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November 24, 2016

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Home » Sports » Badminton

Dane Jorgensen insists China still the team to beat

Source: AFP | November 24, 2016, Thursday | Print Edition

JAN O Jorgensen believes China still rules the badminton world even though it was routed at the China Open last weekend, but warned yesterday that the West is catching up.

The Dane led Sunday’s drubbing of the Chinese in Fuzhou, southwest Fujian Province, when he shocked the world and Olympic champion Chen Long to win the men’s singles title.

China has ruled the sport for a decade but the golden age may be over. It left the China Open without a trophy for the first time in the event’s 30-year history.

Jorgensen, however, remained cautious following one of the biggest wins of his career, saying China was far from a spent force. “The western world is catching up a bit, but still (China) have so many good players,” he said at the Hong Kong Open, after winning his first-round match in straight games.

“They’re still so strong and the favorites going into every tournament.”

With the great Lin Dan in the twilight of his career and other stars facing growing competition from foreign players, China is now looking for a new generation of world-beaters to emerge.

Following the rout China’s top prospects called for patience and vowed to reassert the country’s dominance.

“Some players are getting older and then there are the up-and-coming players. We need time and experience,” said women’s doubles player Li Yinhui.

“But that doesn’t mean things are shifting away or that we cannot maintain our top position.”

The 19-year-old was among China’s runners-up in Fuzhou when she lost in both the women’s and mixed doubles finals.

Her women’s doubles partner, Huang Dongping, 21, was confident China would reassert its grip and brushed off suggestions the pressure was increasing.

“No, I don’t feel any pressure. We just focus on every match,” said Huang, after the pair beat Chinese Taipei’s Chiang Kai-hsin and Hung Shih-han in the opener in China’s Hong Kong.

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