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On May 3, 2023, the 1/4 finals of the Tang You Cup in Chengdu, China, staged a wonderful game, and the top 8 teams competed fiercely to advance to the top 4. After a fierce battle, the Thomas Cup China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Chinese Taipei teams, and the Uber Cup China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia teams successfully made it to the top 4.
What is remarkable is that there are two major upsets in the Thomas Cup. The world badminton hegemon Japan lost 1-3 to Malaysia, and the absence of the No. 1 main player Kodai Naraoka became the key to the defeat of the Japanese team. The Danish team also suffered a Waterloo, with world No. 1 Axelsen losing 1-2 to Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien Cheng, who was only ranked 14th, and missed the semi-finals. China and Indonesia defeated India and South Korea 3-1 respectively to advance to the semi-finals.
The Uber Cup was quiet, with China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia all swept their opponents 3-0 to advance comfortably. However, what is surprising is that Japan's number one women's singles Akane Yamaguchi and South Korea's first sister An Seying will both miss tomorrow's semifinals.
It is reported that Akane Yamaguchi lost to Indonesian star Mariska in the group stage and did not play in the quarterfinals, and is suspected of being injured to affect her state. After beating Chinese Taipei's Hsu Minqi today, An Xiying revealed in a post-match interview that she had symptoms such as headaches and stomach pain, and the specific reason is not yet clear.
The bizarre absence of the two famous players has caused a subtle change in the situation of the semi-final match on May 4. The Chinese team played against the Japanese team, which had greatly reduced its strength, and the road to winning the championship was unimpeded. The Indonesian team played against the South Korean team, which lacked the "Dinghai Shen Needle" An Seying and the second singles main player Kim Ga-eun, and the probability of advancing to the final increased greatly.
Counting the list of matches, the Chinese team formed a full main lineup to face Japan with Chen Yufei, He Bingjiao, Han Yue, and doubles Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan, Liu Shengshu/Zhang Shuxian. On the other hand, the Japanese team, although Aya Ohori, Nozomi Okuhara, and Yuka Miyaki are strong opponents that cannot be underestimated, the absence of Akane Yamaguchi has undoubtedly weakened the overall strength of the Japanese team. The Chinese team is expected to sweep their opponents 4-1 or 5-0 and reach the Uber Cup final for the first time in four years, attacking for 12 titles.
In the other semi-final, the South Korean team had a thin lineup, with only second- and third-tier players such as Shen Youzhen and Kim Minxuan. Facing the Indonesian team led by Mariska, Este, Komanayu and Women's Doubles star Rahayu/Ramadanti, the Korean team may not be able to defend their title.
This year's Tang You Cup can be described as a collection of unpopular people, upsets, upsets, and unpopular concentration camps. The semi-finals of the Thomas Cup and the Uber Cup are just around the corner, with the biggest names battling it out for the title.
In the Thomas Cup, although the Chinese team successfully qualified, it was not easy to win the championship in the face of the menacing Malaysia and Indonesia. Malaysia knocked out defending champions Japan in an upset, and their overall strength should not be underestimated. Li Zijia, Li Yunxi and Azrich and other main players are all listed, vowing to hit the first championship in team history. The Indonesian team is also not to be outdone, with an ultra-luxurious squad composed of Ginting, Zonatan and Gideon and other famous players, aiming for the championship trophy.
The national Taipei team returned to the semi-finals after 10 years, Zhou Tiancheng took the lead, and Wang Ziwei, Li Yang and other young players gave assists, aiming to create historical achievements. Each of the four teams has its own characteristics, and who will have the last laugh depends on the performance on the field.
In the Uber Cup, the defending champion South Korea collapsed, the Japanese team unexpectedly fell, and the Chinese team and the Indonesian team became the favorites to win the championship. As the king of the 11-time Uber Cup, the Chinese women's team has a luxurious lineup and a tacit understanding of the main team. Chen Yufei and He Bingjiao combined their swords, and Olympic champion Chen Qingchen led the women's doubles, and the overall lineup was like walking in the sky, unstoppable.
The Indonesian women's team should not be underestimated, with the number one main player Mariska ranking first in the world for many years, new stars such as Esther rising, and the strength of women's doubles is also good. The two teams will face off in the final, and it will be interesting to see who will come out on top.
However, the arena is the arena and anything is possible. As the saying goes, "sudden changes in the wind and clouds, surprise at first glance", there is no eternal champion, only the chase that never gives up. Whether it is the favorite for the championship or the dark horse team, they will release their shine on this stage. Let's look forward to the exciting showdown on May 4th and witness the birth of the pinnacle of badminton!
As a veteran sports fan, I sincerely hope that the Chinese team can overcome the crowd and regain the championship of the Tang Cup and You Cup. At the same time, I also wish other teams can play at a high level and present wonderful games to the audience. After all, the charm of sports lies not only in winning championships, but also in the process of hard work and the manifestation of sportsmanship. I believe that no matter what the result is, the Tang You Cup will definitely leave a shining moment for every player, adding a different kind of blood and vitality to this May!
Judging from the current situation, this year's Tang You Cup can be described as a series of unpopulars. In the quarterfinals of the Thomas Cup, the two favorites Japan and Denmark were both eliminated. In the semi-finals of the Uber Cup, the defending champion South Korea and the favorite Japan both suffered a sharp decline in their fighting power due to the absence of the main team. All kinds of accidents have made the suspense of the event increase sharply, but at the same time, it also highlights the dominance of the Chinese team as the hegemon. Whether it is the Thomas Cup or the Uber Cup, the Chinese team is in a near-perfect state, marching all the way to the championship to launch the final impact. On May 4th, Chinese feather fans are looking forward to it, waiting for the Chinese athletes to pass on the good news and win the cup!