ASIAN CHAMPS 2015 – Former double champion withdraws

2013 double winner Ko Sung Hyun has withdrawn from the 2015 Badminton Asia Championships, as have several singles contenders.  Ko was again seeded in both men’s and mixed doubles but while his mixed partner Kim Ha Na (pictured) was not selected to represent Korea in women’s doubles, his men’s doubles partner Shin Baek Cheol is still slated to compete in what will be his first outing of the year.  The only other major last-minute omissions in doubles were 2005 mixed winners Prapakamol/Thoungthongkam and their compatriots Aroonkesorn/Voravichitchaikul in women’s doubles.

Singles, on the other hand, was hit hard, with three of the most recent additions to the Superseries honour roll pulling out on the eve of the tournament, along with some other top players.  Both current and former Singapore Open winners Kento Momota and Tommy Sugiarto will not be on hand in Wuhan, nor will Kidambi Srikanth, who won his first Superseries title last autumn before adding the India Open this year.  Also missing will be Srikanth’s compatriot H. S. Prannoy, as well as Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand, both of whom caused major upsets to reach the quarter-finals of the recently concluded Singapore Open.

In women’s singles, the home team will start with just 3 of 4 competitors as 2010 runner-up Liu Xin was also among the withdrawals.  China will still be keen to regain the title after last year, Wang Shixian lost the final to Sung Ji Hyun, denying China the win for the first time in eight years.

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