Now... I won't go as far as saying this JO title being more worthy than the WC 07 simply because it seems like the draw is more intense, because if that is the case, then Taufik winning OG 04 is worth little then, since he defeated the Boonsak(2004 version) and Shon(don't remember spelling) of Korea in the semi and final... which of course ain't that challenging either. But winning this JO does prove a point of being one of the very best in the circuit these days though.
Super Series drawing result as usual full of exciting clash at 1st Round because so many top shuttlers to compete with 32 entries limitation in main draw. Well, the surprising Wacha and Anup are absent in Japan, where are they?
LIVE AND LET DIE good chance for those to build up their mental strength Sony Dwi Kuncoro vs Ronald Susilo -- pressure on sony Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir vs Xu Chen/Zhao Tingting -- pressure on X/Z Lee Chong Wei vs Mohd Hafiz Hashim -- pressure on LCW Bao Chunlai vs Boonsak Poonsana -- pressure on BCL Zhu Lin vs Yip Pui Yin -- pressure on ZL Fu Haifeng/Cai Yun vs Guo Zhendong/Xie Zhongbo -- pressure on F/C
MD seems the MAS & INA pair both getting some bad draws.. As Chinese Praise : "Betray ur frans for ur own glory"
Japan Open is worth more than the World Championships? C'mon...! Hmmhph, I recently observe some [though not all] non-INA and non-CHN fans belittle the importance and prestige of the World Championship? In the 2004 Olympics, Taufik personally defeated Peter Gade. Taufik also defeated the guy [I think Boonsak] who defeated Ronald Susilo -who defeated Lin Dan. It is not Taufik's fault that Lin Dan lost in the early rounds... Didn't Lee Chong Wei, Lee Hyun Il, Kenneth J., Chen Hong, Bao Chunlai, etc. participated in that 2004 Olympics?
Wow...its going to be interesting if Vita Marissa/Butet Vs Gao Ling/HS...in 2nd round....not easy for GL/HS..
if there is a super series for top 16 ranked players playing each other for 15 countdowns, then we have a real champion.....
I think BWF rationale was for (dominant) CHN to kill each other and leave the occassional SF/F open for others (true for WS/WD events but CHN has so much depth here that only SF is occasionally open and if CHN seeded 1 to 4, not even then!). With a few dominant nations (with multiple entries each event) and a draw size of only 32, you are going to end up with team mates facing each other quite frequently. I agree with your sentiment being a "national" supporter rather than individual player supporter its much less fun to see team mates fighting from R1. Call me old fashion but I prefer seeding 1-16 and national separation
That's exactly what I am saying... It is not the winner's fault that his supposingly "toughest" opponents get eliminated early, and that there is nothing the winner can do to "pick" his next opponent so to speak... so to judge a tournament's worth by looking at the winner's path of opponent is NOT reasonable...
JO definately can't challenge the prestigous status of World Championship. .. Any player in any tournament who got the chances of defeating ALL the top opponents in his/her way onto claiming the crown. Then the title is worth more than anything else... But the chances of seeing this "Truth Champions" is very slim coz ever since the introduction of 21pps , upsets rate is very high in every tournaments...
It's good to have two different draw types. Then over time we can see whether it makes any difference to the winner outcomes. I prefer the SS system because the matches are top notch from Round One.Fans need to get excited from Day 1.I don't think it's to hurt CHN as you can see in the JO07.In fact LD and CJ have possibly the best draws. Meeting compatriots is a fact of life. May the hungrier or on-form ones win.It'll be interesting to see how xie/guo are going to play fu/cai since this time xie cannot withdraw or he'll also have to do so for XD.
Last year in JO 06... Lin Dan defeated from 2nd round, Persson(Denmark), then Hafiz in QF, Gade in Semi, Taufik in final... Is that good enough?
Based on today's form of every players.. I would said if LD able to overcome BP in his opening match, can get past PG in the second round, Sony in QF, beat LCW in SF & Taufik in the finals . No 1 will suspect his being rated the overall greatest champions Hafiz / Persson ... U know wat i meant
Okay, you and I know that is not a likely draw... Plus, what if LD get to the final by the route you suggested, but lost to Taufik in the final whom has a much easier route... then what do you call that??? There will never be a perfect draw to determine a "True" champion... we just have to accept it... unless we make an invitational tournament, which we will pre-arrange everything and no upset is allowed, and so on... but that will not work either as many people won't be happy with that as well.
Agree that it won't be a likely draw.. I will not go into deeper debate between TH & LD .. But whoever gets this kinda "DREAM" draw among them will be remembered for decades if they managed comes out on top & win it.
