On Sunday, we’re going to be at one of the biggest stops of the year, and the first tournament that will be counted toward the qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympics: 2015 Sudirman Cup.
This will be the fourteenth edition of the biennial mixed team event, where China is in a hunt for a 10th victory. The four other editions saw Korea lifted the cup thrice and Indonesia once. Korea, finishing runner-up last time, will boast a line-up stronger than ever with World No.1 Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong, Malaysia Open finalists Chang Ye Na/Jung Kyun Eun, Asian Champs Sung Ji Hyun, Ko Sung Hyun/Kim Ha Na, and 2014 Asian Games hero Son Wan Ho (contributing to the Men’s Team Gold with an important win over Chinese top singles Chen Long).
Team Korea and China are the only two countries that have made the semifinal stage in all thirteen outings, while peeking in among the looming contenders is Team Malaysia, the 2009 semifinalist, which is consistently a strong campaigner especially with Lee Chong Wei returning and mixed doubles duo of Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying resurging. Also in the squad are Commonwealth Games winners Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong and Woon Khe Wei/Kah Mun Vivian Hoo.
Lee Chong Wei will return to the court after an 8-month suspension.
Korea will be hoping to secure a point in the competitive Men's Doubles with World No.1s Yoo Yeon Seong (L) and Lee Yong Dae.
However, Korea and Malaysia, both proudly endorsing VICTOR products, fall in the tough Group 1D with India, composed of the likes of Saina Nehwal, Parupalli Kashyap, and Team VICTOR sweetheart Ashwini Ponnappa, where hopes of one of the three teams can be shut down as early in the group stage.
The Sudirman Cup 2015 will also kick off the race to Rio, the 2016 Olympic Games. Points earned starting from the week will be calculated into the Rio Qualification. There are five matches in every round: men and women's singles, men and women's doubles and mixed doubles. The Cup is named after Dick Sudirman, a former Indonesian shuttler and the founder of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI).
2015 Sudirman Cup Mixed Team Event Groups
Group 1:
Group 1A: 
China, 
Thailand, 
Germany
China, Thailand, Germany
Group 1B: 
Japan, 
Chinese Taipei, 
USA
Japan, Chinese Taipei, USA
Group 1C: 
Denmark, 
Indonesia, 
England
Denmark, Indonesia, England
Group 2:
Group 2A: 
Russia, 
Hong Kong, 
Canada, 
Spain
Russia, Hong Kong, Canada, Spain
Group 2B: 
Singapore, 
Netherlands, 
France, 
Brazil
Singapore, Netherlands, France, Brazil
The Indian pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta recently just fought their way back into the top 20 in Women's Doubles rankings.
Korea's top singles Sung Ji Hyun, who has won a G.P. Gold title this year in Mulheim an der Ruhr.
Indonesia's top Mixed Doubles duo and the reigning Asian Champs Liliyana Natsir (L) and Tontowi Ahmad.
Chinese Taipei's top Men's Doubles Lee Sheng Mu (P) and Tsai Chia Hsin.
Korea has made all 13 appearances to the SF stage or better.
Son Wan Ho pulled off a crucial upset against World Champion Chen to help Korea win a gold medal in the team event of 2014 Asian Games.
The Real Deal
VICTOR is inviting you to join us in tracking and examining the best results from Team VICTOR players and cheering for them along the way to the Summer Olympics.
Starting from Sudirman Cup in May, 2015, in a 52-week process, players will be giving all out to fight for their Olympic dream and to collect the ranking points on the BWF World Tour for the final qualification. In our #TheReaDeal on-line campaign, we’ll be taking a look at the names which are going to make a “Rio” threat as we count down to the badminton event of the world sport gala.
2015-04-20 |
2015-05-08 |
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