The withdrawal of men’s singles shuttler Kodai Naraoka from the Asia Team Championships has not dampened the Japanese men’s team’s spirits.
World No. 6 Naraoka was initially set to spearhead the team in the team meet which is set to get underway on Monday (Feb 12) at the Setia City Convention Centre in Shah Alam but had to pull out at the eleventh hour due to fitness concerns.
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World No. 6 Naraoka was initially set to spearhead the team in the team meet which is set to get underway on Monday (Feb 12) at the Setia City Convention Centre in Shah Alam but had to pull out at the eleventh hour due to fitness concerns.
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
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SportsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:06 This time, for us, it's not my best team.
00:11 It's in the men's team.
00:12 It's Naraoka and Hoki Kobayashi is not here.
00:15 Women's team is Yamabuchi and Masumoto Nagara is not here.
00:22 But this is 1/2, 1.5 teams.
00:26 But anyway, we try our best to this tournament.
00:28 It's at least in the semifinals, and then
00:31 go through to the Thomas Cup and Evo Cup finals.
00:35 To get a better seeding, is it?
00:37 To get a better seeding, is it?
00:39 To achieve the semifinal, and then
00:41 to get a better seeding for the finals.
00:44 No, this one is not.
00:45 It's a defense of the-- when we are Thomas Cup finals,
00:49 in the defense of the world ranking.
00:51 So it's not much concern to the best of all, whatever.
00:56 Anyways, our ranking is at the moment in the women's team
01:00 is our ranking number two.
01:03 And men's team is world ranking number four.
01:07 So if we cannot through the semifinals, even semifinals,
01:13 also maybe we have very good chance to the Thomas Evo
01:15 Cup in the finals.
01:17 No, actually, it's Naraoka, so we are select the team.
01:21 But it's the last minute.
01:22 His condition is not very good.
01:24 So we are last minute.
01:25 It's a change.
01:26 And then the Hoki Kobayashi, they
01:29 want to skip in this tournament to next month
01:34 to the Europe tournament.
01:35 It's prepared.
01:37 OK, you selected Momota for this tournament.
01:41 Can you share about the selection?
01:43 Yeah, Momota is our team.
01:45 Actually, also he want to play.
01:49 He want to play.
01:50 The last in the Malaysia Open and India Open,
01:54 his ranking is too low.
01:59 So cannot play to the tournament.
02:01 So he want to play to tournament,
02:04 but there's no chance to the January.
02:07 So for him, this tournament is for Olympic race.
02:15 It's quite difficult. But it's a future to, let's say,
02:20 Thomas Cup finals.
02:22 Also, we can-- he's member of our team.
02:26 So that's why this tournament, also we try to our team event.
02:31 You think it's an opportunity for him to improve his ranking?
02:34 Maybe?
02:37 Yeah, a little bit.
02:38 His point is the plus.
02:41 But at the moment, also now in the All England and French
02:47 Open is now reserve list.
02:49 So quite tough for that two tournament.
02:52 So but if you cannot play, then they
02:55 try to play to the Super 300, the Swiss and Spain.
03:00 [SIDE CONVERSATION]
03:04 [AUDIO OUT]
03:07 [BLANK_AUDIO]