Lee Sheng Mu／Tsai Chia Hsin VS Li Gen-the son of China’s head coach
With the China Masters recently finished, it’s now time for the Japan Open Super Series tournament which will start in Kyoto on September 17 and last for six days.
In the first round, Chinese Taipei’s top men’s doubles pair Lee／Tsai face a pair that are attracting a lot of attention-China’s famous mixed doubles player Zhang Nan together with Li Gen, the son of China’s head coach Li Yong-bo.
Zhang Nan began as a men’s doubles player but focused on the mixed doubles at the expense of the men’s doubles to try to win Olympic gold at the London Olympics with his girlfriend Zhao Yun Lei, a bid that was successful. Zhang Nan has said in an interview that men’s doubles success is still his biggest dream and he has been planning to return to men’s doubles since winning the Olympic gold in London. At the Japan Open he is matched with Li Gen, the son of China’s head coach Li Yong-bo. Li Gen hasn’t performed eye-catchingly on the tour and, while the pair are still getting used to playing with each other, they should be no match for Lee／Tsai.
Lee Sheng Mu／Tsai Chia Hsin will face their toughest opposition in the quarterfinals when, if there are no upsets, they will face top seeds Indonesia’s Setiawan／Ahsan. The outstanding performance of the Indonesian pair in the first half of the year have left them No.2 in the world ranking, behind only the ROK’s Lee Yong Dae／Ko Sung Hyun.
Tai Tzu Ying will go all out to retain her title
Chinese Taipei’s women’s singles star Tai Tzu Ying won the title at the Japan Open last year. This year she is seeded sixth. Her biggest obstacle to repeating her success should be when she comes up against Li Xue Rui in the semi-finals.
Li Xue Rui will have expended a lot of energy after playing in the China national games and the China Masters is close succession and she lost to Thailand’s Porntip, to the surprise of many, at the semifinal stage at the China Masters. If Tai’s knee has fully recovered she has a good chance of getting to the final.
The ROK are resting their main players after they were out in full force at the Chinese Taipei Open and the China Masters and they have sent just up and coming players to play at the Japan Open to give them experience.
2013-09-16 |
2013-09-18 |
© 2018 VICTOR RACKETS IND.CORP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.(Player Photo Credit: Badmintonphoto)