China’s absence spares a chance for others to shine in India Open Super Series 2011 – Badminton News
China, the leading country in the world of Badminton is not participating in the first edition of India Open Super Series 2011, which is going to be held in India, from April 26 to May 1.
Chinese shuttlers are focusing on the upcoming event of Asian Badminton Championships, starting from April 19. The Absence of Chinese shuttlers has spared an opportunity for many other players to win the India Open title.
In the Women’s singles category, India’s Saina Nehwal is the number one seed in this home event. Saina is currently the World Number Three in the international rankings. The absence of top Chinese shuttlers including Wang Shixian and Wang Yihan, World Number
One and Two respectively, has provided a superb chance for the Indian to win the title.
Saina’s coach, Pullela Gopichand, is quite optimistic for her success in the championship. Gopichand said, “Saina is the top seed in the tournament and therefore favourite to win the title. She is fit and high on confidence after her victory in the Swiss
Open. Her ligament injury has healed, but she is putting on the straps as a precaution.”
In the Men’s singles category, World Number One Malaysian shuttler, Lee Chong Wei, is placed at the top of the draw. Chong Wei is the favourite to win the title as his nemesis and World Number Two, Lin Dan of China, is not participating in this event. Apart
from the top seed Malaysian, there are also some other claimers of the title which include Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia, Peter Hoeg Gade of Denmark and Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand.
Gade, while speaking about his preparation for the India Open said, “The last three weeks have been very good and right now it’s all about the heavy practice, physical training and working on some new tactical and technical parts into my game. So far, so
good. Next up is the India Open.”
In the absence of Chinese top pairs in the Women’s doubles category, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa of India, Yao Lei and Sari Shinta Mulia of Singapore, Kunchala Voravichitchaikul and Duanganong Aroonkesorn of Thailand and the Japanese pairs of Reika Kakiiwa
and Mizuki Fujii and Mami Naito and Hizuka Matsuo will be the major contenders for the Women’s double title in the event.
In the Men’s doubles category, the top seeds from China and Denmark are skipping this event that has spared an opportunity for other players to lift the title. Major claimers of the Men’s doubles title include Tan Boon Heong and Koo Kien Keat of Malaysia,
Hendra Aprida Gunawan and Alvento Yulianto Chandra of Indonesia and Kim Sa Rang and Kim Ki Jung of Korea.
In the Mixed doubles category, the winners of Australian Open GP Gold, Kunchala Voravichitchaikul and Songphon Anugritayawon of Thailand and Saralee Thoungthongkam and Sudket Prapakamol of Thailand, Mizuki Fujii and Hirokatsu Hashimoto of Japan, Diju Valiyaeveetil
and Jwala Gutta of India and Liliyana Natsir and Tantowi Ahmad of Indonesia will be the chief contenders for the crown in India.
The absence of China in all categories of the event has provided a superb chance for the other shuttlers from different countries to perform well in this event and earn ranking points for the World Badminton Championships 2011 and also for the 2012 London
Olympics.
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