Tag: Chou Tien Chen

周天成

Chou Tien Chen Criticizes BWF After Controversial Call
Last night, in the Super 300 German Hylo Badminton Open quarterfinals, Taiwan’s Chou Tien Chen encountered a controversial call at a critical moment, eventually losing 13-21, 20-22 to Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke and missing out on the semifinals. The umpire ruled that the shuttle had touched the ground, deeming Chou Tien Chen’s return a fault.
During the second game, when Chou Tien Chen was leading 18-16, an intense rally unfolded. At a low defensive position, Chou received a smash, only to have the umpire suddenly rule the shuttle as having landed, awarding a point to Gemke. Chou Tien Chen immediately raised his hand in protest, and the service judge even indicated that Chou hadn’t committed a fault. However, despite intervention from the referee, the umpire stood by the call and denied a replay.
Chou Tien Chen Tested for Doping Right After Victory
After the match, Chou Tien Chen voiced his frustration. He noted that the service judge had informed the umpire that he hadn’t committed an error, yet the umpire remained insistent. “I don’t understand why they treat players like this. Is the umpire’s pride more important than making the correct call? A fair ruling not only upholds authority but also encourages players to compete honestly, which is the true spirit of the Olympics.”
Chou Tien Chen also urged the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to invest more in referee training and equipment upgrades, like introducing Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to reduce misjudgments. He emphasized that players shouldn’t always bear the burden of unfair decisions. “If referees make mistakes, they should be held accountable.”
Notably, Gemke also raised his hand in protest during the disputed call. Chou Tien Chen remarked, “Even my opponent said to me after the game, ‘Why does this always happen to you? The entire world could see it was a wrong call, but somehow, the umpire couldn’t.’”
This isn’t the first time Chou Tien Chen has experienced a questionable call. Two years ago, in the same venue, he faced a similar misjudgment.
Two years ago, at 22-all in the deciding game, Chou Tien Chen faced the same unfair call.
“At that time, the referee said only he and a journalist could review the replay with me. The footage clearly showed I didn’t commit a fault. The referee said he would report it to the BWF, and the journalist promised to send me the footage. But when I asked about it the next day, the journalist said he’d been threatened by the BWF to withhold it and avoid making it public—or else the city might lose the right to host future tournaments.”
In closing, Chou Tien Chen expressed hope that the BWF would focus more on addressing issues rather than sweeping them under the rug.
Rasmus Gemke
Chou Tien Chen
November 5, 2024
Leong Jun Hao Needs to Revive Aggressive Play to Bounce Back
Men’s singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao needs to return to his former attacking style to turn around his recent poor performance in tournaments.
Before the Paris Olympics in August, Jun Hao was in top form, defeating players like Indonesia’s world No. 4 Jonatan Christie, world No. 10 Anthony Ginting, and Taiwan’s No. 9 Chou Tien-chen, reaching consecutive quarter-finals in the Indonesian and Singapore Opens.
However, the 25-year-old’s performance dropped significantly after the Olympics. In all six individual tournaments following the Olympics, including the Arctic and Denmark Opens earlier this month, he suffered early exits. Men’s singles coach K. Yogendran attributes Jun Hao’s recent struggles to a shift towards a defensive style of play.
“Jun Hao’s strength lies in his aggressive game, which allowed him to upset top players like Jonatan and Anthony,” said Yogendran.
“These wins prove that he knows what he needs to do to succeed, but his recent performances haven’t been up to par because he’s been focusing too much on his defensive weaknesses.”
ASTROX 100ZZ Crimson
“In training, he’s been working on his defense but has neglected to maintain his strengths. This has led him to adopt a defensive approach in tournaments, which isn’t the right strategy for him.”
“I’ve discussed this with him, and he understands the need to return to his aggressive style to regain his form,” added Yogendran.
Yogendran also highlighted that the limited training time and recent changes in the coaching structure have posed challenges to implementing his training program.
