2 min readMay 1, 2026 02:47 PM IST
Chou Tien Chen always has a one-person cheerleader in his coach’s corner chair. But Chinese Taipei are also travelling with their most labour-day of electronics- horn speakers used in factories or mines to signal shut ends.
Except, this has a pre-recorded chant that keeps going between points, to keep the cheering levels high. Thomas Cup quarterfinals are not the best time for team members especially scheduled to play, to waste energy screaming.
The arena has modest partisan support for either Taiwan or India and many empty chairs with sparse flag waving crowds. But the noise has been drummer up using an assortment of noise producing objects. There’s the pre-taped horns that are held aloft and keep going. Then there’s hand fan rattles and cones that are struck against each other to create a din.
Lakshya Sen was 18-16 up in first singles, before Chou Tien Chen rode the frenzy with accurate point construction, using drops to take the first step.
For India, the team has carried hand held drums and jingling damrus, which will pick in decibel once Sen gets going. Tien Chen though was working the shuttle incredibly with shuttle control and drop placements.
Horsens is an Aural city, known for the biggest acts like Metallica and Madonna performing in the coastal city repeatedly. The tournament itself hasn’t seen packed stands. But Taiwan brought their slightly nasal PSA horn and has been blaring cheer messages through the week, though never during points.
Vuvuzela like horns are also ringing for the other quarterfinal underway – with noisier support for China. Unlike tennis, badminton doesn’t bar noise but while Korean origin inflate clippers have gone out of vogue newer noise making gadgets have emerged.
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