Japan has been unsuccessful at women’s doubles badminton in Tokyo 2020 Olympic. Not one of its players made it through to the semifinal.
At the beginning, Japan’s lineup of players was very promising. In women’s double, they have Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota who were seeded first. But what happened on the court was a whole different story.
The Japanese pair lost to China’s Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan in a rubber set game with 21-18, 10-21, 10-21 at Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, Tokyo on Thursday (29/7). Fukushima/Hirota managed to lead the game in the first round despite Fukushima struggling with her injured leg. Looking at their previous meetings records, it wasn’t supposed to be difficult for Fukushima/Hirota to beat Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan since out of 16 meetings, the Japanese pair had won 9 times.
Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota’s loss then followed by their fellow compatriot Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagahara. Out of the previous 7 games played during Tokyo 2020 Olympic, they only won 3 times.
The fall of two Japan’s representatives makes the competition to win gold became hotter. Greysia Polii/Apriyani Rahayu has been stealing attentions. At the quarterfinal, they won against China’s Du Yue/Li Yin Hui in a game that lasted for 1 hour 37 minutes with 21-15, 20-22, 21-17. This victorious moment was celebrated with hysterical scream by Polii/Rahayu since it was really special for them. Aside from the fact that the victory brought them to the semifinal, the Indonesian pair had been defeated by the Chinese pair in their last 3 meetings.
At the other side of the semifinal, there will be China’s 2nd seed Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan versus Korea’s Kim So Yeong/Kong Hae Yong. Based on rankings, the Chinese pair is more superior. In their previous 8 meetings, Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan had won all. The last time they met was at Thailand Masters 2020 when Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan won in a rubber set game 21-13, 19-21, 21-16.
We are getting closer to finding out who will bring home the gold medal in women’s double. Stay tuned for the semifinal tomorrow!
Badminton Women’s Doubles Semifinal at Tokyo 2020 Olympic (July 31)
Lee Sohee/Shin Seungchan (Korea) v Greysia Polii/Apriyani Rahayu (Indonesia)
Chen Qing Chen/Jia Yi Fan (China) v Kim Soyeong/Kong Haeyong (Korea)
