0 Australian Open Grand Prix Gold 2012, Quarterfinals Results

Men's Singles

Chen Jin - Takuma Ueda 21-17 21-19
Simon Santoso - Shon Wan-ho 21-15 12-21 21-10
Alamsyah Yunus - Nguyen Tien Minh 9-21 6-21
Taufik Hidayat - Sho Sasaki 11-21 20-22

In the semifinals tomorrow, Chen (CHN, world no.5) will play Simon (INA, world no.9), while  Nguyen (VIE, world no.12) will play Sasaki (JPN, world no.6). Chen Jin is likely to make himself stretch in order to secure the Olympic ticket, so there is nothing to do but win the MS. However, Simon will not be an easy opponent.

Women's Singles

Ai Goto - Minatsu Mitani (Ai Goto wins by Minatsu Mitani's walkover)
Wang Lin - Bae Youn-joo 14-21 23-21 21-23
Sayaka Sato - Sung Ji-hyun 15-21 11-21
Porntip Buranaprasertsuk - Han Li 22-20 15-21 15-21

In the semifinals tomorrow, Goto (JPN, world no.20) will play Bae (KOR, world no.14), while  Sung  (KOR, world no.11) will play Han (CHN, world no.92). There is a prospect of all Korea final in the WS event. 

Men's Doubles

Hoon Thien How/Teo Kok Siang - Hiroyuki Endo/Kenichi Hayakawa 21-19 11-21 16-21
Fang Chieh Min/Lee Sheng Mu - Naoki Kawamae/Shoji Sato17-21 21-12 21-14
Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan - Alvent Yulianto C./Hendra Aprida G. 21-15 21-15
Angga Pratama/Ryan Agung S. - Hirokatsu Hashimoto/Noriyasu Hirata 19-21 21-17 21-19

In the semifinals tomorrow, Endo/Hayakawa (JPN, world no.13) will play Fang/Lee (TPE, world no.10), while  Markis/Hendra (INA, world no.12) will play Angga/Ryan (INA, world no.18). Once again, like in the quarterfinals, Markis/Hendra must encounter their fellow Indonesians in order to take the first title of the season.

Women's Doubles

Miyuki Maeda/Satoko Suetsuna - Vita Marissa/Nadya Melati 15-21 21-15 21-10
Cheng Wen Hsing/Chien Yu Chin - Chin Eei Hui/Wong Pei Tty 17-21 21-18 24-22
Anneke Feinya A./Nitya Krishinda M. - Luo Ying/Luo Yu 10-21 20-22
Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi - Shizuka Matsuo/Mami Naito 7-21 9-21

In the semifinals tomorrow, Maeda/Suetsuna (JPN, world no.5) will play Cheng/Chien (TPE, world no.9), while  Luo/Luo (CHN, world no.48) will play Matsuo/Naito (JPN, world no.6). There is a prospect of all Japan final in the WD event. WD event. Meanwhile the unseeded Luo/Luo continue their giant steps and are likely to be pairs of the tournament because of their surprising achievement. For the second time in a row, the Chinese future pairs upset the more experienced Indonesians.

Mixed Doubles

Kang Ji-wook/Choi Hye-in - Shintaro Ikeda/Reiko Shiota 15-21 20-22
Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying - He Hanbin/Bao Yixin 21-18 21-19
Kenichi Hayakawa/Misaki Masutomo - Liu Cheng/Luo Ying 21-18 22-20
Robert Mateusiak/Nadiezda Zieba - Chen Hung Ling/Cheng Wen Hsing 16-21 19-21

In the semifinals tomorrow, Ikeda/Shiota (JPN, world no.11) will play Chan/Goh (MAS, world no.8), while  Hayakawa/Matsutomo (JPN, world no.37) will play Chen/Cheng (TPE, world no.5). There is a prospect of all Japan final in the XD event.

0 Season's First Quarter (January-March) Winners : Women's Doubles

Korea Open SSP & All England BCSSP : ZHAO YUNLEI/TIAN QING

Malaysia Open SS : WANG XIAOLI/YU YANG

Estonian International : IRIS TABELING (pic)/SELENA PIEK

Swedish Intl & Polish Intl : MARIANA AGATHANGELOU/HEATHER OLVER

Iran Fajr International : RIE ETO/YU WAKITA

Austrian International : NG HUI ERN/NG HUI LIN

German Open GPG & Swiss Open GPG : HUAN XIA/TANG JINHUA

Croatian International : SAMANTHA BARNING (pic)/EEFJE MUSKENS

Banuinvest International : LINE KJAERSFELDT/SANDRA-MARIA JENSEN

Other winners:

Uganda International : MICHELLE EDWARDS/ANNARI VILJOEN
Vietnam International : PIA ZEBADIAH/RIZKI AMELIA PRADIPTA
Finnish International : ALEX BRUCE/MICHELLE LI
Torneo Giradilla : Women's Doubles event was not held.