“The training period is short now, and there are many tournaments, so it’s difficult to make significant adjustments in the training program,” Yogendran explained. “We are trying to refine Jun Hao‘s game as much as possible in the short time available and also aim to improve his footwork and shots.”
Jun Hao, who reached a career-high No. 27 in July, has now dropped to No. 31 due to his recent lackluster performances. He still has a chance to regain his form by the end of the year in the back-to-back Japan Masters (Nov 12-17) and China Masters (Nov 19-24) tournaments.
Leong Jun Hao
October 29, 2024
Chou Tien Chen Tested for Doping Right After Victory
Chou Tien Chen dominated last week’s Super 500 Arctic Open, claiming his second title of the season, only to be called in for a doping test immediately after.
Chou cruised through the Arctic Open, ultimately defeating Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie in the final with a straight-set victory, 21-18, 21-17, securing his second title this season.
This week, Chou Tien Chen continues his busy schedule at the Super 750 Denmark Open. His physiotherapist, Gao Min-Shan (known as “Gao Jie”), shared on social media that “Chou was tested for doping right after arriving at the hotel.” Gao added humorously, “This is a recognition of our efforts.”
World No. 9 Chou Tien Chen will face Wang Tzu Wei in the first round of the Denmark Open, where Chou has claimed victory in all 11 of their past international meetings.
Jonatan Christie
Chou Tien Chen
October 16, 2024
Lane/Vendy, Astrup/Rasmussen Keep Europe’s Hopes Alive
The Round of 16 at the CLASH ROYALE Arctic Open 2024, powered by YONEX, proved difficult for most European players, with only two doubles pairs and one singles player advancing to the quarterfinals.
Despite the tough day, exciting matchups are set for tomorrow.
Alex Lanier of France faced Nhat Nguyen from Ireland in the only all-European clash of the day. After a tight 24-22 first game, Lanier dominated the second with a 21-9 victory. He will now challenge Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei, whom he previously defeated at the Japan Open.
In men’s doubles, Danish pair Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen battled Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan, winning a three-game thriller 21-13, 13-21, 21-9.
The English duo of Ben Lane/Sean Vendy also secured their spot in the quarterfinals after a commanding 21-13, 21-8 victory over Malaysia’s third seeds Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik.
Nhat NGUYEN
Alex LANIER
October 15, 2024
Fei-Din Completes BWF World Tour Series
Goh Tze Fei and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani triumphed at the 2024 Arctic Open in Vantaa, Finland, becoming one of the rare men’s doubles pairs to complete the BWF World Tour Series.
This accomplishment marks victories across the BWF World Tour Super 300, 500, 750, and 1000 tournaments—a feat that not all top men’s doubles pairs have achieved.
In the Arctic Open (Super 500) final, they defeated top seeds Kim Astrup and Anders Rasmussen from Denmark, matching the record set by Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Rian Ardianto.
The Malaysian pair has already won the 2022 German Open (Super 300), 2023 US Open (Super 300), 2024 Japan Open (Super 750), and 2024 China Open (Super 1000).
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In the 2024 Arctic Open final at Vantaa Energia Arena, Fei-Din overcame a 15-21 first game loss to beat the Danish pair 21-15, 21-19.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s hopes for a second title at the Arctic Open were dashed when Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah failed to defeat top seeds Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning from China.
The Chinese duo, who had already claimed titles at the Malaysia Open, Indonesia Masters, and Japan Open earlier this year, displayed great composure in the final, winning 21-12 and 21-17 in just under an hour.
China secured a second title in the mixed doubles event with another victory by top seeds Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping.
Ranked No. 3 in the world, Feng/Huang had to battle hard for their victory against fellow Chinese pair Jiang Zhenbang and Wei Yaxin, with the intense match lasting over an hour.
Feng/Huang won the first game 21-18 but suffered a 6-21 loss in the second. However, they bounced back to take the third game 21-15, securing the title in front of the Finnish crowd.
