Loke Poh Wong is determined to make Australian Open the best event in the world
The stage is set for the Australian Open Grand Prix Gold, going to be held in Sydney from April 3 to 8, as tournament director Loke Poh Wong is determined to make it the best Grand Prix event of the world.
The event is offering total prize money of $120,000, higher than any other tournament in Oceania. Over 300 shuttlers from 28 countries will be exhibiting their prime skills as this tournament is going to be one of the last chances to earn some valuable ranking
points before the 2012 London Olympics.
Tournament Director Loke Poh Wong was on cloud nine after receiving this overwhelming response from the top badminton shuttlers of the world.
He said, “Before we even kick off, the tournament has set a new benchmark in Australia for the calibre of players attracted to the event.”
The hundreds of players participating in this Australian event and millions expected viewers across the globe have made it the biggest Grand Prix Gold event in the world to be held in 2012.
The participants represent almost every corner of the world as China, Malaysia, India, Japan, England, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and Australia are the notable contenders.
The top guns like World Number five Chen Jin, former World and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat, the Korean maestro Lee Hyun Il and defending champion Sho Sasaki from Japan will compete for the Men’s singles crown while the Women’s singles event will see
Chinese girl Li Xuerui, prime Korean shuttlers Ji Hyun Sung and Youn Joo Bae and the 2010 World Champion Lin Wang of China.
Loke Poh Wong expressed his satisfaction over the quantity and quality of players and hopes Australian Open to be tagged as the best tournament in the world.
He said, “The Sydney competition should hold its own as one of the best Grand Prix tournaments in the world.”
Australia’s biggest hopes are in the Men’s and Women’s doubles events where their teams of Ross Smith-Glenn Warfe and Renuga Veeran-Leanne Choo will strive to escort their country to glory.
Sydney will have the honour to host the event for the first time as it was previously staged in Melbourne.
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