SURPRISE LOOMING?
Team VICTOR India sweetheart Ashwini Ponnappa and her doubles partner Jwala Gutta are now occupying the 10th slot in the qualification rankings for the Rio Summer Olympics. They will hope to solidify their place in the top 10 this week at home at the India Open Superseries. Unseeded, the duo will be first up against Korea’s Go/Yoo, to whom they have won their only meeting, and potential second round against 8th-seeded Muskens/Piek of the Netherlands, the very team they beat for the Canada Open trophy last summer, with career head-to-head tied at 2-2. A quarterfinal showing here is just within reach and it would be a match to keep a close eye on when they can take on the World no.1 pair of Japan’s Matsutomo/Takahashi. With Ashwini and Jwala’s attacking style of play, is there a surprise looming on Friday with a usually full-house local support?
This is Ashwini Ponnappa's signature shot. What is yours? And yes, Ashiwni is our special mystery role in the 2016 VICTOR "This is MY signature shot" campaign!
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Ashwini and Jwala are India's no.1 women's doubles. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
Will their attacking style of play post threat to top teams with the help of some home court advantage? (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
THE EXTRA GEAR
Top mixed doubles seeds, Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir’s last major victory has to date back to the 2014 French Open. The World No.2 pair has finished as the runner-up three times in 2015 in Birmingham, Seoul, and Odense. The Olympic gold medal contenders will need to figure out how to find the extra gear to power through the finish line.
Tontowi Ahmad (R) and Liliyana Natsir look to break title drought. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
Tontowi Ahmad (R) and Liliyana Natsir are the no.1 seeds this week in New Delhi. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
MAIDEN OUTING
Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long is now the second youngest player in the world’s top 20 after Japan’s Momota, and is leaving no stone unturned to make the Olympic cut. The 21-year-old claimed his first G.P. Gold title last autumn at the Bitburger Open and treated home fans with a thrilling run when he made the semifinals at the Hong Kong Open Superseries. Ng also just celebrated his first win at the All England Open earlier this month. The rapid rise has him now as high as no.12 in the Race to Rio. A maiden outing on the dream stage is just on the horizon. Will “Angus” finally be #TheRealDeal?
A maiden outing on the dream stage for Hong Kong's Ng Ka Long is just on the horizon. (Credit: Badmintonphoto)
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.
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2016-03-08 |
2016-04-18 |
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