WORLDS 2014 – Thailand, Japan hit by more withdrawals

Both Japan and Thailand reported to the World Championships in Copenhagen without some of their top singles prospects.  Each team is missing its top man – Boonsak Ponsana (pictured) of Thailand and Kenichi Tago of Japan respectively – while in the women’s singles, Busanan Ongbamrungphan and Eriko Hirose will also be missing the tournament.  All players will be hoping to recover before next month’s Asian Games, where both of the ladies are expected to be key members in the team competition.  Tago and Ponsana would be medal contenders at both events, if healthy.

First round action gets underway today in Copenhagen.  All seeds in doubles and in women’s singles have first-round byes but everyone in the men’s singles draw will have a first round match to play today or Tuesday, with the exception of Ireland’s Scott Evans, India’s Ajay Jayaram of Pablo Abian of Spain.  They were slated to play withdrawn seeds Ponsana, Tago, and Simon Santoso, whose withdrawal was announced a week ago.

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