CantSmashThis
Regular Member
Li Xuerui will also make an appearance in sunny California next month for the US Open. (Assuming she makes qualifiers).
Li Xuerui ( 李雪芮 )
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Thanks for the info. And she might as well play the CAN Open too to make the trip all the way there worthwhile.
Master
Regular Member
As far as USA Open concern, number 7 is a lucky number, she made it into Qualification Round as 7th players in Qualification Round.
>>> USA Open 2018 - M&Q Report v2 (Updated Friday, 18th May 2018).
On the other hand, the Canada Open confirmed that Li Xuerui become one of 16 players that join the qualification round. I also notice that there is the other CHN player in the qualification, named Li Yun (I don't have any info regarding this player, anyone of you have it?).
>>> Canada Open 2018 - M&Q Report v1 (Updated Friday, 18th May 2018).
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CantSmashThis
Regular Member
I think you looked at M&Q1 again. She's already in qualifiers for US Open.
Master
Regular Member
Ah, you're right. After download M&Q v2, then I opened the M&Q v1.... Then why I mentioned no changes made.
Thanks. Corrected!
So, number 7 still lucky for her.
s_mair
Regular Member
Sometimes it can feel really good to be proven wrong.Sad as it may be, I don't think we will see her back at top level competitive badminton again.
Great comeback after such a long recovery period. This should give her a lot of confindence to see that her knee is holding up well and that she clearly had more gas left in the tank in that final. Still, I think there is some work to do to seriously challenge the Top5 in the near future. But I hope we will see that for ourselves very soon. But first of all, congrats for winning the US Open. A well deserved victory!
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Yep, should could be a living example for those out there facing the same injury and a motivational factor.......Sometimes it can feel really good to be proven wrong.
Great comeback after such a long recovery period. This should give her a lot of confindence to see that her knee is holding up well and that she clearly had more gas left in the tank in that final. Still, I think there is still some work to do to seriously challenge the Top5 in the near future. But I hope we will see that for ourselves very soon. But first of all, congrats for winning the US Open. A well deserved victory!
I have a feeling she is gunning for the WC, maybe she will be the darkhorse in the touney...
It's obvious her mobility issue is still there, the way she was left stranded time and again by Zhang Beiwen's fast clears to the back followed by a cross-court drop shot stumping her.
At the CHN National games she did play WD after pulling out from WS though without much success as she didn't have a strong partner then. As we know, she's known to be a good WD player, so it might be a viable option, except that she appeared determined to make a successful comeback in WS where she has a proven track record.
I doubt she'd consider switching to WD anytime soon.
Heartiest congratulations to Li Xuerui for a fine victory at the US Open, winning here second individual title in as many tournaments played, in the process beating three top players currently inside WR15, the WR12 Zhang Beiwen in the final, the WR13 Sayaka Sato in R2,and the WR14 Michelle Li in the semifinals, in addition to the WR24 Kim Hyo Kim, not to mention the WR69 Britney Tam who isn't a shabby player.
That coming after about three months back from a long two-year injury layoff, in only her third tournament played, winning two individual titles whereas literally tanking in the Uber Cup semifinals to Busanan, a dismal performance some two weeks ago that dismayed me so much that I actually wrote her off, dismissing any hopes of her ever being able to make a successful comeback.
Who would've thought, least of all me, that Li Xuerui would go on to be a totally different player at the US Open, virtually a transformed player reminiscent of her former prowess.
However, it's apparent she still has mobility issues which I noticed in her match with Michelle Li yesterday and , today, Zhang Beiwen in the final cleverly exploited it now and then, leaving her stranded several times with sudden crisp cross-court drop shots as LXR often struggled to cover the long diagonal and seemed afraid to lift off with her left (previously injured knee) leg when lunging.
But what impressed me most is Li Xuerui's grit determination and tenacity apart from her remarkable skills and intelligent play coupled with her good reading of the game and anticipation, one of the key abilities of top badminton players. No doubt she still has some way to go to challenge the very best in the world but after her seeing her performance at the US Open, I make bold to say if she can regain her top condition and form as in her heyday, there's no telling how far she can defy the ravages of age and injury to ascend the summit once more despite her 27 years of age now.
To recap her final match with Zhang Beiwen at the US Open - in G1, Li Xuerui was a picture of composure as she saved six gamepoints to force the deuce though to no avail as she went down 21-23. Admittedly, at that moment, I worried for her fighting spirit, if not physicality, and thought G2 would be an uphill task for her. Instead she gave me a pleasant surprise by equalising the score with a 21-15 win to earn herself the decider. Even then, to be honest, I wasn't at all sure she could survive G3 but I was taken aback as she ran away with the game from 8-all, leaving me speechless.
In the end, I can't help but ask, why didn't she play like that at the Uber Cup ? The answer is obvious, jangled nerves. I guess Zhang Ning hadn't expected her to crumble the way she did when hopes were placed on her to steady the ship and deliver when it mattered most. Perhaps she considered LXR's unbeaten record in team majors when selecting her to play the leading role in guiding and mentoring the younger teammates, albeit as WS3. Unfortunately, she must have forgotten LXR's perfect score in team events was as WS1, a role she assumed since post-LOG'12 where she captured gold and was catapulted to the top rung, not as WS3 which is the deciding tiebreaker for the knockout stage. As we know, LXR is known to wilt under tremendous pressure in the individual major championships, well-documented, and, in my opinion, it's not the least bit surprising that the same could happen to her when the fate of the team, or the nation, is in her hands. I earnestly hope she will mature and outgrow, if possible, or learn to overcome the shortcoming in good time.
