Iris Wang for the second straight event had a real close and competitive match but was unable to advance, losing in three games to He Bingjiao of China in Australia. Wang and Bingjiao traded the lead in the first game with Wang up 19-18 before Bingjiao got the last laugh by winning the last three points to take the game 21-19. In game two it was Wang with the late run coming back from down 17-15 to win six of the last seven points and take the game 21-18. In game three Wang never saw the lead and never was even after an early 3-3 score as Bingjiao pulled away for a 21-14 win. Wang was within one at 11-10 but after a 5-0 run by Bingjiao never got any closer than five points.

This was the last Super Series event before the Olympics, where Wang will compete for the US. The next Super Series event is in Tokyo, Japan starting September 20th.

Previous Badminton Super Series Coverage:
Australia Preview

Beiwen Zhang had as good a day as anyone on Sunday at the US Badminton National Championships as she won national titles in both women’s singles and women’s doubles. Zhang took care of Ariel Lee in the singles final and wasn’t tested in a 20 minute 21-7, 21-7 win. She joined partner Jing Yu Hong to wrap up a perfect 5-0 weekend in women’s doubles with a dominant opening game 21-0 over #2 seed Deepti Reddy and Yen-Fang Wang before a 21-11 result in game two. Zhang didn’t go three-for-three though as she and partner Yoga Pratama were unable to compete in the mixed doubles final, handing it to Phillip Chew and Jamie Subandhi on a walkover. It seems the issue was with Pratama who also withdrew from his men’s singles third place match. It was back-to-back titles for Zhang in singles and Zhang and Yu Hong in doubles.

The Olympic men’s doubles team of Chew and Sattawat Pongnairat lost their final to Mu He and Ricky Xiu Liuzhou 21-16, 21-13 and Pongnairat also lost the men’s singles final to Charles Gu 21-8, 21-12.

Iris Wang will be competing in the Australian Badminton Open on Wednesday. She opens with He Bingjiao of China. Wang has yet to advance at a Super Series event this year in three tries.

Previous US Badminton National Championships Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Day 2 Update

Previous Badminton Super Series Coverage:
Indonesia Recap

Iris Wang’s stay in Indonesia didn’t last long but she did get a really good competitive match against an opponent who’s at a very similar level to her. Wang lost two sets that had to go to extra points, 22-20, 23-21, to Xiaoyu Liang of Singapore. Wang made a furious comeback in a first set she never lead to draw even at 20-20 after being down 20-15. Liang won the next two points to still grab the set. Set two was much more back and forth with both players trading the lead. Wang seemingly had control of the set at 18-14 but Liang won six of the next seven points to take the lead and finally closed the match on her third match point.

The next Super Series event begins next Tuesday in Sydney, Australia. In the meantime some of the US best will be competing in the National Championships in West Palm Beach, Florida starting Friday.

Previous BWF Super Series Coverage:
Indonesia Open Preview

There’s only one American competing this week in the Indonesia Open and that is Iris Wang. Wang, who sits around 30th in the world rankings, might have the upper hand in her first round match against up-and-coming 20-year-old Xiaoyu Liang of Singapore on Tuesday. Wang has yet to advance at any of the Super Series events so far in 2016.

Previous BWF Super Series Coverage:
Singapore Recap

Beinwen Zhang put up a strong fight at the OUE Singapore Open in the quarterfinals but was still swept by higher ranked, He Bingjiao of China. Zhang held an early 7-2 lead before He showed her class with an 8-0 run to take back control of the game. Zhang would briefly tie it again at 11 before He pulled away for the 21-16 win. Zhang held a 13-9 lead in game two before a closing 12-2 run from He ended the match with a 21-15 second game win.

The strong tournament should boost Zhang’s confidence and she has now advanced in two of the three Super Series events she has taken part in this year. The next Super Series event is the Indonesia Open Super Series Premier in Jakarta starting on May 30th.

Before that the US women will participate in the 2016 Uber Cup in Kunshan, China starting on May 15th. The US didn’t qualify for this team competition in 2014 and the men missed out on the corresponding Thomas Cup this year and in 2014. The US women were seeded 13th but have been placed into a group with #3 Korea, #7 Chinese Taipei and #16 Mauritius so advancing to the knockout round is not out of the question.

