Surprise for China as BWF announce Cai-Fu as top doubles pair
News 10:01 AM
CHINA were left with red faces when they found out that former world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng cannot be the second ranked pair in their team for the Thomas Cup Finals.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced yesterday that based on notional ranking, world No. 8 Cai Yun-Haifeng will have to replace Guo Zhengdong-Xu Chen as the top pair in the team. Zhengdong-Xu Chen are now ranked at No. 4 in the world.
The BWF’s chief operating officer, Thomas Lund, said that the rule on notional ranking had been in force since 2004 and no team should be taken by surprise.
Top dogs: China's strategy to utilise Cai Yun (left) and Fu Haifeng as their second ranked doubles pair has not worked out. “It has been a practice in the Thomas Cup Finals to use notional point calculation. The teams should have been aware of this,” he said.
“There will be a need for this rule when a pair have played fewer than eight tournaments (over the last 12 months). This was explained to the team managers (on Saturday).”
The notional ranking rule is to ensure that players are ranked based on their actual strength and to prevent teams from manipulating the order of play.
Cai Yun-Haifeng had only competed in six tournaments and when divided with 10 tournaments under the notional ranking, their total ranking points are higher than Zhengdong-Xu Chen.
The China BA protested during the team managers meeting but the BWF stood by their decision.
Their chief coach, Li Yongbo, said: “We may be unhappy with this but we will have to accept the decision.”
China would have had more options if Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng are ranked as their second pair. They can keep their main rivals guessing on their line-up for a tie.
Malaysia’s doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky said that the change in the ranking of the Chinese doubles pairs would not make any big difference to Malaysia.
If Malaysia come up against China in the Finals, the doubles matches are expected to be between Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Cai Yun-Haifeng; and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif against either Zhengdong-Xu Chen or Zhang Nan-Chai Biao.
“It is a bit of a surprise but it will not change anything. I am still confident that Koo and Tan can take on Cai Yun-Haifeng,” said Rexy.
“It would have been good if we had known this earlier but now, we just have to change the strategy. It is not a big worry.”
Japan’s chief coach Park Joo-bong said that BWF should have notified the teams on the approved doubles line-ups much earlier.
“Fortunately, there is no change for Japan. The change for China certainly caught everyone by surprise.
I thought that it was a new rule,” said the legendary Korean doubles specialist.
“It would have been ideal if the BWF had notified the teams on notional ranking calculation as soon as the entries by name closed on April 23. It would have given all the teams some time to digest the information.
“I can understand why China are jumping. They would have had an advantage having Cai Yun-Haifeng as the second doubles. Now they are back to square one.”
The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced yesterday that based on notional ranking, world No. 8 Cai Yun-Haifeng will have to replace Guo Zhengdong-Xu Chen as the top pair in the team. Zhengdong-Xu Chen are now ranked at No. 4 in the world.
The BWF’s chief operating officer, Thomas Lund, said that the rule on notional ranking had been in force since 2004 and no team should be taken by surprise.
Top dogs: China's strategy to utilise Cai Yun (left) and Fu Haifeng as their second ranked doubles pair has not worked out. “There will be a need for this rule when a pair have played fewer than eight tournaments (over the last 12 months). This was explained to the team managers (on Saturday).”
The notional ranking rule is to ensure that players are ranked based on their actual strength and to prevent teams from manipulating the order of play.
Cai Yun-Haifeng had only competed in six tournaments and when divided with 10 tournaments under the notional ranking, their total ranking points are higher than Zhengdong-Xu Chen.
The China BA protested during the team managers meeting but the BWF stood by their decision.
Their chief coach, Li Yongbo, said: “We may be unhappy with this but we will have to accept the decision.”
China would have had more options if Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng are ranked as their second pair. They can keep their main rivals guessing on their line-up for a tie.
Malaysia’s doubles chief coach Rexy Mainaky said that the change in the ranking of the Chinese doubles pairs would not make any big difference to Malaysia.
If Malaysia come up against China in the Finals, the doubles matches are expected to be between Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Cai Yun-Haifeng; and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif against either Zhengdong-Xu Chen or Zhang Nan-Chai Biao.
“It is a bit of a surprise but it will not change anything. I am still confident that Koo and Tan can take on Cai Yun-Haifeng,” said Rexy.
“It would have been good if we had known this earlier but now, we just have to change the strategy. It is not a big worry.”
Japan’s chief coach Park Joo-bong said that BWF should have notified the teams on the approved doubles line-ups much earlier.
“Fortunately, there is no change for Japan. The change for China certainly caught everyone by surprise.
I thought that it was a new rule,” said the legendary Korean doubles specialist.
“It would have been ideal if the BWF had notified the teams on notional ranking calculation as soon as the entries by name closed on April 23. It would have given all the teams some time to digest the information.
“I can understand why China are jumping. They would have had an advantage having Cai Yun-Haifeng as the second doubles. Now they are back to square one.”
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 10:01 AM.
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