BITBURGER OPEN 2010 – China comes calling

For the first time since 2007, the Bitburger Open Grand Prix Gold will play host to a major contingent from badminton superpower China.  In addition to hot young prospects Wang Zhengming and Li Xuerui, even some players who are confirmed for the World Championships the previous week, including Wang Xiaoli, Zhao Yunlei, Yu Yang, and the men’s doubles pair of Chai Biao / Zhang Nan.

For more information about the 2010 Bitburger Open Grand Prix Gold, CLICK HERE

The complete press release from the tournament organizers reads as follows:

Chinese to compete at the Bitburger Badminton Open

It’s no secret: in badminton, the Chinese are the benchmark. Number one in this sport. When a country has a total of seven players and doubles pairs in the top three places of all five current world rankings disciplines, it is possible to confidently talk of total dominance. Now confirmation of entrants for the Bitburger Badminton Open, which takes place from 31 August to 5 September 2010, has arrived from the Middle Kingdom. “And there are some real crackers there!”, as tour director Frank Liedke puts it.

Amongst those making a smash at the Grand-Prix Gold Tournament at the Saarlandhalle in Saarbrucken, Germany are the reigning men’s doubles world champions Cai Yun and FuHaifeng . The finalists of the Super Series Tournament in Korea are joined by the number 13 pair in the current world rankings: Chai Biao and Zhang Nan. Wang Xiaoli and Yu Yang will also compete for the US$ 120,000 tournament prize.  The women’s doubles specialists make a sensational team: both women are at the top of the international scene; each with a different doubles partner. Wang Xiaoli is number one in the world rankings, while Yu Yang is number two.

The current men’s singles world number seven, Chen Long, is coming to the Saar.  Alongside the finalist of the Super Series Swiss Open 2010, will be Wang Zhengming, who surrendered only to multiple world champion and Olympic gold medallist Lin Dan in the final of the Asian Championships in April 2010. In the women’s singles, the Chinese have brought their whiz kid with them: Li Xuerui entered the Asian Championships as a qualifier and, step by step, made a clean sweep of the world’s best to take the title. Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei will also compete in the mixed doubles competition. This year they managed to win the oldest badminton tournament in the world: the prestigious All England Championships. China’s other nominations are young players who have, however, already shown glimpses of their ability: Xia Jingyun, for example, who advanced to the quarter-final of the women’s singles at the China Super Series. There are therefore certainly a few future world champions amongst them.

With this list of Chinese entrants, the chance that spectators at the Bitburger Badminton Open will get to see the newly-crowned world champion are becoming increasingly likely. “Many of the Chinese players confirmed for Saarbrucken have the potential to win the World Championships in Paris, which take place a week before the Bitburger Badminton Open”, says Frank Liedke. Registration is open until 3 August. “And I don’t have any problem with such big-names continuing to enter”, grins the tour director.