XXXII Tokyo OLYMPIC GAMES 2020 : Day 1-4 (24-27 July 2021) - Group Stage Match

Venue : Musashino Forest Sports Plaza

Schedule & Result : https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/badminton/olympic-schedule-and-results.htm

LIVE SCORE : https://match-centre.bwfbadminton.com/4027

List of LIVE TV Broadcasting : https://gtimg.tokyo2020.org/image/upload/production/z2ndaf9j5quvrpbp82dp.pdf

BWF Olympic Games link : https://olympics.bwfbadminton.com/results/4027/tokyo-2020-olympic-games-badminton/2021-07-24

Full Draw link : https://www.badmintoncentral.com/fo...o-olympic-games-the-draw.188226/#post-2805424

Tokyo time : https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/japan/tokyo

2016 Rio Olympic Games Medalists :
https://olympics.bwfbadminton.com/results/2595/rio-2016-olympic-games/podium

Men's Singles
Gold - Chen Long (CHN)
Silver - Lee Chong Wei (MAS)
Bronze - Viktor Axelsen (DEN)

Women's Singles
Gold - Carolina Marin (ESP)
Silver - Pusarla V. Sindhu (IND)
Bronze - Nozomi Okuhara (JPN)

Men's Doubles
Gold - Fu Haifeng/Zhang Nan (CHN)
Silver - Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong (MAS)
Bronze - Marcus Ellis/Chris Langridge (GBR)

Women's Doubles
Gold - Misaki Matsutomo/Sayaka Takahashi (JPN)
Silver - Kamilla Rytter-Juhl/Christina Pedersen (DEN)
Bronze - Jung Kyung Eun/Shin Seung Chan (KOR)

Mixed Doubles
Gold - Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir (INA)
Silver - Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying (MAS)
Bronze - Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei (CHN)

THE WAIT IS OVER!
Far from ideal even often dubbed as “Pandemic Olympic Games”, finally the postponed-summer games Tokyo 2020 will be opened officially tomorrow, 08.00pm local time at Tokyo Olympic Stadium. No spectators are allowed to minimize the risk of ravaging COVID-19, running series of PCR tests, strict health protocol rules in Athlete Village and each venue will describe games of the XXXII Olympiad atmosphere, unprecedented circumstances for this biggest sporting events at previous editions. Rumored to be cancelled earlier as majority of Japan citizen particularly Tokyo resident signed petition amid growing fear for rapid rise of confirmed cases as influx of massive number people come to Tokyo. Taking motto #United by Emotion Japan wants to show to the world their capability, resilience, prowess once again after 1964 awaking episode albeit this time in very challenging moment.

TITLE-HOLDER DAUNTING TASK
China rules men’s singles top honour since Beijing 2008 but the domination unlikely keep intact in Tokyo OG following lacklustre of their leading men performance in last couple of years. China will banking on Chen Long as stated by head coach Zhang Jun in local media to defend his gold medal in Mushashino Forest Sports Plaza. 32 years old Chen becomes the only defending champion who participating Tokyo OG following Carolina Marina surgery and retirement of most gold medalists in doubles categories. Meanwhile the fit again Shi Yuqi has perilous draw en route to final, no less than 2018 Asian Games gold medalist Jonatan Christie, 2017 World Champion Viktor Axelsen and two-time World Champion, Kento Momota standing on his path. All eyes will pay attention on Momota-Axelsen mouth watering semifinal on top-half draw and perhaps the winner of this tie would encircle themselves with dream medal at the end. Local star Kento Momota is expected has no serious trouble to check into last four and his quarterfinal defeat in Birmingham meet last March doesn't subside his reputation as frontrunner to create history at home soil whilst the in-form Axelsen is trying to emulate his predecessor, current BWF president sterling feat in Atlanta 1996. Anthony Ginting is INA best hopeful in this category who has old habit inconsistency problem that often hampering him to create perfect finishing touch. The Indonesian alongside Chen Long, Anders Antonsen, Chou Tien Chen plus MAS rising star All England Champion Lee Zii Jia become strong contenders to progress further in this mega sport event.