Later, second seed Han Yue defeated Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon in the women’s singles final, giving China a third title in Finland.
The defending champion easily won 21-10, 21-13, claiming her title defense in just 39 minutes.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s All England champion Jonatan Christie fell short in the men’s singles final against Chou Tien Chen from Chinese Taipei, ending his hopes of another BWF World Tour title.
Seventh seed Chou defeated fifth seed Jonatan 21-18, 21-17, securing his second BWF World Tour title of the year.
https://whatbadminton.com/goh-se-fei
Nur Izzuddin Rumsani
2024 Arctic Open Finals Results:
- Mixed Doubles:
  Feng Yanzhe / Huang Dongping (China) def. Jiang Zhenbang / Wei Yaxin (China) 21-18, 6-21, 21-15
- Women’s Singles:
  Han Yue (China) def. Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand) 21-10, 21-13
- Men’s Doubles:
  Goh Tze Fei / Nur Izzuddin (Malaysia) def. Kim Astrup / Anders Rasmussen (Denmark) 15-21, 21-15, 21-19
- Women’s Doubles:
  Liu Sheng Shu / Tan Ning (China) def. Pearly Tan / M. Thinaah (Malaysia) 21-12, 21-17
- Men’s Singles:
  Chou Tien Chen (Chinese Taipei) def. Jonatan Christie (Indonesia) 21-18, 21-17
October 15, 2024
Arctic Open Title Defense a Tough Task for Lee Zii Jia in Finland
Lee Zii Jia is set to defend his Arctic Open title, but the men’s singles player faces a challenging path in the tournament starting today.
After winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, Zii Jia finds himself in a tough section of the draw. His competition includes world No. 3 Anders Antonsen from Denmark, world No. 9 Anthony Ginting from Indonesia, and world No. 10 Chou Tien-chen from Taiwan.
In the opening round, Zii Jia will face world No. 27 Christo Popov from France. Although a tough opponent, Zii Jia has beaten him once before at the 2022 German Open, giving him a slight advantage.
If Zii Jia wins the first match, his likely second-round opponent will be China’s rising star, world No. 22 Lei Lanxi. He could then meet Anthony Ginting, Lu Guangzu, or Koki Watanabe in the quarterfinals.
Last year, Zii Jia won the Arctic Open by defeating fellow Malaysian Ng Tze Yong. Another Malaysian, Leong Jun Hao, will begin his campaign today against Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu. Jun Hao is hoping for a better outcome after a tight three-game loss to Cheuk Yiu in the Hong Kong Open last month, where he led in the deciding game but couldn’t seal the victory.
In men’s doubles, Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik return after Wooi Yik recovered from a toe injury that kept them out since their bronze win in Paris. They will face China’s world No. 21 pair Chen Boyang and Liu Yi in the first round.
Other Malaysian men’s doubles teams participating include Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi, and Yap Roy King-Wan Arif Wan Junaidi.
In the women’s doubles, Pearly Tan and M. Thinaah, who recently won the Hong Kong Open, will be the only Malaysian representatives.
Lee Zii Jia
October 9, 2024
Coach Shakes His Head: Is Shi Yuqi’s Body or Mind Injured?
Facing his former rival Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, Shi Yuqi suffered a crushing defeat, losing 11-21, 9-21, and ending his journey at the China Open early. In the men’s singles round of 16 on September 19, world No. 1 Shi Yuqi still appeared passive in his performance.
Once upon a time, Shi Yuqi had dominated Ginting, winning 11 of their previous 13 matches. However, this latest defeat marks his third loss to Ginting since his return in 2022. After making his comeback at the World Championships in 2022, Shi Yuqi lost to Ginting in a grueling three-game battle. He was again defeated in the group stage of last year’s BWF World Tour Finals, where Ginting made a comeback. Compared to those matches, this time, Shi Yuqi was dispatched in just 27 minutes, with even his coach Sun Jun, who has trained him since childhood, shaking his head in disbelief from the sidelines.
