Kaffie
08-05-2003, 10:08 AM
With the conclusion of the World Championship in Birmingham, all eyes will now be directed to the next event on the international badminton circuit, the Yonex-Sunrise Singapore Open 2003.
With all five newly crowned world champions headlining the event and a supporting cast of top players from all over the world, this year’s Singapore Open looks set to be a blockbuster.
Besides a prize purse of US$170,000, at stake are also important qualification points for next year’s Olympics in Athens. The Singapore Open is the first five-star grand prix event since the Korean Open in April and already, organizers have received a record 372 entries. The event can accommodate a maximum of 264 entries and some players will be left disappointed when the International Badminton Federation announces those who entries are accepted for the Singapore Open this week.
For men’s world champion Xia Xuanze, the 25-year-old will arrive here as the early favourite, given his current form. The winner of the Japan Open in April could make it three wins in a row, if he triumphs in Singapore.
On his way to winning the Worlds last week, the right-hander snuffed out the likes of Singapore’s Hendra Wijaya, South Korea’s Park Tae Sang, compatriot Lin Dan and Denmark’s world number two Kenneth Jonassen, before crushing Wong Choong Han of Malaysia in a thrilling final. Those who fell victim to Xia’s rampage in Birmingham are headed to the Singapore Open and will relish the chance of a possible rematch.
Wong, who created history by being the first Malaysian to reach the final of the World Championships, will be eager to taste victory in Singapore. Wong, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, lost to last year’s Asian Games champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the final two years ago and will want to be the first Malaysian to win the Singapore Open since Foo Kok Keong in 1990.
For men’s doubles world champions Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen, the Danish giant-killers will be looking to continue where they had left off. In a thrilling three set final last Sunday, the young Danes, who have only won a two-star tournament previously, upset former world champions Sigit Budiarto and Candra Wijaya to earn their first world title.
But the Danish upstarts should expect a quick response from the top Chinese and South Korean pairs at the Singapore Open. Koreans Ha Tae Kwon & Kim Dong Moon failed to defend their world title due to injury and should be back in the fray. World number ones Lee Dong Soo & Yoo Yung Sung and defending Singapore Open champions Flandi Limpele & Eng Hian will be out to hunt down the new world champions.
For women’s world champion Zhang Ning, the Singapore Open has always been a happy hunting ground. She was champion in 2001 and runner-up in 2002. But compatriot and reigning All-England champion Zhou Mi will be reluctant to relinquish Singapore Open crown, while world championship runner Gong Ruina will be eager for revenge. Throw in Holland’s Mia Audina Tjiptawan and former world champion Camilla Martin of Denmark and the women’s singles race looks set to be a closely contested affair.
China’s Gao Ling & Huang Sui, who defeated their world number one compatriots Wei Yili and Zhao Tingting to become world champions on Sunday, will be out to win their fifth straight tournament in Singapore. After finishing runner-up in last year’s Asian Games and Asian Championships, the Chinese pair has been unstoppable, winning last December’s China Open, this year’s All-England and Japan Open.
World Championships losing semifinalists Japan’s Seiko Yamada & Shizuka Yamamoto and Denmark’s Ann-Lou Jorgensen & Rikke Olsen are the best bets to prevent another All-Chinese final in the upcoming Singapore Open.
South Koreans Kim Dong Moon & Ra Kyung-Min finally defeated their Chinese archrivals Zhang Jun & Gao Ling to become world champions on Sunday and will be hoping for a repeat in Singapore. The Chinese world number one pair is the current Olympic, Asian and All-England champions and will be thirsting for a rematch, after failing to win their second consecutive world title.
China won three of five titles at stake at last week’s World Championships and will defend the men and women’s singles and the women’s doubles title in this year’s Singapore Open. With all the biggest names expected here, expect lots of hard-hitting action from 19 to 24 August at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
With all five newly crowned world champions headlining the event and a supporting cast of top players from all over the world, this year’s Singapore Open looks set to be a blockbuster.
Besides a prize purse of US$170,000, at stake are also important qualification points for next year’s Olympics in Athens. The Singapore Open is the first five-star grand prix event since the Korean Open in April and already, organizers have received a record 372 entries. The event can accommodate a maximum of 264 entries and some players will be left disappointed when the International Badminton Federation announces those who entries are accepted for the Singapore Open this week.
For men’s world champion Xia Xuanze, the 25-year-old will arrive here as the early favourite, given his current form. The winner of the Japan Open in April could make it three wins in a row, if he triumphs in Singapore.
On his way to winning the Worlds last week, the right-hander snuffed out the likes of Singapore’s Hendra Wijaya, South Korea’s Park Tae Sang, compatriot Lin Dan and Denmark’s world number two Kenneth Jonassen, before crushing Wong Choong Han of Malaysia in a thrilling final. Those who fell victim to Xia’s rampage in Birmingham are headed to the Singapore Open and will relish the chance of a possible rematch.
Wong, who created history by being the first Malaysian to reach the final of the World Championships, will be eager to taste victory in Singapore. Wong, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, lost to last year’s Asian Games champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the final two years ago and will want to be the first Malaysian to win the Singapore Open since Foo Kok Keong in 1990.
For men’s doubles world champions Lars Paaske and Jonas Rasmussen, the Danish giant-killers will be looking to continue where they had left off. In a thrilling three set final last Sunday, the young Danes, who have only won a two-star tournament previously, upset former world champions Sigit Budiarto and Candra Wijaya to earn their first world title.
But the Danish upstarts should expect a quick response from the top Chinese and South Korean pairs at the Singapore Open. Koreans Ha Tae Kwon & Kim Dong Moon failed to defend their world title due to injury and should be back in the fray. World number ones Lee Dong Soo & Yoo Yung Sung and defending Singapore Open champions Flandi Limpele & Eng Hian will be out to hunt down the new world champions.
For women’s world champion Zhang Ning, the Singapore Open has always been a happy hunting ground. She was champion in 2001 and runner-up in 2002. But compatriot and reigning All-England champion Zhou Mi will be reluctant to relinquish Singapore Open crown, while world championship runner Gong Ruina will be eager for revenge. Throw in Holland’s Mia Audina Tjiptawan and former world champion Camilla Martin of Denmark and the women’s singles race looks set to be a closely contested affair.
China’s Gao Ling & Huang Sui, who defeated their world number one compatriots Wei Yili and Zhao Tingting to become world champions on Sunday, will be out to win their fifth straight tournament in Singapore. After finishing runner-up in last year’s Asian Games and Asian Championships, the Chinese pair has been unstoppable, winning last December’s China Open, this year’s All-England and Japan Open.
World Championships losing semifinalists Japan’s Seiko Yamada & Shizuka Yamamoto and Denmark’s Ann-Lou Jorgensen & Rikke Olsen are the best bets to prevent another All-Chinese final in the upcoming Singapore Open.
South Koreans Kim Dong Moon & Ra Kyung-Min finally defeated their Chinese archrivals Zhang Jun & Gao Ling to become world champions on Sunday and will be hoping for a repeat in Singapore. The Chinese world number one pair is the current Olympic, Asian and All-England champions and will be thirsting for a rematch, after failing to win their second consecutive world title.
China won three of five titles at stake at last week’s World Championships and will defend the men and women’s singles and the women’s doubles title in this year’s Singapore Open. With all the biggest names expected here, expect lots of hard-hitting action from 19 to 24 August at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.