Ten years after his last world championships, Guatemalan player Corden is back in this iconic event, and the light of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has not yet faded, can he shine again in Huelva?
At the 2011 World Championships in London, the then unknown Guatemalan defeated Chen Long in the first round, breaking a major upset. Although he did nothing with several injuries in the following years, his unexpected defeat of Heo At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to finish fourth means that he is destined to have high hopes for fans when he comes to Huelva.
This may be an unfamiliar situation for the left-hander, who considers himself a "weakling", but the odds of reaching the round of 16 have increased considerably after the retirement of Kendo Momota, the number one seed Corden may meet in the second round.
"I'm not going to play against seeded players in the first round. My coach told me that Momota was out of the game. Of course, this makes me more confident. To be honest, I haven't seen the draw yet. I never cared about signing the form. I just care about how I perform in the game. I knew I would play Momota if I won the first round, but now I have a chance to go straight to the round of 16. ”
"When I came to Spain, I wanted to go home. In 2012 I had the opportunity to train with the (Spanish) national team, so it felt like home here in Spain. ”
Oddly enough, for someone with a long career, this is just Corden's fourth trip to the World Championships. After 2011, injuries affected his participation in the World Championships, and Corden is happy to be back.
"Beating Chen Long was my best result and then I made it to the quarter-finals. Defeat Chen Long, and then have a chance to fight Li Zongwei... He and Lin Dan are my idols. Li Zongwei is very good, he makes the game look very simple. It's really good to be at the World Championships. I haven't played at the World Championships since 2011, so it's been 10 years. I didn't get a chance. I hurt my knees and ankles. The environment here is completely different and it feels really good. After the Olympics, my thinking changed completely. So...... Everything is fun, let's see what happens. ”
Since the Tokyo Olympics, Corden has competed in two events. He won the Guatemala International Series and lost in the second round of the Welsh International Tournament. He said he was well rested and in good physical condition.
More importantly, he is excited about the reaction of his countrymen to his performance at the Olympics. He now had a feeling of contentment.
"The reception back home was really good," Corden said. "I don't know how to explain it. They think that if I can get good results in the Olympics, they can also get good results in study or work. Most children want to play badminton. It was really nice. Most children ask their parents to buy them rackets. They play on the street and at home. Badminton is now becoming more and more popular in Guatemala because kids want to play. Now I'm here for them to compete in the World Championships. ”