CHAMPIONS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
BADMINTON'S GREATEST SHOW THE YONEX ALL ENGLAND PROMISED THE WORLD 'BADMINTON'S GREATEST SHOW' - AND IT ABSOLUTLELY DELIVERED. Badminton's oldest and most prestigious Championships on the ever evolving world tour has now brought over 1/4 million fans through the doors at Arena Birmingham in the past 1o years. Over those years, the crowds have witnessed extraordinary moments of skills, speed and history making brilliance.
RECORD CROWDS, OVER 2200 SHUTTLECOCKS AND A WEEK OF WORLD CLASS BADMINTON MAGIC TO TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. .
There have been moments of sheer joy, sheer heartbreak, stunning comeback,memorable victories and simply unexpected shocks - all the ingredients of a show that captures the imagination. For 2019, the YONEX All England's 109 year tradition of wowing fans and making legends continued at pace in front of an audience spanning 39 diffferent nationalities. Whatever the facepaint or flag displayed in the arena, once again the YONEX All England left crowds open mouthed in surprise and awe as a new era of champion was borne. Enjoy this Champions Special look back at a Championships that remains at the very top of its game.
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KING KENTO REWRITES THE STARS CAN ANYBODY STOP ‘KING KENTO’ MOMOTA, THE NEW MEN’S SINGLES CHAMPION OF THE YONEX ALL ENGLAND? The reigning World Champion and world No.1 is now the winner of badminton’s oldest tournament; the first Japanese men’s singles winner in history. Momota is a man who, at just 24, is constantly rewriting history and in Birmingham he did so in spectacular fashion against the steadfast challenge of Viktor Axelsen – prevailing 21-11 15-21 21-15. It was an absorbing, see-saw final with Axelsen smashing his way to take the second set, but Momota has been on a trailblazing comeback 12 months, and he’s just topped the lot.
KING KENTO | MEN'S SINGLES Axelsen raced into a 4-0 lead to start the decider but the pattern of Danish attack versus Japanese defence levelled out, with the scoreline reaching 7-7. 8-8 and 9-9 followed as King Kento got his own attack going, drawing Axelsen into the net and angling his own smashes in to build a lead, seven consecutive points helped him reach 19-11 to kill off the Dane’s mighty challenge. Always modest, Momota thanked those who supported him to reach this pinnacle: “I won the tournament but this is not just my achievement. I’ve been helped by all the people, my staff and people in Japan.
Most mere mortals would have struggled to get just one Axelsen smash back but Momota managed several, three successive smashes needed to finally win a point to send the Dane 10-9 up. The world No.1 struggled to withstand this barrage, going 15-11 down and then 18-13 as rifled crosscourters dealt him hammer blows.
“I hope this win will help raise the badminton level in Japan. I’m going to keep improving myself so that everybody can be helped along with me.” The world No.1 played just as so in the first game, racing into a 6-2 lead despite the trick-shots coming out from Axelsen, an audacious though-the-legs shot from the backline waited on and despatched by Momota. With the Japanese shuttler’s consistency increasing his lead Axelsen tried a few wild shots but couldn’t get back into things, walking swiftly off court after game point. But the second game saw a different pattern, where Axelsen’s smashes were finding only a diving Momota in the first set now they were finding court.
Axelsen raced into a 4-0 lead to start the decider but the pattern of Danish attack versus Japanese defence levelled out, with the scoreline reaching 7-7. 8-8 and 9-9 followed as King Kento got his own attack going, drawing Axelsen into the net and angling his own smashes in to build a lead, seven consecutive points helped him reach 19-11 to kill off the Dane’s mighty challenge. Always modest, Momota thanked those who supported him to reach this pinnacle: “I won the tournament but this is not just my achievement. I’ve been helped by all the people, my staff and people in Japan. “I hope this win will help raise the badminton level in Japan. I’m going to keep improving myself so that everybody can be helped along with me.”
