Now that I’ve accurately(!) predicted the singles events, it’s time to talk about my men’s doubles predictions in Tokyo! It is a little harder to show the anticipated matches for in the knock out round since half of the pairs will be drawn at random. Therefore I cannot break down individual matches at this stage. However, I will discuss who I think are the gold, silver and bronze medalists for each of the doubles categories – starting with the men.
If you need a reminder of the format, it can be found here. In summary, the two top pairs will go through to the knockout stages. The winners from each group will be separated across four brackets. The remaining pairs will then be drawn randomly so as to avoid pairs “choosing” their next opponent as happened in London 2012.
Group Stages – Mens Doubles
For more information on the doubles draw see my post discussing the initial badminton draws of the Tokyo Olympics. Below I have listed my prediction on the winners and runner ups at the group stage.
Group A
Predicted Winners: Kevin Sukamuljo/Marcus Gideon
Predicted Second Place: Lee Yang/ Wang Chi-Lin
It would be hard to look past Sukamuljo and Gideon as the favourites to win the group stage. They have been one of the most dominant pairs on the world circuit and this is reflected in their seeding going into these Olympic games. Second place however was a little tougher to decide. Wang and Lee Yang were my choice based on their improving form and experience over the other two pairs. The British are not as experienced as the others in the group and I do think Badminton England missed a trick not sending Ellis and Langridge. The Indians might throw a curveball, with new coach Mattias Boe at the helm. They are a strong pairing but again not as experienced or consistent as the Indonesians and Taiwanese pairings.
Group B
Predicted Winners: Endo/Watanabe
Predicted Second Place: Rasmussen/Astrop
Watanabe and Endo are the host countries top-ranked men’s doubles pairing and my personal favourite pairing. They have also been consistent in their tournaments and the partnership has really brought out the best in both players. In second place, I have the Danes. While the Russians are also a strong pairing, they have not really been a strong presence in international tournaments lately. But not to be underestimated.
Group C
Predicted Winners: Li Jun Hui/Liu Yu Chen
Predicted Second Place: Keigo Sonoda/Takeshi Kamura
The twin towers of China head up group C. China have been not playing international tournaments during the covid period but you can’t rule them out as a medal contender. They will likely be joined by the boundless energy of the Japanese paring of Sonoda and Kamura. Being one of two Japanese pairs, they would rather win the group I expect to give a better chance at a Japanese medal, but I suspect the Chinese will themselves not be content with second place in the group!
Group D
Predicted Winners: Hendra Setiawan/Mohammad Ahsan
Predicted Second Place: Aaron Chia/Soh Wooi Yik
In my books, there isn’t a pair with more longevity than Hendra Setiawan and Mohammad Ahsan. It is simply incredible to be ranked second in the world after so many years on the circuit. Their experience and skills on the court are second to none and their invaluable experience is their greatest asset. I believe they will be joined by the Malaysians, who have made great strides – however, it will be tight with the Koreans who are ranked above them but even in their head to heads. The Koreans are famously textbook badminton players and consistent as anything in their defence. But I think the Malaysians will be able to use their attack more effectively to win the points when it matters at the group stages.
Predicted Medal Winners
Gold: Endo/Watanabe
I think I’ve gone against most of the predictions people would have otherwise said. And not because they’re my favourite pair! It’s because I expect Endo/Watanabe to meet the Indonesians in the semi-finals and the Japanese pair seem to be the only pair they really struggle with. They have proven before that their strength in defence frustrates the Indonesian pair and unless Kevin and Marcus can maintain their patience in attacking play, they will face the same road again.
In the finals, I predict a clash with another Indonesian pair in Ahsan and Setiawan. This will be a really interesting battle should it happen. The Indonesians have the attacking power and intelligence in Ahsan and Setiawan respectively, while the Japanese are solid in defence and faster around the court. So should the final go as predicted, the Japanese will certainly have their work cut out.
Silver: Hendra Setiwan/Mohammad Ashan
Honestly, they could be gold medalists. They really only have their age to contend with. But even then I don’t think this is much of a barrier to the immortal Daddies. This is perhaps the only medal missing from Ahsan’s trophy cabinet and would solidify his status as one of the greatest badminton players of all time.
In order to reach the finals, they would have to take down the Chinese twin towers. A tall ask (pun intended), but one they are more than capable of.
Bronze: Sukamoljo/Gideon
In Bronze position, I have who many people would predict would be gold medalists. However, as mentioned, their head to head against the Japanese isn’t positive. For the Bronze medal, I expect they might face the Chinese pairing of Li/Yu. A pair they have had success against many times. The speed of Sukamoljo has often been the bane of the Chinese who are not as decisive at the net as the minion. However, when these two pairs meet, it’s often a close, fast-paced match. Men’s Doubles at its best!
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