When he was trailing 3-15 in the second game, Shi Yuqi requested a medical timeout to treat injuries to his left foot and back.
Since his disappointing quarterfinal finish at the Paris Olympics, Shi Yuqi has repeatedly expressed negative emotions. After defeating former world No. 1 Son Wan Ho at the Korea Open, he jokingly remarked, “I, the weakest world No. 1, have finally beaten him today.” When asked about his newly dyed hair, he responded, “I used to be afraid of perming it, but now that I’m close to retirement, why not change it up?” After winning his first-round match at the China Open, he couldn’t help but complain, “I didn’t perform well at the Olympics, so now I’m working overtime. The ones who played well are attending concerts, while I’m stuck here.”
After his second-round elimination, Shi Yuqi, who often speaks sarcastically, commented, “Today’s result was caused by both mental and physical injuries. I think I played pretty well.”
Having competed in three tournaments since the Olympics, Shi Yuqi has expressed confusion about how to change his current situation. He also thanked fans who urged him to rest, saying, “I’m also thinking about whether I should continue or if this is enough.” In the short term, however, Shi Yuqi still has a goal: to qualify for the year-end BWF World Tour Finals. “I need to participate in at least two more tournaments to secure enough points,” he said.
The year-end BWF World Tour Finals, held in Hangzhou, is the last tournament of the season. According to the rules, the top eight players from each discipline, based on their best 14 tournament results, will qualify for the finals, with a maximum of two players (or pairs) per association. Shi Yuqi, currently ranked world No. 1, is fighting for more ranking points.
In this tournament, China’s top three male singles players (Shi Yuqi, Li Shifeng, and Lu Guangzu) were all eliminated early, while Weng Hongyang and Lei Lanxi performed admirably. Weng Hongyang, who defeated Lee Cheuk Yiu in the first round, came from behind to beat Chou Tien Chen 20-22, 21-18, 21-15 in the second round. Lei Lanxi, who previously knocked out Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, comfortably defeated Kenta Nishimoto 21-8, 21-17.
Additionally, the highly anticipated men’s doubles pair Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang were defeated 19-21, 21-18, 17-21 by Fikri/Maulana, falling short of reaching the quarterfinals.
Anthony Sinisuka Ginting
Shi Yuqi
September 20, 2024
2024 China Badminton Open: Li Shifeng Exits Early Again
On September 18, in the first round of the 2024 China Badminton Open, 4th seed Li Shifeng continued his poor form, losing 0-2 (17-21, 18-21) to Chou Tien Chen, suffering another early exit.
In the BWF men’s singles rankings, Li Shifeng is ranked 4th, while veteran Chou Tien Chen is 9th. In this new Los Angeles Olympic cycle, Li Shifeng’s first home tournament ended in a first-round exit, undoubtedly leaving him disappointed.
In the first game, the two were tied at 15-15 after a close start, but Li Shifeng made several unforced errors, allowing Chou to pull ahead 18-15. At this point, Li’s nerves got the better of him, leading to consecutive mistakes, and he lost the game 17-21.
In the second game, Chou came out strong, leading 9-1 and 12-2. Li Shifeng fought back to 15-15 and later to 18-18, but unfortunately, Chou was more confident in the critical points, and Li eventually lost the match.
Although the two games were close, Li Shifeng admitted afterward that Chou’s aggressive style put him on the defensive. He had chances to come back after 11 points but made too many mistakes during key moments, affecting his mentality. Li Shifeng has been struggling with poor results for more than half a year and hopes to regain his confidence in this new Olympic cycle.
Li Shi Feng
Chou Tien Chen
September 19, 2024
Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin advance to quarterfinals after one match
After two days of matches, the round of 16 has been determined for all events at the 2024 China Badminton Open. Both the men’s and women’s singles saw several upsets, with two former world No. 1 players being eliminated in the first round, and six seeded players failing to advance. The doubles events faced an awkward situation with 12 byes and four withdrawals.