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KING KENTO | MEN'S SINGLES
Winning this has been a dream from my childhood and having won this it is a really big moment in my life, and gives me a lot of confidence.
CHEN DEFIES ALL THE ODDS 11-0 AGAINST IN A HEAD HEAD? NO PROBLEM. CHEN YUFEI LEAVES IT UNTIL FINALS DAY ON BADMINTON'S GRANDEST STAGE TO MARK A CAREER FIRST WIN.
The YONEX All England women’s singles title is back in Chinese hands for the first time in five years after Chen Yufei sensationally downed defending champion Tai Tzu Ying - her first in 12 attempts on the world circuit against the world number one. The last Chinese women's singles winner was Wang Shixian in 2014 but alongside He Bingjiao and Gao Fangjie Chen is leading the new wave of singles shuttlers from her country and underlined her progress in dramatic fashion with the 21-17 21-17 victory. That it came against the incredible Tai, who had so far looked imperious in her quest for a historic hat-trick of titles, makes things all the more special for Chen, who only turned 21 last week.
CHEN DEFIES THE ODDS | WOMEN'S SINGLES And this wasn’t as though the Chinese Taipei player was making mistakes, Chen simply played to an unmatchable level that could have won almost any women’s singles final. Tai caught her in the second at 17-17 until four consecutive points followed, with Chen later revealing how she turned around that 11-0 record. She said: “I think I am more mature both mentally and physically compared to last year, and I think I kept my pace on the court today, As she won the final point the youngster fell to the court at Arena Birmingham, revealing after coming off the court this was not a win she’d expected.
I think that’s probably the reason why I won. “It’s just a great honour and success in my career to become YONEX All England champion!”
“I was over-excited,” she said. “I didn’t expect to win the Championship title in straight games! “When I express my joy I feel like I lose my physical composure – that’s why I fell to the ground! Chen had every reason not to expect to win the coveted title at badminton’s oldest tournament, given that Tai previously had an 11-0 record against her and had only dropped one set in Birmingham in 2019 But the Chinese player had been in superb form herself all week, beating Sung Ji Hyun and second seed Nozomi Okuhara before soaring into a firstgame lead against Tai – 14-5 up at one stage.
“I hope this win will help raise the badminton level in Japan. I’m going to keep improving myself so that everybody can be helped along with me.”
WOMEN'S SINGLES
CHEN'S DOZEN
Winning this has been HOW OURfrom CHAMPION a dream my FINALLY BEAT THE TAI TZU childhood and having YING HOODOO won this it is a really HEAD TO HEAD RECORD big2019 moment in my life, YONEX ALL ENGLAND WON 21-17, 21-17 and gives me a lot of 2018 YONEX FRENCH OPEN 2018 confidence. LOST 21-18, 12-21, 14-21 2018 DANISA DENMARK OPEN LOST 13-21, 21-12, 9-21 2018 BLIBLI INDONESIA OPEN 2018 LOST 23-21, 15-21, 9-21 ASIA CHAMPIONSHIPS 2018 LOST 19-21, 20-22 2018 YONEX ALL ENGLAND LOST 15-21, 22-20, 13-21 2018 PERODUA MALAYSIA MASTERS LOST 18-21, 15-21 2017 WORLD SUPERSERIES FINALS LOST 21-15, 12-21, 17-21 2017 HONG KONG OPEN 2017 LOST 15-21, 21-23 2017 TAHOE CHINA OPEN LOST 21-11, 18-21, 17-21 2017 ASIA CHAMPIONSHIPS LOST 11-21, 7-21 2017 CELCOM AXIATA MALAYSIA OPEN LOST 17-21, 22-20, 22-24
A FIVE YEAR FAIRYTALE! PICTURE THE SCENE: DADDIES HENDRA SETIAWAN AND MOHAMMAD AHSAN ARE SAT WITH THEIR LITTLE ONES READING THEIR FAVOURITE BEDTIME FAIRYTALE. The spellbinding story is a simple but compelling one; Two heroes. a beautiful relationship. A relationship that has everything; an intriguing mix that captures the imagination and sets hearts aflutter. But the relationship is parted only for the love to be rekindled, rediscovered even, some time on. And of course, just like every fairytale in history, there just has to be a happy ending that the reader simply did not see coming. Cast the two daddies in the two hero roles, build the sub plot around two YONEX All Englands set five years apart and Setiawan and Ahsan are living that fairytale.
