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The 2024 Tang You Cup World Badminton Team Championships will kick off on April 27, with a brief analysis of each group coming to Group B of the Tang Cup, where Japan, Taiwan, Germany and the Czech Republic will compete.
The strong Japan and China Taiwan are favored to join hands in the qualifier and have a fierce showdown in the battle of the alliance, while the European duo Germany and the Czech Republic can only "accompany the prince to study".
Japan and Taiwan met in the top 8 of the last soup cup, when the two sides fought fiercely for 5 games, and finally Japan defeated Taiwan, China 3-2 to qualify.
Japan, the champion of the 2014 Soup Cup and at least the semi-finals in the last three editions, basically attacked the Chengdu Games with the strongest lineup this time. In addition to former Men's Singles World Champion Kento Momota, the other three singles and three men's doubles groups are currently the world's highest-ranked players in the Toyo Army.
Momota was selected based on his extensive experience
Momota is Japan's only 2014 champion, and the 19-year-old will now have the "final dance" of his international career after a decade of ups and downs.
Even though Momota is no longer the best player he was (now ranked 52nd in the world) since his car accident in 2020, his tournament experience will still be the best choice for Japan to hold the No. 3 singles rank.
Naraoka was "promoted" from the bench to the first singles
Kodai Naraoka (world No. 5), who was only a substitute in singles last year, will now shoulder the heavy responsibility of Japan's No. 1 singles player and top scorer.
After the first two European tournaments, Naraoka recently reached the semi-finals of the Men's Singles at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China.
Former Men's Doubles World Champions Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi (world No. 6) and tournament regulars Kenta Nishimoto (world No. 11) will also be the main players in Japan's score, while the rest of the squad will include singles Koki Watanabe (world No. 22), and doubles Teru Koga and Tai Saito (world No. 16), Kenya Mihashi and Hiroki Akamura (world No. 24).
The development of Taiwan Yu is obvious to all
On the other hand, although the Chinese Taiwan team has never reached the semi-finals of the soup cup in history, the development of the badminton sports in recent years is obvious to all, and this year's lineup is enough to compete with Japan.
Taiwan's No. 1 men's singles No. Chou Tien-cheng (now ranked No. 14 in the world) and Tokyo Olympic men's doubles champions Wang Chi-lin and Li Yang (No. 10 in the world) are past their prime, but their strength and experience should not be underestimated.
Li Zhehui and Yang Boxuan (world No. 12), who have reached at least the semi-finals in the last four tournaments and won the German Super 300, will be the main points scorers for Taiwan.
Lin Chun-yi (world No. 17) and Li Jiahao (world No. 25) are the future successors of Chinese Taiwan's men's singles at the same age (24 years old), while Wang Ziwei (world No. 23) is experienced. The other two doubles pairs Lu Jingyao and Ye Hong's original partners were not selected and will be the candidates to form the "Wonder Soldier" combination.
The German Czechs accompanied the prince to study
Germany's top scorers were the doubles of Lances and Seidel (ranked 27th in the world), but Lances was sidelined due to injury, leaving only Seidel to play. This greatly reduced Germany's strength, and it was even more difficult to compete with Japan and Taiwan.
As for the Czech Republic, who participated as a provisional substitute (France abstained), only six players were present, led by singles Jane Lauda (world No. 54) and doubles Andre Tzklaar and Mandrake (world No. 46).
2024 Tongyou Cup Badminton Tournament
Location: Chengdu, China
Duration: April 27 to May 5
● Thomas Cup Group B
Japan, Taiwan, Germany, Czech Republic
Predictions: Japan, Taiwan
*Japan 阵容
Strikes: Kodai Nara, Kenta Nishimoto, Kosuke Watana, Koto Momota
Doubles: Takuro Hoki, Yugo Kobayashi, Teru Koga, Taichi Saito, Kenya Mihashi, Yoki Makura
*Taiwanese lineup
Singles: Zhou Tiancheng, Lin Junyi, Wang Ziwei, Li Jiahao
Doubles: Li Yang, Wang Qilin, Li Zhehui, Yang Boxuan, Lu Jingyao, Ye Hongwei
* German lineup
Singles: Roth, Schaver, Kiklitz, Xiao Shengjie
Doubles: Seidel, Keith, Wacole, Jensen, Newman, Hess
* Czech lineup
Singles: Jane Lauda, Girokral, Dominic
Doubles: Andreec, Mandrake, Thomas Svida