OLYMPICS MS PREVIEW

After battling through a long and arduous qualification campaign, 41 players were entered into the draw for the men’s singles Olympic badminton competition. Players from the top echelons of professional badminton have had their Olympic spots secured for 12 months while other players only got their official invitation as recently as three weeks ago - as in the case of Christian Boesiger of Switzerland - but one and all were anxiously awaiting the draw on Saturday, June 26^th.

By Mark Phelan, Badzine Correspondent. Photos: Badmintonphoto.com (archives)

Tough opening for World No 1

The top half of the draw hosts outright tournament favourite Lin Dan (pictured) of China. But the world #1 has once again being given a difficult draw in the opening round as he faces world #20 Ng Wei of Hong Kong. Lin Dan has a 4-0 winning streak over his opponent with the most recent victory just a month ago at the Thailand Open Grand Prix where the world number 1 won 21-10, 21-11 in the quarter-final. Lin Dan is sure to hold memories of Athens 2004 and his defeat to Ronald Susilo in the opening round and one would think that if Ng Wei is to have a chance against Lin Dan, there is no better time to play him than when he has traditionally been at his weakest, which is in the first round. Andrew Dabeka of Canada will count himself unlucky to be drawn against world number 11 Park Sung Hwan of Korea but both players will be spurred on to win as a last 32 match against world number 95 Edwin Ekiring awaits.

The veteran Peter Gade will be fancied to advance past Nabil Lasmari (WR 98) of Algeria and is destined to meet either the in-form Anup Sridhar (WR 29) or Shoji Sato ( WR 16) for a place in the quarter-final with the winner being assigned a probable date with destiny against Lin Dan.

Chen Jin’s luck Continues

Chen Jin has probably received the easiest path to a quarter-final of all the seeded players. The world number four's closest rival in the world rankings is Erwin Kehlhoffner of France at WR 64. Chen Jin will play John Moody (WR 75) of New Zealand in the opening round and it would be a foolish man who would bet against the Chinese shuttler advancing to the quarter-final from this group.

The bottom section of the top half of the draw has an all the more interesting flavour to the opening matches. Olympic Champion Taufik Hidayat has a very difficult start to the defence of his title with a game against Wong Choong Hann (WR17) of Malaysia. With recent reports of Hidayat being hospitalised with fever, the Malaysian shuttler is sure to believe this is his chance to shine on the biggest stage of all. If Hidayat is to make it to the quarter-finals, he will probably have to beat two players inside the world's top 25 including Nguyen Tien Minh(WR24) from Vietnam, the most exciting talent on tour this year. It is not going to be an easy road for the Olympic champion.

The bottom half of the draw opens with a very European flavour led by number 5 seed Kenneth Jonassen (pictured below) of Denmark. Jonassen has been handed probably the most difficult opening round match of the tournament, where he has to face Lee Hyun Il(WR10) of Korea. The Korean is many people's outside bet to lift this Olympic title and surely this opening round will give a clear picture as to both Jonassen’s and Lee Hyun Il’s form. Lee Hyun Il has defeated Jonassen in both their encounters this year, 22-20, 21-17 at the Korean SS and 21-15, 21-18 at the Malaysian Super Series event so it is probable that the Korean will start as favourite. Elsewhere in the group, Marc Zwielber(WR23) plays Scott Evans(WR46) of Ireland with the winner playing either Andrew Smith (WR19) or Petr Koukal (WR38) for the right to play the winner of the Jonassen/Lee Hyun Il match. All in all this is a mouth-watering group with Evans being the lowest ranked player at 46. Surely if there is to be a group of death, this is it!!
Bao Chunlai of China will fancy his chances of progressing to the quarter-finals as the Polish Giant, Przemyslaw Wacha (WR 13) is his only real threat in a group that also hosts Kevin Cordon (WR54), Christan Boesiger (WR103) and Raul Must (WR 74).

Indonesia’s top shuttler and number 5 seed, Sony Dwi Kuncoro will have to be on top of his game from the outset if he is to advance. Dwi Kuncoro faces off against world number 15 Boonsak Ponsana. Also in this group is Ville Lang (WR 53) from Finland. Lang has had a very productive season on the European circuit with 3 wins to his credit with his most recent being just last month at the White Nights in Russia. Both Ponsana and Dwi Kuncoro will have one eye on the improving Finn and will be acutely aware of his talent.

Will History Repeat Itself?

The bottom section of the bottom half of the draw sees world number 2 Lee Chong Wei pitted against giant-killer Ronald Susilo (pictured above) of Singapore. Susilo (WR 32) will always be remembered as the player who beat Lin Dan in Athens and once again, at an Olympics, he gets the opportunity to show a top seed the way home in the opening round. This will be the fifth meeting between these two players and to date they share 2 wins apiece. The last meeting between the pair was at the Yonex Open Japan Super Series in September 2007, where Lee Chong Wei not only beat Susilo but Lin Dan and Chen Jin on the way to winning that particular event. Susilo will not lack endeavour or confidence and has a win over the world number 2 at the Swiss Super Series in March of 2007 to draw on in his attempt to upset the odds. The number two seed from Malaysia will have to play a faultless game to advance to the second round. Will history repeat itself? Only time will tell.

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."