GO DADDIES | MEN'S DOUBLES
They pray for us and are very loud for us. All we can say is thank you"
They were Indonesia’s knights in shining armour five years ago in 2014 when the then world number ones beat Endo and Hiyakawi to the mens doubles title. 11 finals, six titles – including World Championships and Asian Games golds – and a 18 month separation on and the Indonesian heroes are back reinstated as YONEX All England champions. General wisdom says a year is a long time in sport; make it five years and recapturing the title is, make that was, almost unthinkable.
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Form coming to Brmingham was good; a runners up spot to the new heirs Marcus and Kevin at the Indonesia Masters Super 500 suggested possibilities. Some considered Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawae real outsiders here at badminton’s greatest show at the outset, but the 2014 winners sensationally grabbed their second title with a win over Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik. The young Malaysian duo have been on an incredible All England journey themselves to make it to their first final, but couldn’t match the experienced Setiawan, 34, and Ahsan, 31. With all their youthful energy Chia and Soh were able to dominate the first set but were then overtaken by their title rivals, the final score at 11-21 21-14 21-12. After the victory,
We’re very happy because this is a prestigious match, we’re just very happy!
Ahsan commented: “Actually they are a very strong opponent but we just wanted to focus and we didn’t want to give up, even after we lost the first set.
“I want to say thanks for all the Indonesian support, they’ve been amazing. Thanks to all who’ve supported us here in the arena and back in Indonesia as well.”
BOE AND MOGENSEN
BOE-ING OUT AS
LEGENDS
DENMARK'S TWO-TIME ALL ENGLAND CHAMPIONS AND FOUR TIME FINALISTS CALLED TIME ON THEIR 15 YEAR PARTNERSHIP IN BIRMINGHAM
After 15 years of winning titles together at world level, Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen called time on their medal laden partnership at the 2019 YONEX All England - and it came, almost off the radar hidden away amongst a hectic running order, on a random late night Thursday at the Arena Birmingham. New partners await for both Boe and Mogensen, and they are likely to be back in Birmingham for future seasons - but as a pair, game point on a long standing partnership came and went without notable fanfare. There was no significant acknowledgement on court a simple raise of a racket to the crowd and a now typical handshake between the pair - for a partnership been at the very top of the world game for more than a decade. who have enjoyed an 11 year love affair with the YONEX All England, winning the men's doubles twice After missing out in last year's final - their fourth at in 2011 and 2015. the All England - the pair still harboured hopes of a romantic swansong, like that enjoyed by compatriot In fact it was an understated exit for a pair who have Tine Baun in 2013.
BOE AND MOGENSEN
Japan's Kamara and Sonoda clearly hadn't been handed the script; their 21-14 21-16 victory putting to bed any hopes of a heartfelt hat trick. Mathias Boe told awaiting world media.
So they settle, if settle is the right word, for six All England semi finals, four finals, two titles. Throw in an Olympic and World silver medals, 17 world circuit titles from over 30 finals and Boe and Mogensen will deserve their place in All England history.
"I think we might have just settled for one All England title or maybe just a super series title.
"It is a bit difficult to talk in the time we have here, but before we started our partnership fifteen years ago we could never have hoped to reach this far",
"We are one of the most winning Men’s Doubles in history not only in Denmark but also in the world, Boe continued.
"
""But now, we have won a lot and I think it is time to be pretty proud of what we have achieved.
