Schenk to miss Worlds

Juliane Schenk told Malaysia’s Star newspaper that she would not be playing in the World Championships in August after all.  Schenk is currently in Malaysia sparring with the women’s singles players there, a role she was offered at last month’s Singapore Open.

Schenk explained to the Star that she had notified the German Badminton Association (DBV) that she wished to “retire at the end of the year” but was surprised to receive a letter of dismissal a few days later.  With no place to train and no funding for travel, she “decided to turn professional and skip the world meet as a matter of principle,” Schenk told the Malaysian daily.

At the time of the revelations from Schenk and the DBV in May, the DBV asserted that it had no intention of interfering with Schenk’s participation in the World Championships, which will be held in Guangzhou, China from August 5-11.  However, Schenk says that her sights are now set on the Indian Badminton League or possibly retirement.

Schenk, winner of last year’s Singapore Open and runner-up at three Superseries tournaments since, is currently ranked 4th in the world and, with none of the top ten participating in any ranking events this month, she would almost certainly have ended up as the fourth seed when the seedings are done on the 18th of this month.  Schenk is also the only player in the world who has beaten all of the current top Chinese women’s singles players.

Click here to read the complete article on the Star‘s website