2016 Victor KOREA Open Superseries : Round of 32 - FINAL (27th September-2nd October)

Can't thank CLELY enough, her contributions are greatly appreciated as always.

 

Xue Song still struggling to find his footing. In the first place, I'm more than a bit surprised he's back from injury layoff so soon after the AE'16 in March. He's probably impatient to get back into active competition and is using the first three tournaments, INA Open, KPN Open and the KOR Open, to test and play himself into form but it hasn't been going well for him.

I understand he's rested for the DEN Open PSS next month, have to take a break to regroup and recharge himself.

 

In the absence of LCW , a surprise to me, Axelsen, and Tommy, the MS field is thrown wide open. time and opportunity for the rest to step up and give themselves a shot at the title.

Let's see how Son Wan Ho,Wei Nan, Chou TC, HKV, Lee Hyun-Il, Hu Yun, K Srikanth, Lee Dong Keun, Vincent Wong, P Kashyap, Tian Houwei, Iskandar Z, Angus Ng K L, Marc Zwiebler, H S Prannoy, Brice Leverdez, Qiao Bin, Huang Yuxiang ,and the some of the younger ones like Jeon Hyuuk Jin, Heo Kwang Hee,Wang Txu Wei, Shi Yuqi, - will fare. They've to strike while the iron's hot.

 

For the CHN juniors who were successful at the JPN Open last week, frankly and realistically speaking, they are only just beginning to rise, haven't yet develop consistency, let alone able to maintain it. So I won't expect too much from them.

For He Bingjiao, I'm somewhat concerned about her physical condition, if she were to meet Intanon again in the QFs, I doubt she can beat her for the third time in a row. Besides, Intanon is now at a level where I believe hardly anybody, perhaps no one, can best her consecutively three times, esp when her fitness and stamina has improved considerably of late as shown when she won three successive tournaments back-to-back.

 

Yeah, Tian Houwei has been a disappointment mostly.

 

Interesting to see Ratchanok Intanon's post match interview after the quarterfinals defeat against He bingjiao. She was asked about He bingjiao's style. She said He bingjiao is playing like Men's singles and she does not want to play rallies and uses her wrist to make up for her movement to finish the rally quickly.

 

Once again, in WD, CHN has to depend on the not-so-reliable pairs of the Luo twins and Ou Dongni/YUu Xiaohan to do duty here with the withdrawal of Tang Yuanting/Chen Qingchen and Huang Yaqiong/Tang Jinhua.

Totally unexpected for CHN WD to be in such a state. A temporary predicament, I'm sure.

 

In MS, Son Wan Ho enjoys homeground advantage and he's been playing quite well lately.

JOJ is in fine form.

Chou Tien Chen and Prannoy have their chances, too.

I'm looking to see how far the veterans, Hu Yun, Wei Nan, Marc Zwiebler and P Kashyap can go. Am a bit biased ftoward Wei Nan.

For the youngsters, a number of them are worth watching, viz., Shi Yuqi, Wang Tzu Wei, Jeon Hyuk Jin, Heo Kwang Hee. However, SYQ is up against one of the hot favourites, Son Wan Ho, a super fit and highly experienced player, a bit tough for the youngster.

 

If LCW didn't withdraw, I venture to say there's no guarantee he can win the second tournaments in two weeks, considering his age catching up and, quite possibly,feeling somewhat physically stretched if his JOSS final match with JOJ is any indication.

In that case, a number of players may trouble him, apart from JOJ, obviously,I'd pick Wei Nan who beat him twice before, then , perhaps, Son Wan Ho, Chou Tien Chen, H S Prannoy, not impossible for one or two juniors to push him to the limit (remember Heo Kwang Hee who upset him in the qualies once?).

Never mind, the possibility is just hypothetical.

 

I more or less sensed it when Sun Yu couldn't hold on to her lead to take G1. Lee Jang Mi plays a very fast game based on what I've seen her played Chen Yufei at the INA Masters. When LJM lost to Ayumi Mine last week at the JPN Open, another good runner and retriever typical of most JPN WS, it surprised me a bit though I also think well of Ayumi.

Without getting to see the match, I venture to guess Sun Yu might be trying to out-attack her KOR opponent and played into her hands instead of constructing the rally a bit more and bide her time to go on the offensive. That's why I feel Sun Yu has to improve on her stroke play and her defensive ability to match her offensive force as I consider Sun Yu not a fast mover who relies more on her height and reach. My 2 cents.

 

I wonder if Kidambi Srikanth lacks finishing power as the score showed Vincent Wong reeled off 5 points in a row from 16-17 in the decider.

 

Chen Yufei's victory over Lee Chia Hsin was unimpressive. In this third consecutive tournament that CYF is playing, CYF has been under par.

In today's match, her accuracy leaves much to be desired, many of her clears were either too long or a bit short more often than not, a fair number of her drop shot retrievals found the net ,and her deep forehand and backhand corners were not well covered.

I'm not the least bit surprised if she gets thrashed by Intanon Ratchanok tomorrow in two successive meetings in a fortnight.

 

I noticed not a single match involving CHN players is on TV court today, even those with Korean opponents.

 

Didn't expect Huang Yuxiang to thumped Lee Dong Keun by the score of 21-11, 21-10. I supposed his right hip injury (sore) is completely healed.

 

What's happening on Ct 5, Tian Houwei is running away with G3 against Kashyap ?

 

Srikanth should work on his mental strength. How many times he will lose after having comfortable lead in the 3rd game.

No words to say.