The dominance of the Chinese womens doubles pairings in badminton can count as perhaps the longest-running dynasties in any sport. Chinese women last lost a World Championship crown in 1995 and were denied a gold medal at the Summer Olympics way back in 1992.
Theyve occupied the top of the podium at the Worlds on 17 occasions from the last 20 editions,and five times of the last six Olympic Games.
Pedersen also picked her third mixed doubles SS Finals crown with Joachim Fischer Nielsen and it was additionally commendable since all the top pairings were in attendance unlike the depleted field in singles. She is well on her way to becoming one of the greatest,as well as a leading protagonist alongside the feisty men of Denmarks defiance of Chinese authority in this discipline.
The Danish challenge to Chinas doubles supremacy has been one of adventure and audacity. Chipping at the Chineses games tactically and raising the fitness and speed stakes with every subsequent World Championship,the Danes are now challenging the east Asians,after they picked a bronze and silver at London.
Rio might well be the first Games where the Chinese go in a tad iffy about what has been hitherto an assured gold medal in the combination events. It wont hurt the Danish girls confidence that also they scalped the top-ranked Chinese pair Xiaoli Wang and Yang Yu,whom theyd never beaten prior to this.
China is undoubtedly experimenting with new combinations this year and their pairings at the Malaysian season-wrap are far from what the Danes will be up against at the Olympics or Worlds.
The Danes though,bring a more crucial element to shuttles doubles proceedings,quite apart from the no-nonsense efficiency of the inscrutable Chinese champs till date: they wield charisma and fiery drama with their racquets,which makes them supreme entertainers on badmintons colourful doubles stage. A fact not lost on the cheering rest of the world that watches in awe each time the Chinese go down in a final.
Shivani is an assistant editor based in Mumbai.
shivani.naik@expressindia.com
