SUDIRMAN CUP 2011 – Japan joins Malaysia, England in naming squad

While Malaysia and England have decided to send streamlined teams to the Sudirman Cup this month in Qingdao, Japan has named a whopping 20 players to their squad.  Japan’s team is long on experience, with two players over 30 and the youngest, Sayaka Sato, have just turned 20.

Malaysia, meanwhile, was forced to go younger to find depth in the women’s events but also opted against veterans such as Wong Choong Hann.  Only their women’s doubles pair Chin Eei Hui / Wong Pei Tty are over age 22.  Still, all but Chong Wei Feng and Chan Peng Soon have represented Malaysia in either a Thomas, Uber or Sudirman Cup tournament in the past.

For England, too, 11 of the 13 players are from the 2009 Sudirman squad with Carl Baxter making his first Sudirman appearance and Chris Langridge coming in with Thomas Cup experience.

England
Men
Singles: Rajiv Ouseph, Carl Baxter
Doubles: Nathan Robertson, Anthony Clark, Chris Adcock, Chris Langridge, Andrew Ellis
Women
Singles: Elizabeth Cann, Sarah Walker
Doubles: Jenny Wallwork, Gabby White, Mariana Agathangelou, Heather Olver

Malaysia
Men
Singles: Lee Chong Wei, Chong Wei Feng
Doubles: Koo Kien Keat, Tan Boon Heong, Chan Peng Soon, Hoon Thien How
Women
Singles: Lydia Cheah, Tee Jing Yi
Doubles: Chin Eei Hui, Wong Pei Tty, Goh Liu Ying, Vivian Hoo

Japan
Men
Singles: Sasaki Sho, Kazushi Yamada, Kenichi Tago
Doubles: Shintaro Ikeda, Shoji Sato, Naoki Kawamae, Noriyasu Hirata, Hirokatsu Hashimoto, Kenichi Hayakawa, Hiroyuki Endo
Women
Singles: Ai Goto, Eriko Hirose, Sayaka Sato
Doubles: Satoko Suetsuna, Reiko Shiota, Miyuki Maeda, Shizuka Matsuo, Mami Naito, Mizuki Fujii, Reika Kakiiwa