In men’s singles, the former world No. 1 eliminated was Viktor Axelsen, who lost after a tough 3-game match to Chinese youngster Lei Lanxi, 19-21, 21-17, 16-21. Besides second seed Axelsen’s early exit, fourth seed Li Shifeng of China lost 17-21, 18-21 to Taiwanese veteran Chou Tien Chen, failing to make it to the round of 16. Third seed Lee Zii Jia suffered his most humiliating defeat, losing 15-21, 2-21 to Japan’s Koki Watanabe, marking the lowest score in China Open history and Lee’s personal lowest in recent years.
In women’s singles, Tai Tzu Ying was the player eliminated. She battled Denmark’s Line Christophersen in a three-game thriller but ultimately lost 14-21, 21-7, 19-21. With this first-round exit, Tai’s hopes of reaching the World Tour Finals are now in serious jeopardy.
The mixed doubles category saw a significant number of withdrawals, leading to an unusual situation. After Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin won 21-19, 21-13 against Chiu Hsiang Chieh/Lin Zhi Yun, they automatically advanced to the quarterfinals due to a lack of opponents, having only played one match. The mixed doubles event saw four first-round byes and three withdrawals, while the women’s doubles had an astonishing eight byes and one withdrawal. It’s hard to believe this is happening in a top-tier BWF World Tour 1000 event. The reason behind this is the reorganization of women’s and mixed doubles pairs by many teams.
Jiang Zhen Bang
Wei Ya Xin
Viktor Axelsen
Tai Tzu Ying
Lei Lan Xi
September 19, 2024
Viktor Axelsen Penalized for Signature Swaying Serve!
In the first round of the 2024 China Badminton Open men’s singles yesterday, Viktor Axelsen faced Lei Lanxi. Right at the start, Axelsen showcased his signature swaying serve. However, the referee wasn’t lenient this time and immediately penalized him a point.
It’s well known that Axelsen often sways side to side during his serve, something that has irritated many players.
Last week, during the quarterfinals of the 2024 Hong Kong Badminton Open, Axelsen played against Chou Tien Chen. At 11-13 in the second game, Chou mimicked Axelsen’s serve by dramatically swaying side to side and pausing for two seconds before serving, showing his discontent.
Although the Badminton World Federation (BWF) doesn’t have specific rules about serve duration, referees have discretionary power. In this match, Irish referee Mois Halpin clearly didn’t want to indulge Axelsen. According to Danish media reports, this is the first time Axelsen’s signature serve has been penalized.
Axelsen immediately approached the referee to argue, to which Halpin responded, “Your serve took too long!”
Axelsen’s serve this time took 4 seconds, which led to the penalty. In the past, his serves had sometimes taken even longer without penalties. This time, even Danish media outlet TV2 didn’t side with Axelsen, with a badminton commentator pointing out that Axelsen had been pushing the limits of the rules for a long time. The BWF seems keen to crack down on such serving behaviors, and the referee’s decision serves as a warning to Axelsen that this issue is now on their radar.
After losing the point due to his serve at the beginning, Axelsen noticeably sped up his serves for the rest of the match.
Chou Tien Chen
Viktor Axelsen
Lei Lan Xi
September 19, 2024
China Open Kicks Off on Mid-Autumn Festival!
The final Super 1000 event of the 2024 BWF World Tour, the China Open, will kick off on September 17 in Changzhou, Jiangsu, coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to the latest information from the Chinese Badminton Association on September 16, and the draw released by the event organizers, China’s top women’s singles player and Tokyo Olympic champion, Chen Yufei, as well as Paris Olympic mixed doubles champions, Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong, will not be participating in this tournament. While fans may be disappointed by their absence, China’s objective remains unchanged: to achieve strong results in all five events, reach the finals in each, and secure as many titles as possible on home soil.
