Adventures in anxiousness await us all because the depth of the Olympic competitors performs out. Will CHEN Yu Fei defend her title? Can TAI Tzu Ying or Marin cajole their drained muscle tissues for one final effort? Is that this actually AN Se Younger’s medal to assert?
Who will make the step up from good to nice to Gold?
Quarterfinal Showdowns
This version of the Olympic WS has some sensible gamers: from battle-hardened veterans at their fourth Olympiad to some first-timers. They’re all at La Chapelle Enviornment able to showcase the perfect model of themselves and goal for glory.
AN Se Younger and Akane Yamaguchi
A few yr in the past AN Se Younger was destined to fully dominate girls’s badminton however since her knee damage she just isn’t invincible. She is favorite for the Gold right here, however the fixed stress of high-level matches shall be an enormous take a look at. After the group stage she will get a bye into the quarterfinals and is prone to face Akane Yamaguchi, who has skilled her personal damage issues. Akane at her finest might get into the semifinal. I watched their match on the All England this yr and AY’s refusal to concede was extraordinary. If she will convey that indomitable perception to the courtroom, she is not going to be overwhelmed. At the beginning of the Nationwide Crew coaching camp in July she was enjoying down her probabilities of regaining her peak health although, so the early group levels ought to give us an thought of what stage she will obtain.
TAI Tzu Ying and Gregoria Tunjung
TAI Tzu Ying and Ratchanok Intanon encounter one another early on – in Group E – however just one can progress to the knockouts. Many neutrals shall be wistful in regards to the misplaced alternative for these two to play one another in a while within the competitors. Each are drawing their dazzling careers to an finish; each would grace any Olympic podium. The fact is that each have suffered fairly unhealthy accidents this yr so that will have an effect on what both can accomplish- however it is not going to blight their ambitions .
The winner of their group will in all probability face Gregoria Tunjung who has the pictures and the pace to go deep into the competitors. She should preserve her psychological resilience if she goes to get on the rostrum – she is a particular darkish horse. It may very well be her time. Learn extra about her right here https://womensbadminton.co.uk/2023/04/03/gregoria-mariska-tunjung-anything-is-possible/
Ayo Ohori and Carolina Marin
Ohori has had a superb 2024 and has reached her highest ever rating (10). Though she just isn’t broadly seen as a medal contender, she has an affordable draw and is match. Her victory on the Thailand Masters again in February was over 3 units and 80 minutes so she shouldn’t have too many issues in an attritional gradual corridor.
In the meantime, Marin is set to win again her Gold from Rio. She is essentially the most centered competitor, nevertheless it’s asking rather a lot eight years on to repeat the win. I might by no means wager in opposition to the Spaniard however on the French Open this yr she underachieved by her personal requirements (misplaced in R32) nonetheless she then bounced again to win the All England within the following week.
CHEN Yu Fei and HE Bing Jiao
Can the defending champion retain her medal? Given her win in opposition to AN Se Younger on the Indonesia Open just a few weeks in the past, it appears like she has a superb probability. Nonetheless, first she should navigate a possible QF together with her compatriot HE Bing Jiao. It’s attainable for HBJ to tug off an upset, however the odds are stacked in opposition to her. Not least as a result of CHEN is aware of precisely what it takes to seize gold and might achieve plenty of positives from her latest victory. In that recreation she pushed and pushed: not content material to easily return the shuttle, she went for the traces, stayed constructive and obtained her reward. This may very well be a attainable technique if she has to face the Korean within the SF.
High Takeaways
Accidents and the draw have made this a really open competitors. Success will rely on who can alter to the stadium situations and keep match sufficient to maintain going. It might be a dream come true to see TAI Tzu Ying on the prime of the rostrum: she might get there however she must keep away from grueling video games and I don’t assume that shall be attainable. Gregoria has an out of doors probability of a medal however it’s troublesome to see past a CHEN Yu Fei or AN Se Younger success in Paris.
For those who loved this then check out my preview of the Males’s Singles right herehttps://womensbadminton.co.uk/2024/07/24/olympic-badminton-2024-mens-singles/
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