After watching KV’s and Viktor’s matches within the playoffs this Olympics, I’d solely give Viktor a 60% probability to beat KV. Previous to watching the playoffs, I’d have given Viktor an 80% or 90% probability to beat KV in the event that they met on the Olympics. However Viktor confirmed his weaknesses, particularly towards Laksha Sen. Viktor appeared surprised and appeared like a deer caught in headlights when Laksha Sen took a 14-9 lead towards him within the 1st set. After which within the 2nd set, Viktor as soon as once more appeared confused when Laksha Sen took a 7-0 lead. It was solely Laksha Sen’s errors that allow Viktor again within the match. However within the 1st set, and within the 2nd set yesterday, it actually appeared like Laksha Sen would take these units.
KV has finished properly to beat two first rate opponents on his technique to the finals. First Shi Yuqi, after which LZW. It was arduous for me to respect KV’s run within the WC final 12 months, as a result of he did not must undergo Viktor (because of Prannoy). Moreover, in KV’s run final 12 months, I believe the strongest opponent he beat was Laksha Sen. Kodai Naraoka was not as robust finalist (and on this Olympics, you possibly can see how robust Kodai Naraoka actually is). LZJ, Shi Yuqi, Antonsen, Jonathan Christie, and so forth, have been on the opposite half of the bracket in final 12 months’s WC and KV averted all of them.
Like if KV beat LZJ, Shi Yuqi, and Viktor, to win the WC final 12 months, I’d have had much more respect for that WC run. However that is who KV must beat this 12 months to win the Olympic Gold medal. So I respect KV’s run this 12 months, primarily based on the caliber of opponents he needed to beat, with Viktor as the ultimate boss, and IMO, Viktor is a a lot worthy closing boss than Kodai Naraoka.
Having stated that, my odds for KV profitable have gone up drastically due to his run. From giving him a ten% so 20% probability to beating Viktor, to now a 40% probability of beating Viktor. It is nearly a coin flip, however I nonetheless give the sting to Viktor due to his previous expertise with profitable the final Olympic gold medal, Viktor’s previous WC titles, Viktor’s win over KV within the 2022 WC finals, Viktor’s 6:1 face to face over KV (https://www.tournamentsoftware.com/…33E64CC&T1P1MemberID=25831&T2P1MemberID=64032), and Viktor’s efficiency during the last 12 months, together with profitable the Malaysia Masters, profitable the BWF Tour finals, profitable the Japan Masters, profitable the China Open, and making it deep in different BWF tournaments (except for profitable the WC final 12 months, KV didn’t win a 500+ BWF match since then, however maybe he’s the kind of man that reveals up at majors).