perfect the shots to such an extent it would seem the shot selections are now involuntary. Some players have a peculiar style, which is very endurance type, and though lack any X factor, have very few to none disadvantages/weaknesses that's how Sayaka's game is. But when she play a player even more fiesty than she is, or a player who has something unique, some "point scoring" technique, her game becomes paralyzed. As she can't do much to take it out another level, somebody may say she got no second "gear" and all she can do is go on and on and hope her opponent to make errors. Imo, all heads down to her inner belief, that she still have something to fight for, still have something inside to get her something more from her career. She's so emotional on court is evidence of the same. Imo she's a really great character, a brand endorser of the sport and sportsmanship. I wish and hope, she get more victories like INA open, that she deserved when she was at her peak. All the best Sato