0 Season's First Quarter (January-March) Winners : Women's Singles

Korea Open Superseries Premier : WANG SHIXIAN

Malaysia Open Superseries : WANG YIHAN

Estonia International : JUDITH MEULENDIJKS

Swedish International : PI HONGYAN

Iran Fajr International : NESLIHAN YIGIT

German Open GPG & All England BC Superseries Premier : LI XUERUI

Toreno Giradilla : CHRISTINA AICARDI

Swiss Open GPG : SAINA NEHWAL

Polish International : AI GOTO

Finnish International : YAO JIE

Other winners in women's singles of the First Quarter (January-March):

Jeanine Cicognini (Uganda International)
Sayaka Takahashi (Austrian International)
Kana Ito (Banuinvest International & Croatian International)
Nichaon Jindapon (Vietnam International)

0 Pablo Abian the Lonesome Spaniard

The presence of Pablo Abian is very unique. He represents Spain in the world badminton circuits. The one man show has proven a worthwhile struggle to rise the flag of badminton in his country.

It is likely not many people put badminton as one of the most favorite sports in Spain. The domination of football, the illuminarious Rafael Nadal in tennis and Lorenzo's as well as Alonso's popularity in autosports are among the top news. Even, most Spaniards perhaps prefer watching bull fighting to badminton.

This season he has made a good progress. In addition to his International Challenge titles, he progressed better in the Superseries and Grand Prices. Abian is likely more familiar to play top seeded shuttlers like Sho Sasaki, Simon Santoso, or Lee Hyung-il.

"The King of International Challenge" may be a suitable address for his wonderful run through the 2011 season even though he could only win a quarter of the total events of the year. To add his distinguished achievement, Abian is a Spaniard, a country where badminton is not the favorite sport. His much better run must be expected by many of his fans in 2012 season. 2011. But this record was good enough to put him as the most winning shuttlers in the season's men's singles division. He won the title in Sweden, Poland, Morocco, Maldives, and Italy. Abian did better than the Pole's ace Przemyslaw Wacha (the IC winner in Brazil, Czech, and Bulgaria).



Profile

Name: Pablo Abian Vicen
Place, date of birth: Calatayud, 12 Juni 1985
Height/weight: 177 cm/78 kg
Highest world ranking: 20
Current world ranking: 21

Results in 2012 (as of March)

German Open Grand Prix Gold (Round 16)

v Kevin Cordon 21-14 21-17
v Hsueh Hsuan Yi 15-21 21-12 21-19
v Lin Dan 15-21 13-21

European Team Championships

v Kestutis Navickas 21-0 21-0 (Navickas retired)
v Yuhan Tan 13-21 22-20 21-17
v Przemyslaw Wacha 14-21 22-20 21-18

All England BC Superseries Premier (Round 32)

v Chong Wei Feng 14-21 18-21

Polish International Challenge (Quarterfinals)

v Misha Zilberman 24-22 21-15
v Michael Lahnsteiner 21-15 21-13
v Dmytro Zavadsky 15-21 17-21

0 Vietnam International Challenge 2012 Results

Winner of Men's Singles DEREK WONG ZI LIANG

Round 32 v Pannawit Thongnuam 21-17 19-21 21-8
Round 13 v Soo Teck Zhi 21-6 21-10
Quarterfinals v Yang Chih Chieh 13-21 21-14 21-17
Semifinals v Wang Tzu Wei 21-7 21-15
Final v Sai Praneeth B. 19-21 21-17 21-19
Games (won-lost): 10-3

Winner of Women's Singles NICHAON JINDAPON

Round 32 v Yeni Asmarani 21-16 21-9
Round 16 v Lydia Li Ya Cheah 21-9 21-17
Quarterfinals v Fu Mingtian 21-14 26-24
Semifinals v Belaetrix Manuputi 21-16 21-15
Final v Mine Ayumi 17-21 21-11 21-19
Games (won-lost): 10-1

Winner of Men's Doubles RICKY KARANDA S/MUHAMAD ULINUHA

Round 32 v Bui Bang Duc/Dao Manh Thang 21-15 21-14
Round 16 v Jagdish Singh/Hong Kheng Yew 21-11 21-13
Quarterfinals v Andrei Adistia/Christopher Rusdianto 15-21 21-13 21-14
Semifinals v Tarun Kona/Arun Vishnu 21-16 24-22
Final v Gideon Markus F/Agrippina Prima RP 21-12 21-19
Games (won-lost): 10-1

Winner of Women's Doubles PIA ZEBADIAH B./RIZKI AMELIA P.

