CHINA SET TO DOMINATE THE 2011 ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
China has entered its strongest lineup for the Asian Championships, starting at the Sichuan Provincial Gymnasium in Chengdu on Tuesday 19th April. The Chinese team represents the ‘who’s who’ of international badminton.
The official list of participants, released by Badminton Asian Confederation, confirms that the Chinese team will be led by their impeccable Olympic Champion himself, Lin Dan. Its supporting cast in the Men Singles will include Chen Long, Chen Jin, Du Pengyu and Bao Chunlai, every one a household name in international badminton.
Facing this powerful force will be the likes of Boonsak Ponsana and Nguyen Tian Minh, two players clearly not in the same league of the Chinese. The Thai and the Vietnamese national champions have occasionally picked up a title or two but they have never been considered candidates for major awards.
Malaysian World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei has opted to stay away from the Chinese mainland as also Indonesian and Korean Singles players. This is unfortunate considering that the Asian Championships is the foremost badminton competition on the continent.
If the Men Singles look lopsided, the ladies event has six Chinese players among the top 8 seeds. Their line-up is absolutely intimidating with the 3 Wangs – Shixian, Yihan and Xin leading the pack. Their back-up stars include Liu Xin, Jiang Yangjiao and the defending champion Li Xuerui, ranked at four, five and six at Chengdu.
Hong Kong’s Yip Pui Yin and Japan’s Eriko Hirose, who are 7th and 8th seeded, are not expected to cause much of a ripple. India’s Saina Nehwal, probably the only player capable of putting on a show against the Chinese, has decided to give this Championship a miss.
China also heads the seeding in the Men’s Doubles with Yun Cai and Fu Haifeng. But here the Chinese pair may have a fight on its hands against the likes of Indonesia’s Markis Kido & Hendra Setiawan and Lee Sheng Mu & Fang Chieh Min of Chinese Taipei.
China has also sent a couple of back-up pairs in the event their top seeds falter. These are Chai Biao & Guo Zhengdong and Xu Chen & Zhang Nan. Also in the fray would be Indonesia’s Hendra Aprida & Chandra Yulianto and Korea’s Lee Yong Dae & Shin Baek Choel.
Chinese girls will still be the ones to beat in the Ladies Doubles. They will have three pairs including Yu Yang & Wang Xiaoli and Tian Qing & Zhao Yunlei. But the going may not be all that easy against the new emerging force of women badminton, - Taipei and Japan.
Taipei’s Cheng Wen Hsing & Chien Yu Chin are top seeded while the Japanese pairing of Matsuo Shizuka & Naito Mami are at 7. There also lurks an unlikely source from which a new champion may emerge - Thailand’s Kunchala and Duanganong. The Thai girls have been pretty consistent to earn a 4th seeding at this Championship.
China has entered four pairs in the Mixed Doubles with Zhang Nan & Zhao Yunlee and Tao Jiaming & Qing Tian leading the charge as the top and 3rd seeds. Exciting challenge could come from Thailand’s Sudket & Saralee and Songphon & Kunchala.
Lin Dan and Li Xuerui will be the only defending champions participating at the Chengdu Championship.
Last year’s champions
Men Singles : Lin Dan (CHN)
Women Singles: Li Xuerui (CHN)
Men Doubles : Cho Gun Woo/ & Yeon Seong Yoo (KOR)
Women Doubles: Pan Pan & Qing Tian (CHN)
Mixed Doubles : Chan Peng Soon & Goh Liu Ying (MAS)
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