Li Xuerui, Wang Shixian & Wang Yihan's Olympic bid up in air

With at least five players who have made top 16, the China badminton team officials will finalise their two choices for the women’s singles on July 18
Top women’s badminton players from China, including defending singles champion Li Xuerui, will be forced to wait until the last moment before finding out whether they will go to the Rio Olympic Games

China had five women’s singles players in the world’s top 16 when the one-year qualification period closed this month, but countries are only permitted to send two competitors.

Li, along with Wang Yihan, the losing finalist in London four years ago, Wang Shixian, Sun Yu and He Bingjiao are all possible picks after reaching the world’s top 16.
Coach Chen Jin said yesterday selectors had to consider all the possible factors before making a decision on who goes.
"The deadline for submitting the two names is July 18 and we will definitely wait until that last month before making a decision," said the coach.
"Many people say Li and the two Wangs have the best chance of going and this is true but you cannot deny the opportunity of Sun and He as they have defeated the trio before.
"We will leave immediately for the Indonesia Open and other opens on the tour. We will have to consider all the international results of the players until July, especially their records against our major rivals.
"We are facing a more difficult situation than in London four years ago. On that occasion, we were able to send three singles players to the Games but it’s only two this time, meaning our winning chance has been reduced by 50 per cent.
"Also, we only had one or two major rivals in London but in Rio, we will face 10 to 16 major rivals."
Wang Yihan, currently ranked third in the world, was not surprised by the tough internal competition.
"This is normal in team China and we always have to face strong competition from our teammates," she said.
"It’s the dream of any player to go to the Olympics, especially to make a second appearance in a row if I get selected, but life still has to go on if I am not. Someone will be disappointed."
Li agreed the mainland players were facing tough competition among themselves.
"Everyone wants to go, but only two will be selected," said the 25-year-old defending champion, who has suffered with injury since snatching the gold medal in London.

"I was like a white paper before going to London and now I am a much more mature player, and know more about the Games but the chance of winning remains difficult."
World number one Carolina Marin of Spain, Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, Sania Nehwal of India and Sung Jihyun of South Korea, are all set to challenge the mainlanders in Rio.

Lee Chong Wei appointed Purple League ambassador

Malaysia's badminton ace Datuk Lee Chong Wei has been appointed as an ambassador for the Purple League Badminton Tournament this season.

Executive Officer of Purple League (M) Sdn Bhd Datuk Jack Koh said, the appointment of the world number two shuttler was made based on his smashing track record.
He noted that through the appointment, the Penangite would be able to offer his invaluable insight and experience to nurture young hopefuls and elevate the standard of play by producing a bigger pool of young players for the country.
"We feel the collaboration between both parties will be enable us to work closely on the development side besides capitalising his (Chong Wei) image as a prominent badminton figure in the country," he told a press conference, here today.
Speaking of the 2016/17 Purple League Tournament, Koh said competing teams would still remain at eight but revealed that the Junior Purple League would see a second division introduced this year to nurture more talented youngsters.
"Currently, most of the competing clubs are sourcing for players from states rather than nurturing their own players and the introduction of the second division Junior Purple League will see and more new club coming onboard," Koh added.
Chong Wei, on the other hand, praised the effort by the organiser to continue the tournament which is aimed to unearth more talented young shuttlers in the country.
"I'm myself played in this league and also other leagues in Indonesia and China, so I think this league is among the best way for us to unearth more talented players.
"At the same time, the inclusion of a few top 10 players in the Purple League for the past two seasons will enable a few national players like Iskandar Zulkarnain to gauge their performance," said the two-time Olympic Games silver medallist.
For the record, the Muar Badminton Club (Muar BC) has won back-to-back titles in the tournament (2014/15 and 2015/16).
The Purple League Badminton Tournament was introduced in 2013 by Koh, which among others was aimed to create a brand new platform in support of the country's badminton scene while raising the standard of the sports and create future champions.

PBSI turn focus to Olympics after Thomas-Uber disappointments

After emerging as the runners-up in Thomas Cup Finals, and losing to Korea in the Uber Cup quarter-finals, the Indonesia Badminton Association (PBSI) said their men's and women's team have set their sights on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro

"We've been preparing for Rio Olympics for a while, but we have temporarily given our attention to Thomas Cup and Uber Cup. Now that the tournament is over, it's time to focus on the Olympics," said Chairman of PBSI Central Executive Board Gita Wirjawan at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang on Monday.

"A number of our shuttlers will also participate in the Indonesia Open that will kick off next week," said Wirjawan.
Despite failing to bring the trophies home, Wirjawan was satisfied with the performance of the Indonesian shuttlers.
"Although we didn't win the Thomas Cup, but I am very proud of our Thomas and Uber Cup teams. I strongly believe we have better chance in the future," added Wirjawan.
Ten Indonesian shuttlers, including Tommy Sugiarto in men’s singles, Linda Wenifanetri in women’s singles, Hendra Setiawan/Mohammad Ahsan in men’s doubles, Greysia Polii/Nitya Krishinda Maheswari in women’s doubles, and two mixed doubles players, namely Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir and Praveen Jordan/Debby Susanto have officially earned qualification berths for the August Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro

Viktor Axelsen takes aim at Olympics after Thomas Cup victory

Denmark shuttlers will be looking forward to stamp down their authority in the Badminton events at the 2016 Summer Olympics after their historic Thomas Cup victory on Sunday.

Denmark's World No. 4 men's shuttler Viktor Axelsen has expressed strong interest that he wants his shot at Olympic glory.