Well, that's all under the bridge now. Let's look forward, not back. I wish Li Xuerui all the very best and may she rise and shine again. I'm pretty sure we all know what she's capable of when she's in the zone. Li Xuerui, Jiayou !
That coming after about three months back from a long two-year injury layoff, in only her third tournament played, winning two individual titles whereas literally tanking in the Uber Cup semifinals to Busanan, a dismal performance some two weeks ago that dismayed me so much that I actually wrote her off, dismissing any hopes of her ever being able to make a successful comeback.
Who would've thought, least of all me, that Li Xuerui would go on to be a totally different player at the US Open, virtually a transformed player reminiscent of her former prowess.
However, it's apparent she still has mobility issues which I noticed in her match with Michelle Li yesterday and , today, Zhang Beiwen in the final cleverly exploited it now and then, leaving her stranded several times with sudden crisp cross-court drop shots as LXR often struggled to cover the long diagonal and seemed afraid to lift off with her left (previously injured knee) leg when lunging.
But what impressed me most is Li Xuerui's grit determination and tenacity apart from her remarkable skills and intelligent play coupled with her good reading of the game and anticipation, one of the key abilities of top badminton players. No doubt she still has some way to go to challenge the very best in the world but after her seeing her performance at the US Open, I make bold to say if she can regain her top condition and form as in her heyday, there's no telling how far she can defy the ravages of age and injury to ascend the summit once more despite her 27 years of age now.
To recap her final match with Zhang Beiwen at the US Open - in G1, Li Xuerui was a picture of composure as she saved six gamepoints to force the deuce though to no avail as she went down 21-23. Admittedly, at that moment, I worried for her fighting spirit, if not physicality, and thought G2 would be an uphill task for her. Instead she gave me a pleasant surprise by equalising the score with a 21-15 win to earn herself the decider. Even then, to be honest, I wasn't at all sure she could survive G3 but I was taken aback as she ran away with the game from 8-all, leaving me speechless.
In the end, I can't help but ask, why didn't she play like that at the Uber Cup ? The answer is obvious, jangled nerves. I guess Zhang Ning hadn't expected her to crumble the way she did when hopes were placed on her to steady the ship and deliver when it mattered most. Perhaps she considered LXR's unbeaten record in team majors when selecting her to play the leading role in guiding and mentoring the younger teammates, albeit as WS3. Unfortunately, she must have forgotten LXR's perfect score in team events was as WS1, a role she assumed since post-LOG'12 where she captured gold and was catapulted to the top rung, not as WS3 which is the deciding tiebreaker for the knockout stage. As we know, LXR is known to wilt under tremendous pressure in the individual major championships, well-documented, and, in my opinion, it's not the least bit surprising that the same could happen to her when the fate of the team, or the nation, is in her hands. I earnestly hope she will mature and outgrow, if possible, or learn to overcome the shortcoming in good time.
Well, that's all under the bridge now. Let's look forward, not back. I wish Li Xuerui all the very best and may she rise and shine again. I'm pretty sure we all know what she's capable of when she's in the zone. Li Xuerui, Jiayou !
I had my doubts as well. We see few badminton players who have had ACL injuries come back into the game at a high level unlike other sports. I think partly because the relatively poor financial incentives and complex nature of badminton skills.
It's pretty easy to explain. Lack of high level match practice, stressful situation, aggressive audience and inspired opponent. It happened to Jan O Jorgensen as well.
I understand what you mean, but I put it down more to her mental weakness - the way she played the US Open, I'm pretty sure she's more than a match for Busanan under normal circumstances.
Actually, your view more or less agrees with Cai Yun's who criticised XXZ and ZN's decision to select LXR for the role of WS3 in such an important major championships, citing reasons like she's not fully match fit, the tremendous stress she's being subject to when she's not really ready for it, and putting her at risk of recurrent injury as well.
At age 27, LXR doesn't have many good years left, I believe she herself is just as anxious to succeed in the shortest possible time. Clearly, her situation is not as optimistic as the 23-year-old Kento Momota's.
Nonetheless, LXR's two title wins in two individual tournaments played within the first three months of her comeback is nothing short of phenomenal. For me, I also wish to see her mentally tougher than before.
This one I am not sure about. You see the other two men still continuing at 35yo and I think it is question of financial and social incentives.
I think she is good for another four years
This week Li Xuerui moves on to play the CAN Open, a BWF WTS100 event where some tough opposition possibly awaits her in the form of 1st seed Michelle Li again, 4th seed Mitani Minatsu, 2nd seed Sayaka Takahashi, and, who knows, perhaps one or two other surprise packages among the lesser knowns.
I really hope so...but apart from the Super Duo you alluded to, in Women's Singles, we can hardly find any one who comes anywhere close to enjoying the kind of status and financial incentives and rewards that the two living legends are receiving.
Well, I'd be overjoyed if Li Xuerui can succeed in becoming the first WS to break the glass ceiling, so to speak. Still a long way to go for her at the moment.
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agree on yr observation. fully fit and match fitness is 2 different things....
she can be fit and raring to go, but match fit, and playing under pressure in a team event is not easy to handle, we have seen time and time again how top players were humbled by lower ranked players just because they coundn't take the pressure.
Even rank world no.1 is not easy, the pressure gets to u and you are expected to perform...
Anyway, it was nice to see her back and in her old winning ways, and as a role model for the youngsters that anything can happen but the most important thing is not to give up and always give your best..
GingerCorslette
Regular Member
Li Xuerui seemed to break down in tears lying down on court after winning Canada Open, sweeping this NA tour