All posts tagged: badminton updates

How HS Prannoy and Srikanth Kidambi pulled off impressive wins at Malaysia Masters

How HS Prannoy and Srikanth Kidambi pulled off impressive wins at Malaysia Masters

Published by Webster

Three years back in the middle of May, Srikanth Kidambi and HS Prannoy found themselves at the center of one of Indian badminton’s greatest triumphs. The two veterans took shared leadership, galvanised an otherwise young squad, and led India to the Thomas Cup title, which feels surreal till date. The recent few weeks, however, haven’t been easy going. Prannoy has struggled with a myriad physical issues since achieving his dream of representing India at the Olympics, while Srikanth’s ranking has kept plummeting, and he finds himself battling through qualification rounds to earn a ticket in the main draws of World Tour events or depending on withdrawals. The two veterans needed a day that reinforced that the work they have been putting in the background is worth it. On Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, they received a shot in the arm. As they both completed their first-round upset job against higher-ranked opponents, they both let out a huge roar. Prannoy had lost the last three times he had faced Kenta Nishimoto but managed to arrest that mini-streak …

Hapless singles, hopeful doubles – India’s 2025 Sudirman Cup story

Hapless singles, hopeful doubles – India’s 2025 Sudirman Cup story

Published by Webster

As India entered the 2025 Sudirman Cup in Xiamen, China, hopes for victory were muted. In fact, an adverse result was all that was anticipated. India has never finished on the podium at the Sudirman Cup – a tournament first held in 1989 – and with a depleted squad and without the services of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty and Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand, the tourney was always going to be an uphill climb. Sindhu and Prannoy disappoint PV Sindhu’s display against Line Kjaersfeldt in the opening tie against Denmark, summed up everything that is wrong with Indian badminton at the moment. The double Olympic medalist led 20-16 in the first game and still went on to concede the opening game 20-22, losing six points in a row. In the second, the Indian had an even better advantage, leading 19-12 .Thereafter, she squandered eight consecutive points as the Danish shuttler went on to win it 23-21 to wrap up the match in straight games. This is what Indian badminton has been about in recent times – digging themselves …

Who is Jan Louda, the Czech badminton playe who shone at Sudirman Cup

Who is Jan Louda, the Czech badminton playe who shone at Sudirman Cup

Published by Webster

Jan Louda caused quite the stir at the Sudirman Cup when he gave Czech Republic a 1-0 lead against perennial team Championship powerhouse Korea, on Sunday. The 25-year-old saw his team go down 4-1 to the former champions, but he had nicked a point after beating Cho Geonyop 21-16, 21-16. While doubles is Korea’s strongest suit always, new coach Park Joo Bong might’ve taken Czechia a tad lightly fielding Cho, ranked 142 against Jan, ranked 103. Jan has a career high of 39. Usually it’s the little known Koreans who suddenly spurt up at team events and cause a stir. This time they were on the receiving end. Jan has previous wins against Weng Hong Yang of China and Ng Yong Tze of Malaysia as he became a part of the first cohort of 4 Czech players to qualify for Paris Olympics. The east European nation has little history in the sport, and Jan took to badminton following his father and elder brother into the sport. Story continues below this ad He was mesmerised by …

‘Still have lot of badminton left in me’: Viktor Axelsen says he will be out of action for a while due to surgery for back issues | Badminton News

‘Still have lot of badminton left in me’: Viktor Axelsen says he will be out of action for a while due to surgery for back issues | Badminton News

Published by Webster

Danish superstar shuttler Viktor Axelsen confirmed on Saturday that he is set for a spell on the sidelines from badminton action as he has decided to undergo surgery for his persistent back trouble. The two-time Olympic champion, however, confirmed that he still intended to make a comeback to action. “After consulting with my medical team, I have decided to undergo endoscopic treatment for my back issues next week,” Axelsen posted on social media. “While this means I will need some weeks for rehab post-surgery, I am confident that I will come back stronger. I still feel like I have a lot of badminton in me, and I’m fully committed to doing everything necessary to return to the court at my best.” After losing in the first round at the prestigious All England Open in Birmingham this month against Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun Yi, Axelsen had said that he had been dealing with severe back/nerve pain for several months now, and that there were just too many days where my body doesn’t allow me to move …

How Badminton has been a leader in on-court coaching and why it’s exciting for watching experience | Badminton News

How Badminton has been a leader in on-court coaching and why it’s exciting for watching experience | Badminton News

Published by Webster

After plenty of drama in which Serena Williams was even docked a point for what was dubbed as receiving on–court instructions, tennis effected a remarkable volte face on players getting coached on the court. But the always-enterprising Australian Open, couldn’t really have let the opportunity to have Andy Murray sit out with his usual poker-face in the box for Novak Djokovic. In what has been a refreshing addition, the year’s first Grand Slam welcomed fragments of on-court coaching, though not quite mic’d up. Badminton, far tinier and literally more scrunched in court space, that’s been playing out in the vicinity in Indonesia, will let out a quiet chuckle. Though not quite inevitable, reactive coaching, and improvised interventions, can only add to the drama and watching-experience of an individual sport. The arguments against allowing coaching on court, are pretty straightforward. Players ought to think for themselves and pit their brains in one-on-one battles against each other. Why should they be spoon-fed tactic tweaks? Then there is the perennial time-crunching battle that all sports are forever engaged …

Double-Olympic gold medallist Lee Yang retires: The unlikely Badminton doubles star who often surprised himself | Badminton News

Published by Webster

Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin have what Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty would’ve dearly loved for themselves – the men’s doubles Olympic gold. Not once, but twice over, from Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024. And the Chinese Taipei pairing has managed to get to the pinnacle of Olympic achievement with surprising absence of conventional pathways needing the gold-medal staples: great form in the lead-up, a partnership going back years, champions’ regal confidence and on-court composure and calm poise. They were woefully out of form getting into Paris, and hilariously chaotic while winning the 76-minute final, 21-17, 18-21, 21-19. As Lee Yang, the younger of the two at 27, retired this last week, their tale of wild, unexpected double success, continues to boggle. The two don’t go back in decades-long partnership, and till the beginning of 2019 hadn’t played together. Then they decided to pair up, on a whim and a shared timeline – they were classmates in junior high school who both played shuttle. Lee Yang, in fact, was nowhere on the elite junior international …