Dong quits Malaysian Open

Dong quits Malaysian Open

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Chinese world number one badminton player Dong Jiong has withdrawn from this month's US$180,000 Malaysian Open due to injury, the organizers announced yesterday.

It was another setback for the six-star tournament which had earlier seen the withdrawal of newly crowned world champion Peter Rasmussen of Denmark.

Dong's absence placed Indonesian world champion Joko Suprianto as the top seed in the tournament to be played in the east Malaysian city of Kota Kinabalu from July 9 to July 13.

According to seedings released by the International Badminton Federation, Malaysian defending champion Ong Ewe Hock was placed in the same half with third seed Peter Christensen of Denmark.

Christensen, the first European since Morten Frost Hansen to win a title in Asia when he won the Taiwan Open this year, is expected to clash with Ong in the semifinals.

Malaysian veteran Rashid Sidek, a four-time Malaysian Open winner, has been seeded fourth and is likely to meet with Joko in the last four, national Bernama news agency reported.

Meanwhile, former badminton queen Susi Susanti has been seeded second behind China's world singles champion Ye Zhaoying.

Zhaoying will lead a strong Chinese challenge with compatriot Ge Fei, who won the world doubles title with Gu Gun and mixed doubles with Liu Yong.

Two hundred and seven shuttlers from 19 countries have confirmed their entry for the five-day event at the 2,500-seat Kota Kinabalu sports complex.