THE DAY THAT
SHOCKED THE SEEDS! COMETH OPENING DAY, COMETH THE GIANTKILLERS! THERE WAS CLEARLY SOMETHING IN THE BIRMINGHAM AIR ON WED 6TH MARCH. Day One of the YONEX All England has always been known to throw up a few surprises and produce upsets to wow the badminton world; but for 2019 the giantkilling was magnified to a new level. In fact, opening Wednesday was a day of eyebrowraising upsets from early start to late night finish. 10 seeds were unseated on opening day with some of the leading contenders handed early exits and ruffled the established order of the World Tour. And returning champions and legends of the game were not exempt from the surprise either. Twice Men's Doubles champions Kevin Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon may have been the most high profile having their week's plans disrupted on Wednesday but there were many below them. The All England knows not of reputation.
THE DAY THAT SHOCKED THE SEEDS
LONG GONE
Rasmus Gemke removed Olympic champion Chen Long in straight sets to leave a men's singles draw wide open.
It all started just 45 minutes into play when Ng Ka Long Angus took out Anthony Sinisuka Ginting [8] in three ends to kickstart a spiral of seeded exits.
there were shocks aplenty too in the women's singles draw, most notably early exits for both PV Sindhu and Ratchanok Intanon.
Angus would enjoy a run to the semi finals but his charge to the latter stages had been opened up on a Wednesday which also saw previous champions Lin Dan and Chen Long exit stage on Day 1.
Sindhu was unravelled in an long-busting 80 minutes encounter by the experience of Sung Ji Hyun. The South Korean has strong All England pedigree and a healthy head to head against her Indian rival and on the face of it this was not as much a shock as a surprise based upon expectation and form. But PV had high hopes going into the Championships and, a 2018 semi final apart, continues to struggle to find her best form in Birmingham. Likewise Ratchanok Intanon; billed pre-event as having the best chance in many a year to break her All England title duck failed to progress past the first round - in similar vein to last year.
Like the Michelle Li upset 12 months ago, it went the Likewise Chou Tien Chen, third seed and leading distance with China’s Chen Xiaoxin but the Thai star contender in the men's singles draw, endured another tough ride in Birmingham up against China's was left ruing chances that came and went. Yuxiang, losing out in three. Remarkably though all four of the women's singles top Whilst the men's singles draw was blown wide open, seeds were to go onto meet in the semi finals.
THE DAY THAT SHOCKED THE SEEDS
THERE TO BE SHOT AT But opening day's two biggest shocks came in the men's doubles event where the top two seeds departed at the first hurdle. Returning champions Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon were chasing an unprecedented hat trick of title wins but their two year unbeaten run in Birmingham was abruptly ended by Liu Cheng and Zhang Nan just 67 minutes into their latest title defence. Zhang Nan is no stranger to success in Birmingham and he has been on the end of some surprises in previous seasons but the Chinese pair were brilliant in beating the world number ones with a 21-19, 20-22, 21-17 win. The shock did not come without controversy however with the Indonesians being shown a red card mid game for delaying the restart of play. When the top seeds tumbled, the second seeds should have been seeing opportunity. Instread, Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen went the same way; the World Champions losing in three to team mates He Jiting and Tan Qiang. Such was the manner and nature of the men's doubles shock results that a Round One defeat for 2016 champions and Olympic Champions Misaki Matsutomo and Akaya Takahashi went almost unnoticed on the radar. Not accustomed to first round exits, the Japanese stars, in form coming to Birmingham, missed out to Chang Ye Na and Jung Kyung Eu in one of Wednesday's best matches.
Ten seeds were unseated on Day One of the YONEX All England - including defending champions and previous title holders. By the time Hafiz Faizal and Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja - the Mixed Doubles number eight seeds from Indonesia - had been undone in three games by their team mates Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti in the day's late night last game, a day of shocks and surprises was complete.
