Just when I thought Li Junhui should be softening a bit, he seems to find renewed energy from his reserves and continues with his smashing power.
Liu Yuchen tries not to engage in fast flat exchanges but Li Junhui is still doing it, a bit unwisely.
A second successive final for the CHN pair, Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen, in as many weeks. Can they do it tomorrow? A real test of their fitness, skills, mentality, I'd say.
FINALS (11.00am) => http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/s...5929F5-694C-443E-A133-4076398D5585&d=20161002 Host Korea has representative in all disciplines and clean sweep mission is no impossible, their final challenge will be Chinese opponents except WS as Akane Yamaguchi through to last round. XD, Ko Sung Hyun/Kim Ha Na (KOR) v Zheng Siwei/Chen Qingchen (CHN) H-2-H : 0-2 / WR : 1 v 18 It's time to take revenge for home pair over Chinese newcomers Zheng/Chen, they succumbed easily to the fast and powerful teenagers in Tokyo last week. An excellent run by world #18, scored straight-sets victory en route to the final including to eliminate their seniors Lu/Huang and HKG pair Reginald Lee/Chau at last eight and semifinal respectively. The world number one Ko/Kim displayed sluggish performance against Rio silver medalist Chan/Goh, losing first game and turned the tables in next two sets with better placement and blocking at front area. MD, Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong (KOR) v Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen (CHN) H-2-H : 1-1 / WR : 1 v 12 A valuable experience to face current world number one for Chinese rising pair Li/Liu. This young sensations book back to back Superseries final, a significant development to replace their predecessor, Rio Gold medalists Fu HF/Zhang N. Lee/Yoo will have extra motivation to present last crown at their home soil. For Lee Yong Dae, he had won KOR Open title five times with three different partners (2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015) and maybe once more tomorrow. WS, Sung Ji Hyun (KOR) v Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) H-2-H : 4-1 / WR : 7 v 10 Last year champion is favoured to defend her title based on their head to head stats, both players advance to finale without much trouble. Sung outplayed Kim Hyo Min while Yamaguchi downed her senior Minatsu Mitani. Sung needs big ranking point to secure Destination Dubai top eight spot as the lanky Korean skipped Japan Open last week. The finalists should grab best opportunity to top podium in this quite Superseries post Olympic Games. MS, Son Wan Ho (KOR) v Qiao Bin (CHN) H-2-H : 1-0 / WR : 8 v 41 A breakthrough for Chinese second stringer to cruise in first ever final of Superseries event. Qiao Bin capitalises more favourable drawing here than previous week in Tokyo, his strongest hurdle should be world #7 Chou Tien Chen at opening round, then he disposed Zainuddin, the inexperienced local rookie Heo Kwang Hee and Vincent Wong WK. Facing Son Wan Ho who's known with solid defense, delicate netplay and patience that often trouble reigning Olympic Champion Chen Long in several tournaments is tough test for 23 years old Chinese underdog. Last time Korean MS player bagged the title here was Lee Hyun Il at 2008 edition, the veteran Lee lost three games in semifinal to his younger compatriot Son WH. WD, Jung Kyung Eun/Shin Seung Chan (KOR) v Luo Ying/Luo Yu (CHN) H-2-H : 1-0 / WR : 3 v 6 Rio bronze medalist Jung/Shin will be favourite to nail WD crown, first time since Korea Superseries inception in 2007 as Chinese pairs dominated this category. The Koreans will face Luo twin sisters, the inconsistent China combination and most vurnerable against foreign pair as they don't have lethal smash and good interception. Luos defeated the exhausted Danish veterans Pedersen/Juhl in long duration semifinal while top-seed edged past their fellow countrywomen Chang YN/Lee SH.
Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen has been very impressive. I wonder about the great CHN talent evaluators/recruiters system process to be able to pick up giants to play MD. I think their system probably scout kids from early kinder age, choose the sport you are playing based on heights as the kids grow.
I hope SWH, LYD/YYS, KSH/KHN, SJH and JKE/SSC sweep all events today. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
Korea has really done justice in their home event. Rooting for ZSW/CQC (as much as I like KHN I really want this young and refreshing pair to replace their boring Seniors (Xu/Ma and others)) LYD/YYS, (this one is easy) AY, (It's high time she achieve some more SS success besides SJH always looks extremely dull and tired to me) SWH, (no specific reasons, i just dont like Qiao Bin much) JKE/SSC (luos ahh they are the most tedious pair to me)
It is the perfect time to send off LYD by a complete win in every event today Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
The Koreans have experience and ranking on their sides in all the disciplines except WD where they are about even with the CHN, not to mention home advantage.
Not really, CHN MS should be Chen Long and WD will be other than the Luo twins; as for WS, if not LXR, then either He Bingjiao or Sun Yu. I agree with MD Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen and XD Zheng Siwei/Chen Qingchen as likely picks.
This is the kind of unexpected or unforeseen situations that the CHN rising stars must go through and learn from it to strengthen their resolve and gain valuable experience on overcoming adversity.
