Day Three Preview: Jordan and Oktavianti face tough test
Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti’s comeback trail will be tested in the second round of the YONEX All England Open.
From the high of All England mixed doubles champions in 2020 and No.4 in the world in 2021, Jordan’s waist injury and subsequent surgery put a brake on their progress.
Jordan sat out six months of 2022 while Oktavianti tried her hand with other partners, before the pair reunited in January.
Having won their first round match in three games, they will now face standout Thai third seeds Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai.
Mixed doubles top seeds Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong of China continue their campaign as they clash with Lee Chun Hei Reginald and Ng Tsz Yau.
In women’s doubles, England’s Chloe Birch and Lauren Smith will try to topple Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara.
2021 champions Matsumoto and Nagahara have not won a tournament in two years due to injury troubles but showed their class in beating fifth seeds Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan in the first round.
China’s Cheng Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan have dominated the discipline in recent years and their next outing comes against Maiken Fruergaard and Sara Thygesen of Denmark.
In men’s singles, Viktor Axelsen continues his campaign against Ng Tze Yong – a daunting assignment for the Malaysian on his All England debut.
Lakshya Sen beat Anders Antonsen in the second round on the way to last year’s final – and the pair meet again at the same stage this time.
Third seed Anthony Ginting looks in good touch but he will have to turn the tide of history against HS Prannoy of India, who edges the historical head-to-head 2-1.
Lee Zii Jia continues his search for form against the awkward Kenta Nishomoto, while rising star Kodai Naroaka faces former world No.1 Srikanth Kidambi.
Having accounted for Kento Momota in the first round, Kunlavut Vitidsarn will try to raise his game once more against Shi Yu Qi of China.
In women’s singles, all-conquering Akane Yamaguchi may be made to work for her quarter-final spot against Busanan Ongbamrungphan.
Thailand’s Lalinrat Chaiwan will aim to produce another surprise after pulling off one of the shocks of the tournament by beating Ratchanok Intanon in the first round.
Lalinrat takes on Gregoria Mariska Tunjung who saved two match points to squeeze through her first round encounter.
Pornpawee Chochuwong, who got past 2021 All England champion Nozomi Okuhara to reach this stage, will have to take down another titan in Olympic champion Chen Yufei.
In men’s doubles, reigning champions Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana face another tricky test in their title defence.
They play Malaysian eighth seeds and 2021 world bronze medallists Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi, who stunned Olympic champions Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin on opening day.
Recovery will be key with both pairs going the distance in their first-round matches.
Tickets for the 2023 YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships are on sale now. Click here to find out more.
