Why many world's top players are Absent?
I was looking at the Denmark Open MS Draw and was disappointed to discover that many of the world's top players were not represented.
Conspiciously absent were the stars from Malaysia and South Korea and even Olympic Champion,Taufik Hidayat, was not there, though Indonesia was represented by Olympic Bronze Medalist, Soni Kuncoro and Simon Santoso.
Thankfully, the World No. 1, Lin Dan and the ever-popular, Xia Xuanze and Denmark's own star shuttlers, particularly Peter Gade and company, were there to grace the occasion.
I wonder what could be the real reasons and if I'm not wrong, last year's Denmark Open seemed to attract a more illustrious crowd.
Malaysia's case was reported in The Star yesterday that the BAM had imposed a 2-month suspension on national players from competing in international tournaments for failing to win a medal for the second consecutive time in the Olympics. Our own top shuttler, Ronald Susilo, had to remain at home to nurse some minor injuries and to prepare for the Aviva Singapore Open.
Could the main reason be that the top players are looking at the more attractive tournaments around the corner, in Asia?

I hope so, otherwise the year will end with a limp when we should be expecting high-flying sparks and excitement all over.