Category : BWF Events Venue : Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre (Carrara), Gold Coast-AUS Official Website : http://www.sudirmancup.com.au/ Gold Coast Time : http://www.worldtimezone.com/time/wtzresult.php?CiID=3379&forma=Find Time Live Streaming : - https://www.youtube.com/user/bwf - http://videostream.dn.ua/videopage/videoPage.php?g=c2J2b2JoK2F0Y3ZsbmhZ&c=en&i=eWlhaXVidGd1bA№f№f FINAL (01.00pm local time) CHN v KOR => https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/...9D5AE85E-5686-4389-95E6-D700293D2329&match=72 - MD, Fu Haifeng/Zhang Nan v Choi Sol Gyu/Seo Seung Jae - WS, He Bingjiao v Sung Ji Hyun - MS, Chen Long v Jeon Hyeok Jin - WD, Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan v Chang Ye Na/Lee So Hee - XD, Lu Kai/Huang Yaqiong v Choi Sol Gyu/Chae Yoo Jung For the line-up, Choi Sol Gyu will play twice again as he did yesterday against Thailand. World ranking means nothing in team event, both Korea also Japan as well often deliverd big pressure for team China considering their high fighting spirit and self belief. Team Korea has opportunity to steal WS point while China is plotted to take opening match. Korea doesn't field Son Wan Ho, it's not too suprised since Son was struggling to beat lower-ranked Suppanyu Avihingsanon in semifinal and Jeon Hyeok Jin is awarded to play in important tie, grand final. It's predictable that China fields Chen/Jia based on their superb action yesterday to down world number one Matsutomo/Takahashi and positive head to head, 6-1 against All England Champion Chang YN/Lee SH. A thrilling semifinal involved title-holder China against the high-spirited Japan. China arranged the line-up to win 3-0 directly but it was Japan who stole opening match, the battle of young pair pitted underdogs Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino who demonstrated their self belief with quick and aggressive style to topple under pressure world number one Zheng Siwei/Chen Qingchen. It's quite weird decision to field Zheng/Chen here since they lost in group stage against HKG pair, Tang CM/Tse YS and the plot didn't work well. The badminton maestro Lin Dan, the sure point for China leveled the scoreline, 1-1 despite Kenta Nishimoto pushed two-time Olympic Champion work harder, 21-19 / 21-16. Then former world junior champion Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen knocked out Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda in two straight-games, had difficult times at first game 23-21 and high confidence grew in second set, 21-16. Next, Akane Yamaguchi kept Japanese chance alive, this starlet outplayed her tall opponent Sun Yu to make the tie balance 2-2. The Olympic Champion Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi are favoured to secure final ticket for Japan but they were suprised by the outstanding performance of Chinese teenagers, Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan who dictated opening set to outmaneuver world number one with 21-12. Both pairs traded points in second game until crucial stage,19-19 Matsutomo made mistake to give Chinese pair match point, Chen/Jia executed well the last point and delivered incredible China into 12th consecutive Sudirman Cup Final since 1995 edition, what a fantastic record. China is strong favourite to lift the magnificent trophy tomorrow against Korea who eliminated Thailand earlier, 3-1. Korea trailed 0-1 as Thailand took mixed doubles then their players grabbed the next three remaining matches through Son Wan Ho, Choi Sol Gyu/Chae Yoo Jung and Sung Ji Hyun respectively. It's CHN-KOR fifth meeting in Sudirman Cup history after 1997 (China won), 2003 (Korea), 2009 (China) and 2013 (China)
The draw is out : https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/...9D5AE85E-5686-4389-95E6-D700293D2329&match=72
I won't be surprised to see if Lin Dan is benched again but won't check up the lineup until the match starts.
What a disgrace! This would be the last match Lin Dan would ever play in Sudirman Cup but the Phuckin 'collar' throws him to bench. How dare he? Lin Dan like Fu Haifeng deserved to go on an epic note....
And let Chen Long sit idly, less planting only harvesting the fruit??? how unjust it is... too good for him!
I actually half expected Chen Long to be fielded, first because Xia Xuanze believes in him considering his growing experience and maturity, and secondly the Koreans probably thought it's gonna be Lin Dan so might as well put up somebody else; thirdly, XXZ thinks it's high time Chen Long assumes the mantle of CHN MS1 in team championships instead of having to rely on Lin Dan too much (and for how long more?).
As Li Yongbo used to say, having Lin Dan and Chen Long in team events is like double insurance, so that means either one can do the job. Seriously, Chen Long should be able to shoulder the responsibility now as Xia Xuanze believes so,and I think Lin Dan won't mind as he has said before that he himself has made his contributions for so long and it's now Chen Long's turn to do his part.
Quite true, Chen Long's Rio Olympic exploit proved he is up to it now, in his prime, more mature and experienced enough.
I mean, even Zhang Jun is willing to let Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen play their role yesterday against the very strong JPN MD pair instead of calling on Zhang Nan/Fu Haifeng every time when facing a formidable opponent. Bear in mind, this will be Fu Haifeng's last team championship or tournament, probably his swan song (and he said he will fully retire after the China National Games in Oct).
KBA had no problems sending SJH for every single WS match but the supposed world #1 SWH isn't even able to show up for the MS final, instead sending a boy to fight a man's battle. Lame...
Anyway, I am glad He Bingjiao finally gets to play. Frankly, Hobson's choice for Xia Xuanze, but my pick.
Apparently, Zhang Nan's preferred and best MD partner is none other than Fu Haifeng but, too bad, he is retiring after this tournament.
