It seems worse than ever before. The superior power of China during major events. They won in all five disciplines at the World Championships in Paris last month, and also at the China Masters Super Series all first prizes were for China. Only two other countries were represented in the finals: Denmark and Korea.
The China Masters is a great opportunity for the Chinese to register as many players as possible. At most Super Series, you only see the numbers 1 till 4 from China, but during a tournament in their own country, they can delegate many more players. This means that a player like Zheng Ming Wang, the number 7 in the China ranking, is also allowed to show his skills. Than it is of course not surprising that the number 7 of China can reach the semifinals of a Super Series. But the fact that the semi-finals in all men’s disciplines were an entirely Chinese get together may yet be labeled as quite remarkable. Okay, Lee Chong Wei, Peter Gade and Taufik Hidayat didn’t participate, but again with four men’s singles players in the top 10 of the world ranking it is clear: Also in 2012 China will go for the gold medal in the men’s singles.
Not only in the singles, the dominance of China is significant. In the women’s doubles China has been dominating for years. But now also in the mixed doubles, the players of coach Li Yongbo are becoming opponents with whom it is getting more and more difficult to deal. During this tournament it is noticeable that they are searching for the right combinations. Combinations that will compete for an Olympic qualification as from May next year. Especially in the women’s doubles and mixed doubles we saw unknown combinations entering the courts and winning the titles. The women’s doubles was a prey for Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang, the numbers 1 and 2 on the World ranking, with respectively Ma Jin and Du Ying. In the mixed doubles the title went to a completely new combination, Tao Jiaming and Tian Qing. They defeated another new combination: Yang Yu and Xu Chen.
This week is the Japan Open Super Series and there the entire world top will be present. At the end of the week we know whether we really have to worry, but hopefully there will be other countries but China that succeed in winning a first prize. It would be good for the global Badminton Landscape. (I have absolutely nothing against the Chinese at
all, but still …. there are an awful lot of them and some diversity on the stages of honour would be nice)