Round 32 v Pradnya Gadre/Prajakta Sawant 21-14 21-18
Round 16 v Le Thu Huyen/Pham Nhu Thao 21-6 21-13
Quarterfinals v Shella Devi Aulia/Anggia Shitta A. 21-16 8-21 21-16
Semifinals v Eto Rie/Yu Wakita 15-21 21-19 21-18
Final v Amelia Alicia A./Soong Fie Cho 21-10 21-15
Games (won-lost): 10-2

Winner of Mixed Doubles HAFIZ FAISAL/PIA ZEBADIAH B.

Round 32 v Poodchalat Pisit/Lam Narissapat 21-19 11-21 21-14
Round 16 v Liang Jui Wei/Wu Ti Jung 21-16 21-13
Quarterfinals v Arun Vishnu/Aparna Balan 15-21 21-16 21-7
Semifinals v Nova Widianto/Devi Tika P. 21-16 21-8
Final v Danny Bawa C./Vanessa Neo YY 11-21 21-17 21-17
Games (won-lost): 10-3

Past winners (2011):

MS Lee Dong-keun, WS Jing Yi Tee, MD Fernando Kurniawan/Wifqi Windarto, WD Choi Hye-in/Lee Sa-rang, XD Patiphat Chalardchalaem/Savitree Amitrapai

0 Finnish International Challenge 2012: Winners' Statistics

Women's Singles YAO JIE

Round 32 v Michelle Chan Ky 21-14 21-17
Round 16 v Sannatasah Saniru 21-14 21-18
Quarterfinals v Elizabeth Cann 21-15 21-15
Semifinals v Susan Egelstaff 21-11 21-13
Final v Michelle Li 22-20 21-19
Games (won-lost): 10-0

Men's Singles RAJIV OUSEPH

Round 32 v Goh Soon Huat 17-21 21-18 21-4
Round 16 v Eetu Heino 21-16 21-17
Quarterfinals v Yuhan Tan 22-20 21-8
Semifinals v Anand Pawar 21-15 9-21 21-14
Final v Henri Hurskainen 21-18 16-21 21-18
Games (won-lost): 10-3

Women's Doubles ALEX BRUCE/MICHELLE LI

Round 32 v bye
Round 16 v Sandra Marinello/Birgit Michels (SM/BM walkover)
Quarterfinals v Tatjana Bibik/Anastasia Chervaykova 21-12 25-23
Semifinals v Eva Lee/Paula Lynn Obanana 21-17 21-16
Final v Chow Mei Kuan/Lee Meng Yean 21-19 12-21 21-16
Games (won-lost): 6-1

Men's Doubles VLADIMIR IVANOV/IVAN SOZONOV

Round 32 v bye
Round 16 v Aleksei Kuplinov/Konstantin Sarapultsev (AK/KS walkover)
Quarterfinals v Mathias Quere/Labar Ronan 21-14 21-11
Semifinals v Chris Adcock/Andrew Ellis 12-21 21-19 21-17
Final v Nikolaj Nikolaenko/Nikolai Ukk 21-10 21-16
Games (won-lost): 6-0

Mixed Doubles CHRIS ADCOCK/IMOGEN BANKIER

Round 32 v bye
Round 16 v Magnus Sahlberg/Sanne Ekberg 21-16 21-11
Quarterfinals v Lauri Nuorteva/Sanni Rautala 21-12 21-9
Semifinals v Baptiste Careme/Audrey Fontaine 21-17 22-20
Final v Anders Skaarup Rasmussen/Sara Thygesen 22-24 21-12 21-13
Games (won-lost): 8-1

Past winners (2010, no tournament in 2011):

MS Raul Must, WS Anastasia Prokopenko, MD Sebastien Vincent/Laurent Constantin, WD Barbara Matias/Elisa Chanteur, XD Mikkel Delbo Larsen/Mie Schjott-Kristensen

0 Road to London : Cina Penasaran Ganda Putra Olimpiade

Dalam bulutangkis Olimpiade, Cina adalah negara yang paling sukses. Sejak Barcelona 1992, The Mighty China telah mengoleksi total 30 medal, terdiri atas 11 medali emas, 6 medali perak, dan 13 medali perunggu. Jumlah ini jauh mengungguli Indonesia (18 medali: 6 emas, 6 perak, 6 perunggu) dan Republik Korea (17 medali: 6 emas, 7 perak, 4 perunggu).

Akan tetapi masih ada satu hal yang membuat Cina penasaran hingga kini, yaitu belum pernah menjuarai nomor Ganda Putra. Prestasi terbaik mereka pada nomor ini diraih pada Olimpiade Beijing 2008 melalui pasangan Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng yang mempersembahkan medali perak. Seperti kita ketahui, Cai/Fu dikalahkan oleh pasangan Indonesia, Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan dalam pertandingan final.

