Chen Hong is the sole China entry, although he is officially no longer with the national team, in the men’s singles and will have to be at his best to beat Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, the recent Japan Open winner in Tokyo last Sunday.
CHINA’S, and several other big name eleventh hour withdrawals have left the Chinese Taipei Yonex Open wide open and forced a re-draw to be conducted in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
Chen Hong is the sole China entry, although he is officially no longer with the national team, in the men’s singles and will have to be at his best to beat Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei, the recent Japan Open winner in Tokyo last Sunday.
Chen Hong takes on Malaysia’s Kenn Lim in the first round and is only expected to be stretched in the last eight where he is tipped to take on Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat. Taufik lost to Chong Wei in the final on Sunday.
Denmark’s Peter Gade or South Korea’s Lee Hyun Il is expected to meet Chen Hong or Taufik in the semi-finals.
At the bottom half of the draw, Chong Wei opens his campaign against Indonesia’s Ari Yuli Wahyu Hartanto while the former’s teammate Roslin Hashim begins his quest for a title with a match against Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana.
World Championships silver medallist Sony Dwi Kuncoro, who is tipped to progress to the last four against Chong Wei, plays Hong Kong’s Wong Wai Hong.
In the women’s singles, Hong Kong’s Wang Chen is the new top seed following the withdrawal of Zhang Ning and Xie Xingfang of China. Wang Chen plays Japan’s Kanako Yonekura in the first round.
France’s Pi Hongyan is the No 2 seed but has a tough opener in the form of India’s Saina Nehwal. However, looking to spoil their party will be Denmark’s Tine Rasmussen who was a major sensation in Japan when she downed the likes of Zhang Ning, Lu Lan and Xie Xingfang to win the women’s singles crown.
The Dane, seeded fifth, opens against Germany’s Juliane Schenk and will probably be up against Malaysia’s Julia Wong in the second round and a quarter-final date against the top seeded Wang Chen.
Indonesia’s Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan and South Korea’s Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae are expected to battle it out for the men’s doubles title. However, strongly challenging them will be Denmark’s Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen, South Korea’s Lee Jae Jin-Hwang Ji Man and Malaysia’s Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari.
Markis-Hendra have tough opener against Hong Kong’s Albertus Susanto-Yohan Hadikusumo and a win may reward them with another tough encounter against Malaysia’s Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock.
Jung-Lee open against a qualifier and will have tough test in the quarter-finals where Paaske-Rasmussen are expected to qualify.
Local hopes will be pinned on Chien Yu Chin-Cheng Wen Hsing, the top seeds, in the women’s doubles. The seasoned pair play Hong Kong’s Wong Sin Yee-Fung Ying in the opening round and is tipped to face Canada’s Fiona Mckee-Charmaine Reid in the second round.
Expected to be waiting for them in the semi-finals are the dangerous Malaysians Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui.
Japan’s Kumiko Ogura-Reiko Shiota are the No 2 seeds but will face a stern test from Indonesia’s Lilyana Natsir-Vita Marissa for a place in the final.
In the mixed doubles, it could be an all-Indonesia final with Nova Widianto-Lilyana Natsir and Flandi Limpele-Vita Marissa the favourites to feature in the final.
Source: Internationalbadminton.org
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