Former top tens to return to action in Taipei

Former top ten players Poon Lok Yan (pictured above) and Songphon Anugritayawon are slated to return to international competition after long layoffs.  According to the entry lists for the Chinese Taipei Open Grand Prix Gold event published today on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) website, Poon will be making her first on-court appearance since suffering a severe knee injury in the final of last autumn’s Macau Open.  The Hong Kong shuttler barely managed to hang onto her qualifying spot for the Rio Olympics but there has been some question as to whether her recovery schedule would permit her to participate in Rio with partner Tse Ying Suet.

Meanwhile, former mixed doubles world #6 Songphon Anugritayawon (pictured right) has not played outside of his native Thailand since the Macau Open a year earlier, although he did play two matches at the Thailand Masters early this year.  He is entered in the men’s doubles competition, together with Chaloempon Charoenkitamorn.  Rio-bound athletes feature in all five qualifying lists for the event, although most of the top ten players have elected to give the tournament a miss.  Five of the men’s singles top ten are entered, while only one pair, #10 Li Junhui / Liu Yuchen of China are entered in men’s doubles.

Click here to download and view the complete entry lists from the BWF website