Hoping or wishing indirectly for a Chinese player to be injured ? That's the Olympic spirit for you !?
A fair,reasonable and balanced comment, not like some others who conveniently brushed it off as excuses whether good and valid or poor and lame.
It's not purely based on seeding, nation separation has been practised many times before as another criterion.
It's not purely based on seeding, nation separation has been practised many times before as another criterion.
You misinterpreted my post entirely. I'm rooting for Fu/Zhang, but since my favorite players are dropping like flies in this tournament, I suspect some sort of miracle from Goh/Tan or the mentioned injury. I dont want amy playerd to get injured - not even Marin. Disqualified, beaten, yes - but not injured.
Now that Wang Yihan was sent packing home without a medal, suddenly there's an outpouring of sympathy for her. Wonder how much of it is genuine, how much hypocritical.
The Spanish banshee hasn't been impressive the past one year and might end up poof; the Japanese midget (sounds disparaging) is vulnerable recently; the Indian Tower (that's an overstatement) , her unexpected giant-killing feat, might come tumbling down when the Japanese midget start gnawing at its base in the semis. Actually, at pain of sounding cliched, Li Xuerui is her own worst enemy but, glad to say, of late she's been fairly steady as she matures if her latest Uber Cup performance is any indication. My nagging concern is she hasn't played Marin for quite a long time unlike her two teammates, WYH and WSX, who both have beaten her, WSX three times at least, in recent times. As for Nozomi and Sindhu, LXR last encountered both of them with decisive victories. Still this is the Olympics, I earnestly hope LXR doesn't give herself too much pressure, treat it like another Uber Cup, and after all, she's accumulated quite a bit of experience and valuable lessons in previous major championships, albeit painful ones but,nevertheless, useful as part of growing up. In conclusion, if Li Xuerui plays at or near her best without mentality and fitness issues, not much problem so far, her skill level is enough to enable her to wear the Olympic crown again for the second time, equaling her mentor Zhang Ning's record. We shall see.
Gotta say my predictions for today are: LCW Lin Dan Axelsen Chen Long I'd actually be interested to see a Lin Dan - Axelsen final. Don't want a Lin Dan Chen Long final.
For me, Chen Long is needed to carry the baton for the younger generation, Axelsen is not quite there yet, in the future maybe as he matures. But, the two great veterans, both past their prime, who seemed to have outlived their times are still very much in contention, blame the younger cohort for not being able to take over from them yet. Incidentally, the 31-year-old Usain Bolt had successfully achieved his three-peat in 100m sprint, the first athlete to do so. Also the 31-year-old Michael Phelps whose initial coming out of retirement was beset with some difficulties has won his swag of golds in swimming, garnering five more golds at Rio, ending a record-breaking career with 23rd Olympic gold. So why not Lin Dan ? Yes, he can, I believe.
Unfortunately for Wang Yihan, her unpredictability and inconsistency still plagued her at the Olympics. I do like her a lot, honestly, still, I've little faith in her last and final Olympic. In fact, just prior to the start of Rio OG, I make bold to suggest her replacement with Sun Yu or even He Bingjiao (why not when 19-year-old Akane could be here). Now I feel sorry for WYH, and expect her to announce her retirement soon.
How to use both system at the same time? Very difficult, or you have to be fairly unjust toward the ranking achieved by most players. Moreover, it can lead to same-nations matches at later stages of a competition, which is a bore
True, but at the moment the age difference between a 32/33-year-old and a 26/27-year-old in a physically demanding sport is still quite significant. One is definitely on the decline and has to rely more on experience while the other is in his prime. Besides, prolonging their career is one thing, remaining at the top is another.
Well, I don't think LCW is gonna take gold. His last matches with Lin Dan, it almost seems like Lin Dan lets it go 20-15 or whatever and then stops playing his best. I think he was trying to elicit the top play from LCW so he could see the absolutely strongest game he has. Chen Long has been underwhelming. Axelsen would lose his cool. Srikanth might beat Lin Dan, but I don't think CTC will be LCW, and Rajiv Ouseph? How has he made it anywhere? Guy has been a flop in SS for years.
Why not, the computer can take care of that, or simply place the two same-nation players in opposite halves and conduct the rest of the draw based on ranking and seeding. Has been done before.
Then being of the same nation overpower the rankings. Thus a player ranked 6 but with the same nation then seed n.1 would take the place of seed 2, which is unfair. For example, if LD was seeded 6, CL 1 and LCW 2, LCW would normally be in the opposite half to CL, but with the nation-separation criteria, could end up being on CL's half. If you multiply the same nations players (2 from DEN, 2 or more from CHN, and possibly others), it becomes quite difficult to run