*Potential R/16 highlights :
- Viktor Axelsen v Wang Tzu Wei
- Jonatan Christie v Shi Yuqi
- Lee Zii Jia v Chen Long

PRESSURE ON TAI
In the absence of Rio OG Gold medalist Carolina Marin, one of strongest candidates for Tokyo gold will reduce the quality of this highly competitive category little bit. Top-seed Chen Yufei is predicted to have smooth ride on her path to last round with possible opponents An Se Young, Nozomi Okuhara or her compatriot He Bingjiao. On the contrary, lower half draw presenting fiercer rivalry between Rio OG silver medalist Pusarla Sindhu, Akane Yamaguchi and two skillful players Ratchanok Intanon, Tai Tzu Ying. A real test for Taiwanese star to prove her reputation and competence to shine in major event after strings of failure in World Championships. Many badminton fans also some badminton commentators puts Tai Tzu Ying as top pick to clinch gold medal in Tokyo (in the absence of Marin), thanks to her vast experience, consistency, superb technical skill, extraordinary talent, the only factor she needs only mental toughness, as long as she could cope huge pressure she should celebrate victory on 1st August 2021.

*Potential R/16 highlights :
- Nozomi Okuhara v Michelle Li
- He Bingjiao v Zhang Beiwen
- Mia Blichfeldt v Pusarla V. Sindhu
- Gregoria Mariska v Ratchanok Intanon

BACK TO INDONESIA?
Men’s doubles gold had been slipped from Indonesia camp in last two editions, perhaps this is right time to reclaim old glory that last seen in Beijing 2008 when the late Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan delivered the only gold for INA at that time. Gideon/Sukamuljo a.k.a. The Minions have been criticized for their poor performance in World Championships and cast doubt whether they will prevail in high scale sport events Olympic Games. Being drawn with the in-form Taiwanese duo Lee Y/Wang CL, the exuberant Great Britain pair Lane/Vendy and Indian tricky combination Satwiksairaj/Rankireddy, all of their group rivals aren’t pushovers. Similar case with the veterans Ahsan/Setiawan who grouped alongside Aaron Chia/Soh WY and Choi SG/Seo SJ. Nothing to be discounted, they must start with full gear since the beginning of group match unless the worst scenario would arrived. Arch-rivals Endo/Watanabe, Kamura/Sonoda and Li JH/Liu YC are expected to advance into quarterfinal.

FAVORABLE JAPAN
As usual women's doubles title contention will involve three nations, China, Japan and Korea. Two home women’s doubles pairs have relatively comfortable draw in group stage, Fukushima/Hirota plus two-time World Champions Matsumoto/Nagahara should have no problem to clear their obstacle in group A and B respectively. Things getting complicated for their main opponents Chen QC/Jia YF who drawn in group of death that consists of Kim SY/Kong HY, Kititharakul/Prajongjai and Stoeva sisters. Well, China quest to recapture WD crown looks like becoming strenuous and find steep lane, once very formidable squad, they scored shocking setback, failed to pocket any medal in last OG. Other contenders, KOR who clinched gold in inaugural edition will push their effort to reignite victorious moment 29 years ago in Barcelona 1992, Shin Seung Chan who partnered with Jung Kyung Eun bagged bronze medal in Rio 2016, she has big ambition to convert the color of her medal in Tokyo 2020 with Lee So Hee.

CHINA BEST BET
Zheng SW/Huang YQ have huge burden as best chance for China to nail badminton gold and defy Barcelona 1992 disastrous conclusion. In group rivals, they should be wary of Netherlands duo who beat them in All England 2020, Tabeling/Piek and South Korean southpaws Seo SJ/Chae YJ who can troubling any pair in their good day. Second seed Wang YL/Huang DP have intricating draw with three tricky combinations to overcome, Rio silver medalists Chan PS/Goh LY, HKG Tang CM/Tse YS and on-fire GER duo Lamsfuss/Herttrich. Other contenders Jordan/Oktavianti, Watanabe/Higashino, Puavaranukroh/Taerattanachai are projected to secure last eight spot plus GBR bests Ellis/Smith or French rising stars Gicquel/Delrue who’re drawn in same group alongside Thai hotshots.

DAY-1 (24th July) GROUP STAGE HIGHLIGHTS (09.00am & 06.00pm local time) :
- Ellis/Smith (GBR) v Gicquel/Delrue (FRA)
- Chen QC/Jia YF (CHN) v KItitharakul/Prajongjai (THA)
- Kim SY/Kong HY (KOR) v Stoeva/Stoeva (BUL)
- Lee Y/Wang CL (TPE) v Rankireddy/Shetty (IND)
- Choi SG/Seo SJ (KOR) v Aaron Chia/Soh WY (MAS)
- Chan PS/Goh LY (MAS) v Tang CM/Tse YS (HKG)