THE SMILING ASSASSINS
AFTER FOUR YEARS AWAY, THE WOMEN'S DOUBLES CROWN IS BACK IN CHINESE HANDS - AND IT IT RETURNS WITH A SMILE. Cast your minds back to the turn of the century. Of the 19 years since talk of the millenium bug came to the public's attention, China have dominated the Women's Doubles event at the YONEX All England. 15 titles in 19 years ; the legend of Yu Yang living strong, the red flag flying highest. For the last four years though, the title has been shared sparingly with Korea, Japan and Denmark breaking the stranglehold. For 2019, all the talk was of Japan; winning everything on the world tour with different pairs as world champions and world number ones. Set that against a faltering Chinese attack. Experts had suggested t2017 World Champions Chen
WOMEN'S DOUBLES
Qingchen and Jia Yifan had lost some of their bounce and verve that seen them reach the world summit last two years earlier. They were not meant to be in contention; this was Japan’s to take home. But bounce and verve have always had a place in Bitmingham - and the Chinese are masters of finding a way right when they need it. And they did just that here. The two precocious 21year-olds came from behind to beat third seed Japanese pair Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara 18-21 22-20 21-11. World champions Matsumoto and Nagahara came flying out of the blocks at badminton’s greatest show, going 5-1 up in the first game and proving uncatchable from there. But after a tight second set, Asian Games champions Chen and Jia increasingly found their rhythm and dominated the third. The bounce and verve returned with vigour like it had never been away; resurfacing for the biggest occasion - the sign of true masters of the game. After the game, Chen commented: “We’re so happy!” Jia added: “It’s just fantastic to win the title this year and we beat really strong opponents through all the earlier matches - it just gave us so much motivation and confidence for future performances.”
We beat really strong opponents through all the earlier matches - it just gave us so much motivation and confidence for future performances Chen and Jia did indeed come through some tough rounds at badminton’s oldest tournament; beating fourth seeds Greysia Polii and Apriyani Rahayu in the quarter-finals and then top seeds Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota in one of the best finishes you’ll ever see in the final four. Chen though still thinks there is room for improvement: “Frankly speaking we’re still mediocre in China because we still have a lot to improve on, but the key for us to succeed is always to keep the right mentality and we didn’t give up till the end today.”
REVENGE IS SWEET
CHINESE WORLD NUMBER ONES USE 2018 HEARTBREAK TO POWER A 2019 TITLE WIN. 12 months ago China’s Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong were on the wrong end of a Finals Day scoreline that saw Japan win their first ever Mixed Doubles title at the YONEX All England. You get the sense that Zheng and Huang have been bugged by last year’s All England history making defeat to Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino. It is a painful memory that has fuelled Zheng and Huang to a season of title wins. After al, l last year’s runners up have been simply awesome – and at times untouchable – on the HSBC BWF World Tour. 10 finals, seven titles and World Championships gold are testament to that. Now they have it all after winning the YONEX All England crown in a repeat of last year’s final.
CHEN DEFIES THE ODDS | WOMEN'S SINGLES “I feel quite happy,” she told the world press.
The All England is like a small World Championships. It has a long history and a great reputation so I am really happy to win this title with Zheng. Now with two crowns, Yaqiong looks every inch the YONEX All England champion.
The Japanese duo started well but Zheng and Huang barely put a foot wrong and wrestled back control to take the first game 21-17 before the second game followed a similar pattern, the Chinese pair coming from behind to take it 22-20 with a fearsome display of mentality. Whilst last year’s title was a first for Japan, this year’s was China’s 13th – unlucky for some but not for Huang Yaqiong who has now contented the last three YONEX All England Mixed Doubles finals winning, taking home the sport’s biggest prize twice.
I think the semi final match really gave us a lesson. We analysed it a lot, designed our tactics and we managed to patiently get every single point we could.
Zheng Siwei
Her composure but ruthlessness at the net allows Zheng to play freely, interchanging power and precision with ease. It’s a tactic that eliminated the ever present threat from Yuta Watanabe. Whilst the talk pre match was of the battle of two of badminton’s best arms, the head to head between the big hitting Japanese star and China’s net master ultimately decided the final. Where the 2018 ran to three at 15-21, 22-20, 21-16 in favour of the Japanese, where Watanabe grew stronger, 12 months on and the result was more clean cut..