"I am confident the Denmark players will prove themselves in the Olympics," said Axelsen.
"I believe I can go far in the Olympics because if you don’t believe in yourself then it won’t happen," added Axelsen.
Axelsen’s Thomas Cup performance has attracted attention from China’s Chief Badminton coach, Li Yongbo. Li has named Axelsen and his team-mate Jan O Jorgensen as major threats to China’s men's singles players at the Olympics this summer.
"Now, the competition in Rio is fierce because many players could win the Olympics," said Li.
"I guess I might have a good chance if Li Yongbo went out there to say something about me," said Axelsen in response to Li’s comment.
The current President of the Badminton World Federation and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic badminton champion Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen even predicted Axelsen could emerge into a badminton superstar in the near future.
"Axelsen has potential to be the World No. 1 player especially when Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei ease into retirement by gradually cutting back from their participation in tournaments after the Olympics."

Denmark stun Indonesia 3-2 to complete Thomas Cup fairy tale

Denmark's shuttlers had just made history on Sunday afternoon by beating 13-time Thomas Cup champions Indonesia in the 2016 Thomas Cup final. The homeland of Hans Christian Andersen, that famed writer of fairy tales, was living one of shuttlers’ great giant-slaying stories but for World No.13 Hans-Kristian Vittinghus, the moment of triumph brought him an unforgettable sensation

It's a big honor for me to play the last match in the final," said Vittinghus after he crushed World No.31 Ihsan Maulana Mustofa 21-15, 21-7 in 40 minutes to trigger celebrations in the Danish camp

I had dreamed about it since we came here last week. I appreciated that my teammates made me an opportunity to win this match. Bringing the Thomas Cup back to Denmark means a lot to us," added Vittinghus.After becoming 8-time runners-up in the world's most prestigious badminton team tournament since its inception in 1949, Denmark finally clinched their maiden Thomas Cup title by beating Indonesia 3-2 in the final to become the first European country to lift the prestigious Cup after a 67-year wait.

World No.4 Viktor Axelsen set Denmark on a roll with a 21-17, 21-18 victory in 54 minutes over World No.7 Tommy Sugiarto in the first men's singles match.

The 13-time champions Indonesia showed no mercy against Denmark when Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan smashed past Mads Conrad Petersen/Mads Pieler Kolding 21-18, 21-13 to draw level at 1-1.

In the third match of the afternoon, Jan Jorgensen, who was rested and was said to experience a hip problem, fended off a late comeback by Anthony Ginting in the first set to win 21-17. The Dane went on a rampage that saw him roared past Anthony 21-12 in second game to put up Denmark 2-1.

But the Indonesians weren't going to go down without a fight. Their 2015 Sea Games men's doubles gold medalists Angga Pratama/Ricky Karanda Suwardi rallied to beat Kim Astrup-Anders Skaarup Rasmussen 21-16, 21-14 as Indonesia came back to even the tie 2-2.
In the final match, Hans-Kristian Vittinghus beat Indonesian Ihsan Maulana Mustofa in straight-set 21-16, 21-7 taking the final score to 3-2 in Denmark's favor by sweeping all 3 singles matches in the final.
With this win, Denmark became only the fifth country after Indonesia, China, Malaysia and Japan to win the prestigious badminton team title.

China beat Korea 3-1 to win 14th Uber Cup crown

China's women's team was on a mission to retain the Uber Cup at home after their men's team suffered worst loss in China's Thomas Cup history when they were beaten by Korea in the men's quarter-finals.

In Saturday’s Uber Cup final, reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui bounced back from dropping a set against South Korean Sung Ji Hyun, taking 58 minutes to subdue the resilient Sung 14-21, 21-13, 21-10.

China stumbled in the first women's doubles match that followed, when Jung Kyung Eun/Shin Seung Chan halted the Chinese advance temporarily with aggressive play to beat Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei 16-21, 21-17, 25-23 in a pulsating battle.

It was a well-deserved win for the Korean pair over World No. 4 Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei

However, China restored the advantage quickly when World No. 6 Wang Shixian started off looking confident to beat Kim Hyo-Min who was moved up to Korea's second women's singles position to replace Bae Yeon-Ju after Bae sustained an ankle injury on court Friday night.

Wang exhausted Kim Hyo-min by moving the shuttlecock across the court at will during the 21-13, 21-12 rout.

China’s second doubles pairing of Chen Qingchen/Tang Yuanting then dominated Chang Ye Na/Lee So Hee 21-14, 21-16 in 51 minutes for the winning point as their team-mates rushed over to celebrate their 14th Uber Cup title.

In Sunday's Thomas Cup final, Denmark men's team will be hoping to land the prestigious men's team title for the first time when they take on 13-times champions Indonesia.

China in unstoppable form to beat Spain 5-0 at Uber Cup

It's another easy 5-0 sweep for China in their third game at the Thomas and Uber Cup in Kunshan on Tuesday, this time against Spain

The Chinese women turned in an almost immaculate sheet, especially when World No. 6 Wang Shixian stormed past World No. 1 Carolina Marin in a marathon first women's singles match by beating the Spaniard 19-21, 21-18, 21-19 in a three-game tussle that lasted 87 minutes.

Following Marin's loss, the Chinese team went charging ahead after Sun Yu and World No. 4 Wang Yihan recorded straight set wins in the second and third women's singles match to lead their team to the 5-0 rout.
In the Uber Cup Group C tie, Thailand won against Indonesia 3-2, as the Thais narrowly survived a tough Uber Cup test after Jongkolphan Kititharakul/Rawinda Prajongjai managed to save two match points to beat Anggia Shitta Awanda/Tiara Rosalia Nuraidah 14-21 21-17 24-22 in 75 minutes to register the third point for Thailand.
Japan and India went on to sweep Germany and Australia in the Uber Cup Group D ties, and will face each other in their final group tie on Wednesday.