Beinwen Zhang was tested at the OUE Singapore Open on Thursday being forced to fight back after dropping an extended first game to Yip Pui Yin of Hong Kong 25-23. Zhang briefly led late in the game 23-22 before Yip won the final three points to take the game. Zhang never trailed in the second game winning 21-16 and used an 8-0 run after things were tied at nine in the third game as she went on to win the decisive game 21-14. The win moves her into the quarterfinals of a Super Series event for the first time since reaching back-to-back quarterfinals in October 2014.

Her opponent is surprisingly another unseeded player, He Bingjiao of China. He is a higher ranked player than Zhang so she will face an uphill challenge to make a semifinal run. Still regardless of what happens on Friday for her to be playing in one of the 20 matches on Friday is a big success.

Beinwen Zhang caught a bit of a break this week when #4 seed Saina Nehwal of India withdrew from the OUE Singapore Open. Instead of facing one of the top players she got to face someone below her in the world rankings, Aya Ohori of Japan. Zhang took advantage of the matchup and in a competitive match won in straight sets 21-18, 21-17.

She will now face Yip Pui Yin of Hong Kong in the second round. The two are very evenly matched and have split their two previous meetings including a Zhang sweep in the Singapore Open last year. Zhang is attempting to reach her first quarterfinal in a Super Series event since reaching back-to-back quarterfinals in October 2014.

While there were six Americans competing in Malaysia last week only one of those players is still around competing the Singapore Open. Beinwen Zhang, who had to play the #6 seed last week and lost 21-8, 21-14, will be taking part in the women’s singles competition. She has a much better chance to advance for the second time this year as her opponent, Aya Ohori of Japan, is below her in the world rankings. The two have never met.

Zhang was to meet #4 seed Saina Nehwal of India but she withdrew from the tournament to rest. Zhang has the potential now to reach the quarterfinals without facing a seeded opponent. Zhang’s match is decently late in the day in Singapore and is set for 7:40 AM ET Wednesday morning in the US.

At the third 2016 BWF Super Series event of the year in Malaysia the Americans in the field went 0-6 and were unable to take a set. It was the first time this year that no American had advanced.

In the women’s singles draw Iris Wang lost 21-12, 21-16 to #4 seed Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand. The 21-16 second set was the closest an American would come to taking a set on the day. Zhang Beiwen also faced tough competition in #6 seed Wang Yihan of China and dropped the match in two sets 21-8, 21-14. Rong Schafer who advanced from qualifying on Monday dropped her match to Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan by a score of 21-7, 21-15.

In the men’s doubles event Phillip Chew and Sattawat Pongnairat lost to #8 seed Mads Conrad-Petersen and Mads Pieler Kolding of Denmark 21-14, 21-11. In the mixed doubles event Chew and Jamie Subandhi lost in straight sets to Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels of Germany 21-12, 21-10.

Finally in the women’s doubles event Eva Lee and Paula Lynn Obanana lost to the Dutch duo of Eefje Muskens and Selena Piek by a score of 21-14, 21-12.

The next stop on the BWF Super Series tour is in Singapore starting next Tuesday. The Americans will hope to find more success there.

The 2016 BWF Super Series is about to make its third stop of the year this week in Malaysia. Eight Americans will be taking part in the main draw. In the women’s singles event Iris Wang will be facing #4 seed Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand in round one while Zhang Beiwen takes on sixth-seeded Wang Yihan of China. Beiwen is 0-2 against Yihan but did take a set from her last year in Singapore. Finally Rong Schafer advanced from qualifying and will face Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan.

In the men’s doubles event Phillip Chew and Sattawat Pongnairat will take on #8 seed Mads Conrad-Petersen and Mads Pieler Kolding of Denmark.

In the women’s doubles event Eva Lee and Paula Lynn Obanana will take on the Dutch duo of Eefje Muskens and Selena Piek. A non-seeded opponent for some Americans! Finally in the mixed doubles event Chew will team up with Jamie Subandhi to face Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels of Germany.