Source: CCTV.com

05-13-2009 10:52

Neither Russia nor Mongolia has been the talk of the badminton world. But at the Sudirman Cup, teams from both countries are making their voices heard.

The popularity of badminton in Russia is nowhere near that of one of the sport's powerhouses, such as China. So it came as somewhat of a surprise when the Russian badminton team declared just before the competition that they're aiming to win a medal or two at the 2012 London Olympics. Apparently, nothing is impossible.

And though their skills may need a little more polishing, the Russian players' height is something you just can't ignore.

Xing Aiying, Singaporean badminton player, said, "They're tall but their play connects exceptionally well."

In the matches against Singapore, Russia went ahead in both the men's singles and doubles, while on the women's side, Nana Vislova and Valeria Sorokina stepped-up to win their doubles match 3-2.