KUALA LUMPUR: The response to the Singapore Open badminton championships has been so overwhelming that several Malaysian players have been rejected from the US$170,000 tournament starting next week. The mostly badly hit were the men’s doubles players. Malaysia had listed 10 pairs but only four got the nod to compete. They are Chan Chong Ming-Chew Choon Eng, Choon Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, Koo Kien Keat-Gan Teik Chai and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui. Even the country's third pair Chang Kim Wai-Hong Chieng Hun's application has been turned down. REJECTED: Men's doubles players Chang Kim Wai (left) and Hong Chien Hun will not get to compete in the Singapore Open next week. Malaysia will also not have representation in the women's singles. Wong Mew Choo, who put up a gallant fight in her maiden outing in the World Championships at Birmingham recently, is listed 15th in the waiting list. National singles coach Teh Seu Bok said that three men's singles would not feature in Singapore. “Our probationers Tan Zhao Rong and Mohd Hazwan Jamaluddin will not be going. They (the organisers) have a lot of entries in the men's singles and some of our players did not get the chance to compete. “The higher ranked players were selected ahead of the lower ones,” said Seu Bok. “We are also not sending James Chua. He is recovering from knee injury but we will send him for the Indonesia (Aug 26-31) and Malaysia Open (Sept 2-7).” In the men's singles, Malaysia will be represented by World Championships runner-up Wong Choong Hann, Lee Tsuen Seng, Mohd Roslin Hashim, Hafiz Hashim, Lee Chong Wei, Kuan Beng Hong, Yeoh Kay Bin and K. Yogendran. The Naza Kia-sponsored players to feature in the tournament are Ong Ewe Hock (pic), Sairul Amar Ayob and Ismail Saman. The other self-sponsored players are Yong Hock Kin and Pei Wei Chung. Besides Malaysia, badminton powerhouses like South Korea, China and Denmark are also sending their top players for the meet. The Indonesians, however, are missing. None of their singles players are taking part. In the doubles, only Trikus Hariyanto and Nova Widianto will play. All the five world champions from the recent World Championships will be in action. They include men's singles champion Xia Xuanze of China, who had beaten Choong Hann in the final. Based on the star-studded cast for the Singapore Open, another world class showing is on the cards.
