Thomas Cup 2014 by the numbers

China is the favourite to take their 6th Thomas Cup but while seedings an play order are done by rankings, how do the players measure up with their head-to-head statistics?

By Don Hearn. Photos: Badmintonphoto

Indonesia is the top seed at the 2014 Thomas Cup but only one of their players has shown a pattern of dominating his likely opponent, should they have to go up against China in the final or earlier. In this special feature we take a look at the head-to-head stats of all the players likely to get the nod to play first singles, second singles, first doubles, etc. in showdowns between the seeded teams.

For this series of tables, we have taken the top three singles players according to May 5th world rankings and the top two doubles pairs, excluding players who were not named to their nation’s Thomas Cup teams. One exception to the ranking rule is the consideration of head-to-head statistics for Lin Dan as a prospective third singles choice, given the obvious advantage the current World Champion could bring to his team. Keep in mind that any team can make other choices that make use of their backup players in singles and scratch pairings in doubles and these tables consider only the strongest by ranking, with that single exception.

1st Singles

	Sugiarto (INA)	Chen (CHN)	Lee (MAS)	Tago (JPN)	Jorgensen (DEN)	Son (KOR)	Ponsana (THA)	Chou (TPE)
Tommy Sugiarto	–	1-6	0-9	3-1	N/A	2-1	3-1	1-0
Chen Long	6-1	–	8-9	6-3	6-0	4-1	5-2	2-0
Lee Chong Wei	9-0	9-8	–	15-1	11-1	6-1	23-2*	N/A
Kenichi Tago	1-3	3-6	1-15	–	6-5	1-2	2-0	3-0
Jan Jorgensen	N/A	0-6	1-11	5-6	–	0-2	6-2**	5-0
Son Wan Ho	1-2	1-4	1-6	2-1	2-0	–	1-0	2-0
Boonsak Ponsana	1-3	2-5	2-23*	0-2	2-6**	0-1	–	2-0
Chou Tien Chen	0-1	0-2	N/A	0-3	0-5	0-2	0-2	–

* Includes wins for Lee at the 2006 and 2010 Asian Games
** Includes one win for Ponsana at the 2010 Superseries Finals

2nd Singles

	Rumbaka (INA)	Du (CHN)	Chong (MAS)	Momota (JPN)	Vittinghus (DEN)	Lee (KOR)	Saensomboonsuk (THA)	Hsu (TPE)
Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka	–	3-0	N/A	N/A	0-3	N/A	1-1*	1-0
Du Pengyu	0-3	–	2-1	1-0	4-0	N/A	3-0	4-0
Chong Wei Feng	N/A	1-2	–	1-0	1-1	N/A	1-1	2-0
Kento Momota	N/A	0-1	0-1	–	0-1	2-0	1-2	N/A
Hans-Kristian Vittinghus	3-0	0-4	1-1	1-0	–	N/A	2-2	2-2
Lee Dong Keun	N/A	N/A	N/A	0-2	N/A	–	4-2	N/A
Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk	1-1*	0-3	1-1	2-1	2-2	2-4	–	1-1
Hsu Jen Hao	0-1	0-4	0-2	N/A	2-2	N/A	1-1	–

* Includes one wins for Saensomboonsuk at the 2013 SEA Games

3rd Singles

	Santoso (INA)	Lin (CHN)	Liew (MAS)	Sasaki (JPN)	Axelsen (DEN)	Hwang (KOR)	Avihingsanon (THA)	Lin (TPE)
Simon Santoso	–	1-10	1-2*	6-2	N/A	N/A	2-0**	1-0
Lin Dan	10-1	–	1-0	10-1	1-0	N/A	2-0	N/A
Liew Daren	2-1*	0-1	–	N/A	1-0	N/A	0-2†	N/A
Sho Sasaki	2-6	1-10	N/A	–	1-1	1-0	N/A	N/A
Viktor Axelsen	N/A	0-1	0-1	1-1	–	N/A	5-0	N/A
Hwang Jong Soo	N/A	N/A	N/A	0-1	N/A	–	1-2	N/A
Suppanyu Avihingsanon	0-2**	0-2	2-0†	N/A	0-5	2-1	–	N/A
Lin Yu Hsien	0-1	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	–

* Includes one win for Santoso at the 2011 SEA Games
** Includes two wins for Santoso at the 2011 SEA Games
† Includes one win for Avihingsanon at the 2010 Asian Games

20140427-1716-europeanchampionships2014-raph6701

1st Doubles

Ahsan/ Setiawan (INA)

Liu/Qiu (CHN)

Hoon/Tan (MAS)

Endo/ Hayakawa (JPN)

Conrad Petersen/ Pieler Kolding (DEN)

Lee/Yoo (KOR)

Jongjit/ Puangpuapech (THA)

Lee/Tsai (TPE)

Ahsan/ Setiawan

–

N/A

N/A

Liu/Qiu

2-0

–

N/A

Hoon/Tan

1-2

1-1

–

N/A

Endo/ Hayakawa

0-6

2-3

6-0

–

N/A

1-1

2-1

1-1

Conrad Petersen/ Pieler Kolding

N/A

0-1

N/A

–

0-1

1-1

0-2

Lee/Yoo

3-0

1-0

1-1

1-0

–

1-0

Jongjit/ Puangpuapech

N/A

0-1

1-2

1-1

0-1

–

N/A

Lee/Tsai

1-4

0-1

1-1

2-0

0-1

N/A

–

20131211-1513-superseriesfinals2013-ai8p1713

2nd Doubles

Pratama/ Saputra (INA)

Chai/Hong (CHN)

Goh/Lim (MAS)

Kamura/ Sonoda (JPN)

[scratch] (DEN)

Kim/Kim (KOR)

Ampunsuwan/ Chalardchaleam (THA)

Chen/Lu (TPE)

Pratama/Saputra

–

N/A

N/A

Chai/Hong

0-1

–

0-1

N/A

2-1

N/A

Goh/Lim

2-1

1-0

–

N/A

Kamura/Sonoda

1-0

N/A

–

N/A

1-2

1-0

1-1

[scratch pairing]

N/A

–

N/A

Kim/Kim

1-0

1-2

N/A

2-1

N/A

–

N/A

Ampunsuwan/ Chalardchaleam

N/A

0-1

N/A

–

N/A

Chen/Lu

0-1

N/A

1-1

N/A

–

20140411-0106-singaporeopen2014-raph8266

Who has the edge on China’s best?

Finally, how do the highest ranked singles players and pairs stack up against China’s strongest line-up? Is anyone from the rest of the world favoured and who are the biggest long-shots?

This assumes Lin Dan plays 3rd singles and that Liu Xiaolong and Qiu Zihan take 1st doubles and Chai Biao and Hong Wei get the nod for second.

China – Strongest Thomas Cup Line-up?

Chen Long

Du Pengyu

Lin Dan

Liu/Qiu

Chai/Hong

Indonesia