The 2018 BWF World Championships will begin July 30 in Nanjing, capital city of east China’s Jiangsu Province. Though Team China is playing at home, things do not look good for the home team. 

Of the eight badminton opens in the past seven months, China only took four championships out of 40. By contrast, both Japan and Indonesia have gained 11. They are also two of China’s biggest competitors in Nanjing.

Though Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei and South Korea’s Son Wan-ho have quit the tournament, Kento Momota from Japan is still the biggest challenge for China at the men’s singles. Though his country lost to China at the Thomas Cup in May, Momota himself remained undefeated during the event. Even World’s No.1 Viktor Axelsen has difficulty facing Momota as Momota has won seven of the nine games against Axelsen.

As for China, four of their players in men’s singles – Lin Dan, Chen Long, Shi Yuqi and Huang Yuxiang – are in the same division as Axelsen. Chen and Huang may meet Axelsen in the quarter-finals and the second round, while Shi may have to play against Lin in the third round.

Lin Dan is already 35 years old and relies more on experience in the games. Chen Long has not found the best at the games, and was knocked out in the first round three out of five times at the BWF World Tours. Twenty-two-year-old Shi Yuqi has won all six games at the Thomas Cup, though he has not performed steadily in the following three opens.

In women’s singles, World’s No.1, Tai Tzu Ying from Chinese Taipei is seen as the biggest contender to win the tournament in Nanjing. She took five championships in the past six events. After quitting the last BWF World Championships, Tai is expected to strive for her first world championship. 

As for Team China, the situation is still tough. At the 2018 Uber Cup in May, China lost to Thailand 2-3 in the semi-final after losing all three singles games. In Nanjing, China will have three players for women’s singles: He Bingjiao, Chen Yufei and Chen Xiaoxin. Chen Yufei and Chen Xiaoxin went to the same division and may meet in the round of 16. He was in the other division, however, with Tai Tzu Ying.

China has more hope in the three doubles events. According to doubles coach Zhang Jun, the four Chinese pairs in mixed doubles are all in the Top 10 seeded players list. China also took 14 consecutive titles in women’s doubles at the tournament. In men’s doubles, China has both the defending champion Liu Cheng/Zhang Nan and Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen who helped the team win the title at the Thomas Cup.