New Combinations Light Up Circuit
Among the exciting developments in the paired events this year has been the rejigging of established pairs, particularly among the Asian powers.
· BWF STAFF
As the circuit moves to Europe, with the YONEX German Open and later the YONEX All England, several of these new pairs will be in focus.
There have already been several early successes. The season-opener, the PETRONAS Malaysia Open, saw new pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae take the men’s doubles title, while in the women’s doubles, the relatively recent pairing of Yuki Fukushima/Mayu Matsumoto won their biggest title together. Quite impressively, a third newly-formed pair, Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Supissara Paewsampran, annexed the mixed doubles.
Favourable winds continued to blow for new pairs as the circuit progressed, with Japan’s Arisa Igarashi/Ayako Sakuramoto taking the women’s doubles title in India over another new-look pair, Kim Hye Jeong/Kong Hee Yong – who captured the Indonesia Masters title the very next week.