With not many players able to impress with both skill and looks, when the Korea’s Kim Ha Na began to show what she could do in international tournaments she quickly won a large following. In various events in 2013 she achieved very good results in both the women’s and mixed doubles, and her world ranking never slipped out of the Top 10.

 

Kim Ha Na has been in red hot form recently

 

Even though she had to pull out of several major events from November last year with injury, when she returned to competition at the German Open at the end of February she took a gold and a silver and has kept up her good form ever since.

 

In the India Open in early April, she went on to take silvers in both the women’s doubles and mixed doubles, recording her best ever Super Series result. At present, she is ranked 6th in the world in the mixed doubles and 8th in the women’s doubles.

 

When the men’s doubles discipline is mentioned many fans will first probably think of Indonesia and the Korea, countries that traditionally have a number of exceptional doubles players, then Denmark, Malaysia, Japan, countries that always have one or two outstanding men’s doubles pairs. However, if the players from the aforementioned countries don’t have their guard up when they play Chinese Taipei’s Lee Sheng Mu／Tsai Chia Hsin they may well find themselves knocked out of the Thomas Cup by this capable pair. 

 

Now-retired Korea men’s doubles star Jung Jae Sung once said in an interview (Legendary player, now coach─“the people’s brother” Jung Jae Sung !) that Lee Sheng Mu was one of the players that had given him the biggest headache on court because he has both the abilities most needed in men’s doubles--speed and power. Lee and his partner Tsai have substantial competition experience and they are lethal from the back of the court.   

 

Tsai Chia Hsin／Lee Sheng Mu have an aggressive style

 

Lee／Tsai joined forced at the end of 2012. They have won titles and finished second in a number of Grand Prix Gold tournaments but had never reached the final at a Super Series event, so this year’s Singapore Open in April, at which they took the runners-up spot, was a real breakthrough for them. In the semi-final Lee／Tsai battled the Korea’s formidable Ko Sung Hyun／Shin Baek Choel for 55 minutes before emerging victorious 22-20,18-21,21-14. They couldn’t overcome China’s Cai Yun／Lu Kai in the final but did bag a large number of points that propelled them up the world rankings to fifth.

 

Handsome and popular Lee Yong Dae was banned from playing at the end of January after the Malaysia Open following an administrative error he committed and was forced to miss several big events in a row, causing many fans to worry. Luckily, the BWF announced on April 15 that he can return to competition, making not just fans but also the Korea national team breathe a sigh of relief.

 

With Lee Yong Dae, this two-time Olympic champion genius doubles player, back in the team the Korea’s chance of winning golds at the major events of this year, the Thomas Cup and the Inchon Asian Games, has increased substantially. 

 

The Korea team’s men’s doubles ace - Lee Yong Dae

 

( Edit by VICTOR Badminton )