Haifeng: China’s doubles pairs not consistent
VETERAN doubles specialist Fu Haifeng believes that China’s doubles shuttlers are simply not consistent enough.
China has an abundance of young pairs coming through the ranks, like Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen (world No. 14), Wang Yilyu-Zhang Wen (No. 18) and Liu Cheng-Lu Kai (No. 43).
None of them, however, have a made a breakthrough, leaving China to continue to count on the 32-year-old Haifeng and mixed doubles specialist Zhang Nan for an Olympic gold medal.
Haifeng-Zhang Nan are ranked fourth in the world and third in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic qualifying list.
With the Thomas Cup coming up on May 15-22 at their home ground in Kunshan, Haifeng believes that the younger pairs need to step up soon.
“I think the younger players are pretty good ... in training. They’re just not very consistent in international tournaments,” said Haifeng.
“In a year, most of them only achieve one or two good results ... that’s just not very ideal.
“We need the younger ones to step up because the standard of men’s doubles has improved greatly. Every country has at least two good pairs now.”
Haifeng, who won the 2012 Olympic gold medal with Cai Yun in men’s doubles, is hoping to win another gold medal in Rio in August.
“The only reason I’m still competing is to win another Olympic gold medal. I’m not sure what my plans are after this year’s Olympics,” said Haifeng.
Haifeng-Zhang Nan are certainly on a roll as they checked into the quarter-finals of the Celcom Axiata Malaysian Open yesterday.
The third seeds were hardly troubled as they defeated compatriots Yilyu-Zhang Wen 21-17, 21-9 in the second round.
There was no such luck for Russia’s All-England champions Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov. They crashed out after losing 12-21, 8-21 to Mads Conrad Petersen-Mads Pieler Kolding of Denmark.
All-England finalists Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa of Japan and second seeds Mohd AhsanHendra Setiawan of Indonesia have booked their spot in the quarter-finals.
Malaysian national No. 1 Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong also crashed out after suffering a 13-21, 11-21 beating at the hands of world No. 1 Lee Yong-dae-Yoo Yeon-seong of South Korea.