BAC 2011 Preview – Open road for China

The Badminton Asia Championships 2011 to be held in Chengdu, Sichuan (China) should see many Chinese shuttlers crowned on April 24th, the last day of the competition. The local shuttlers will be sending a full cast of their top stars, while a lot of other nations’  best players will skip the event in a very tight schedule just before the beginning of the Olympic qualification period.

By Raphaël Sachetat.  Photos: Badmintonphoto

In the women’s singles event, China will send no less than their top 8 shuttlers – except for Wang Lin, who is still undergoing some treatment for her knee injury. Wang Yihan, Wang Shixian, Wang Xin will be there as well as Lu Lan (photo), Li Xuerui, Jiang Yanjiao, Liu Xin and even Zhu Lin, the former World Champion who has been out of the main circuit for some months. Two of their main rivals – Malaysia’s Wong Mew Choo and India’s Saina Nehwal – are skipping the event, which leaves Yip Pui Yin and Eriko Hirose as China’s most dangerous opponents in the draw.

Similar fate for China’s men’s single, out in force with their 8 best as well – no injury there. Lin Dan will lead the Armada and will be the main favourite ahead of his compatriots Bao Chunlai, Chen Jin and Chen Long. Some big names are missing amongst their rivals. Lee Chong Wei, Taufik Hidayat, Simon Santoso, Sony Dwi Kuncoro, Park Sung Hwan and Kenichi Tago, for instance, will not make the trip to Chengdu. Nguyen Tien Minh and Boonsak Ponsana will probably be China’s biggest threats.

In the men’s doubles, also, Cai/Fu, Guo/Chai and three other pairs from China might have an easier challenge than expected after Malaysia’s Koo and Tan decided to skip the annual event. Lee Yong Dae will be paired with Shin Baek Cheol (photo) instead of his usual partner Jung Jae Sung, who has other plans for the weekend before his wedding. Ko and Yoo from Korea are not in the list either. However, Indonesia’s Kido and Setiawan and Chandra/Gunawan will be there to trouble the Chinese as well as two Korean good second knives (Cho/Kwon and Kim/Kim) as well as Chinese Taipei’s Fang and Lee and Japan’s best pairs. Malaysia may have a good trick to play with Abdul Latif/Hoon and Ong/Mhd Tazari.

Chinese look favourite in the women’s doubles as well, with the usual rivals present apart from the Indonesians, but it will take a lot of struggle for Korea’s best pairs or Japan’s to beat the mighty Chinese on their home ground.

The contest might be a bit more challenging for the home shuttlers in the mixed doubles, where all Chinese top pairs will be featuring in the event, but so will the best pairs from other countries. Japan’s Ikeda / Shiota, Korea’s new pair of Lee Yong Dae / Ha Jung Eun, but also, Chinese Taipei’s Chen/Cheng and Lee/Chien, as well as Thailand’s Prapakamol/Thoungthongkam and Anugritayawon/Voravichitchaikul. This should lead to an open and interesting contest from April 19th.

The final list will be available on April 3rd, the deadline for withdrawals. Seeding is expected later on March 31st.

All entries HERE