Following the Thomas and Uber Cup, this is the second top-level badminton event held in China this year, and the last Super 1000 event of the 2024 BWF World Tour. The China Open has attracted more than 200 top athletes from 21 countries and regions, with a total prize pool of $2 million, and increased ranking points. Unfortunately, the Chinese Badminton Association’s latest entry list, released on September 16, confirms that newly crowned Olympic mixed doubles champions Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong will not participate, despite being listed as the top seeds on the initial draw just last week. Additionally, China’s top women’s singles player, Chen Yufei, will also be absent. Reports had suggested she would return at the China Open, but she has opted to protect her ranking after the Paris Olympics, and her participation was never confirmed. It is now official that Chen Yufei will continue to stay off the court.
Despite these absences, China is still sending a strong lineup, determined to perform well at this important home tournament.
China’s men’s singles players are led by Paris Olympic participants Shi Yuqi and Li Shifeng, with Lu Guangzu, Weng Hongyang, and Lei Lanxi also competing. On the international front, nearly all the world’s top players have arrived in Changzhou, including Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medalists Viktor Axelsen, Kunlavut Vitidsarn, and Lee Zii Jia, as well as Kento Momota, Chou Tien-Chen, and others. It will be a tough battle for China to secure the men’s singles title.
In women’s singles, China’s Wang Zhiyi, Han Yue, Zhang Yiman, and Gao Fangjie are all placed in the top half of the draw, which is not an ideal situation. The top two seeds are Paris Olympic champion An Se-Young and Chinese Taipei’s veteran Tai Tzu-Ying, with Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi also in the mix. Apart from the injured Spanish player Carolina Marín and Chen Yufei, almost all of the world’s top female players are present.
In men’s doubles, all eyes are on the much-anticipated return of Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang, the Paris Olympic silver medalists. The duo had missed the Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong Opens after the Olympics but are back on the court for this event, bolstering China’s hopes of claiming the men’s doubles title. They are also the reigning champions of this event and are aiming to defend their title. China’s other men’s doubles pairs include Xie Haonan/Zeng Weihang and Chen Boyang/Liu Yi.
In women’s doubles, the biggest change for China is the new pairing of Paris Olympic champion Jia Yifan with Zheng Yu. They are seeded fifth in this tournament, while Chen Qingchen is temporarily away from the team and will miss the event. On the morning of September 16, Jia Yifan and Zheng Yu began training to adapt to the court, and although this is their first time partnering, they are expected to improve their coordination as they go. Paris Olympic silver medalists Liu Shengshu/Tan Ning and the Chinese pair Li Yijing/Luo Xumin are also in the bottom half of the women’s doubles draw. Japan’s popular duo Chiharu Shida and Nami Matsuyama, bronze medalists at the Paris Olympics, will also be competing.
In mixed doubles, despite the absence of Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong, China still has a strong chance of winning this event. The team’s second pair, Feng Yanzhe/Huang Dongping, the newly crowned Hong Kong Open champions Jiang Zhenbang/Wei Yaxin, as well as Guo Xinwa/Chen Fanghui and Cheng Xing/Zhang Chi, all have great potential to contend for the title.
Lei Lan Xi
Zhang Chi
Wang Chang
September 18, 2024
Chou Tien-Chen Mimics Viktor Axelsen’s Serving Routine
It is well-known that Viktor Axelsen’s serving routine, with his frequent side-to-side movements, can frustrate and irritate many opponents.
In the quarterfinals of the 2024 Hong Kong Open, during the match between Axelsen and Chou Tien-Chen, Chou began to mimic Axelsen’s serving routine in the second game when the score was 11-13. Chou executed exaggerated side-to-side movements before serving and paused for 2 seconds, seemingly expressing his frustration.
Axelsen was visibly upset by this. After scoring a point with a smash, he walked to the net and clenched his fist in anger.
Danish media reported that Chou Tien-Chen’s imitation of Axelsen’s serving routine created a tense atmosphere on the court, indicating a provocation towards Axelsen.
Despite this, Axelsen was not affected and won the match with scores of 21-15, 21-14.
Viktor Axelsen
Chou Tien Chen
September 18, 2024