Pada Olimpiade London 2012 mendatang, ganda putra Cina kemungkinan akan diwakili, masih oleh Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng, dan Chai Biao/Guo Zhendong. Jika tidak ada perubahan atau kejadian yang luar biasa, kuartet inilah yang akan memikul tanggung jawab tim bulutangkis Cina sekaligus menghentikan rasa penasaran yang mereka pendam selama 20 tahun. Sebuah tugas yang tidak ringan karena, meskipun Cai/Fu saat ini menduduki peringkat pertama dunia, dalam prakteknya tidak sehebat 3-4 tahun yang lalu. Pasangan ini sering diganggu oleh cidera dan masalah kebugaran, terutama pada diri Cai Yun. Ya, faktor usia memang tidak dapat dibohongi.

Bukan tanpa alasan jika Cina merasa 'inferior' dalam kompetisi ganda putra. Selain belum pernah meraih medali emas, ganda putra mereka hanya menyumbang 2 (dua) medali untuk kontingen. Artinya, kontribusi ganda putra adalah yang paling sedikit (6,6%). Selain Cai/Fu, satu medali perunggu dipersembahkan oleh Li Yongbo/Tian Bingyi (1992). Sedangkan negara yang paling sering tampil menjadi juara ganda putra bulutangkis Olimpiade adalah Indonesia. Tim Merah Putih telah mengoleksi 3 (tiga) medali emas, ditambah 1 (satu) medali perak dan 2 (dua) medali perunggu. Dua emas lainnya menjadi milik Republik Korea melalui Park Joo-bong/Kim Moon-soo dan Kim Dong-moon/Ha Tae-kwon.

Mampukah Cina memenuhi ambisi mereka tahun ini? Melihat perkembangan terakhir, sepertinya agak berat karena persaingan ganda putra sangat ketat.

Peluang Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng

Selain harus 'membereskan urusan' dengan 'archrivals' mereka, Jung Jae-sung/Lee Yong-dae, Cai/Fu harus waspada terhadap ancaman lain seperti Ko Sung-hyung/Yoo Yeon-seong, Naoki Kawamae/Shoji Sato, Fang Chieh Min/Lee Sheng Mu, atau Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen. Bahkan, menurut saya duet yang disebut terakhir ini boleh jadi memiliki peluang yang paling besar untuk meraih medali emas karena dari segi kebugaran lebih stabil dibandingkan Cai/Fu atau Jung/Lee. Secara mental bertanding, Boe/Mogensen lebih unggul dibandingkan Ko/Yoo, Kawamae/Sato, dan Fang/Lee.

Peluang Chai Biao/Guo Zhendong

Chai/Guo hingga pekan ke-13 tahun ini menduduki peringkat ke-5 dunia. Pasangan ini diharapkan menjadi penerus kejayaan Cai/Fu. Tetapi, mereka belum terlalu solid sehingga prestasinya tidak konsisten. Kualitas permainannya masih di bawah para ganda lapisan atas dunia. Jangan dulu berpikir melawan Jung/Lee, Boe/Mogensen, atau kompatriotnya sendiri, Chai/Guo harus konsentrasi dahulu untuk melewati hadangan Bona Septano/Mohammad Ahsan, Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong, atau Chris Adcock/Andrew Ellis.

Lampiran 1 Peraih medali Ganda Putra Bulutangkis Olimpiade 1992-2008

Olimpiade Barcelona 1992

Emas: Park Joo-bong/Kim Moon-soo
Perak: Eddy Hartono/Gunawan
Perunggu: Li Yongbo/Tian Bingyi & Razif Sidek/Jalani Sidek

Olimpiade Atlanta 1996

Emas: Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky
Perak: Cheah Soon Kit/Yap Kim Hock
Perunggu: Denny Kantono/Antonius

Olimpiade Sydney 2000

Emas: Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya
Perak: Lee Dong-soo/Yoo Yong-sung
Perunggu: Ha Tae-kwon/Kim Dong-moon

Olimpiade Athena 2004

Emas: Ha Tae-kwon/Kim Dong-moon
Perak: Lee Dong-soo/Yoo Yong-sung
Perunggu: Flandy Limpele/Eng Hian

Olimpiade Beijing 2008

Emas: Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan
Perak: Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng
Perunggu: Lee Jae-jin/Hwang Ji-man

Lampiran 2 Klasemen medali (kontingen)

1. INDONESIA 3 emas 1 perak 2 perunggu
2. REPUBLIK KOREA 2 emas 2 perak 2 perunggu
3. CINA 1 perak 1 perunggu
4. MALAYSIA 1 perak 1 perunggu