Opponents Daunted by Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin Aggression

Jayce September 6, 2024 6 0

In their first group stage match at the Paris Olympics, Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin defeated Japan’s Yugo Kobayashi and Takuro Hoki with scores of 21-16 and 21-10, securing their first victory of the tournament. After the match, Kobayashi and Hoki praised their opponents but also identified the reasons for their loss.

Takuro Hoki remarked, “Since it was our first match, we were keen to win. However, Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin employed a different style of play compared to their usual approach. They frequently pressured us by advancing together, which put us under significant pressure. We struggled to adapt to this change, which was the main reason for our defeat.”

Yugo Kobayashi admitted, “Throughout the match, I felt quite intimidated. The opponents were not only aggressive but also very precise, resulting in very few mistakes from their side.” Kobayashi noted that his own desire to avoid errors led to a series of challenging rallies, making the match particularly difficult.

Due to an error in the BWF (Badminton World Federation) ranking calculations this year, an additional men’s doubles pair was included, resulting in one extra match for the group stage. Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin, who were drawn into the “Group of Death,” will have to play an extra match. Following their initial victory, their next match will be against Denmark’s world No. 2 pair, Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen.