World best shuttlers meet in Vietnam early next month

JAKARTA (JP): Vietnam, a country with no badminton history, will be the focus of badminton enthusiasts throughout the world as the globe's best shuttlers meet in the World Cup championships in Ho Chi Minh City early next month.

Indonesia, currently the dominant badminton powerhouse, is fielding its top players at the Aug. 3-7 invitational tournament held for the first time in the Southeast Asian country.

World champions Joko Suprianto and Susi Susanti, fresh from their Malaysia Open victories two weeks ago, looked destined to top the seeding lists and are expected to continue their winning streak.

All-England title holder Hariyanto Arbi and Ardy Wiranata, who were crowned in Singapore's Konica Open on Sunday, will join Joko in the men's singles event, with strong challenges from Rashid Sidek, Ong Ewe Hock, both from Malaysia, Denmark's Thomas Stuer- Lauridsen and Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen and Dong Jiong of China.

Tough rivalry will also highlight the women's singles competitions as world grand prix runaway leader Susi meets her old foes Ye Zhaoying of China and Bang Soo-hyun of South Korea. Susi last beat Ye in the Malaysian Open final.

Susi renewed her Olympic engagement with Alan Budikusuma in last year's meet in New Delhi. Alan has not earned a place this year due to a major drop in his performance.

Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky, the triumphant team in the Malaysian and Konica opens, are seeking a hat trick in the men's doubles competitions, in which fellow Indonesians Bambang Suprianto and Rudy Gunawan will also be fielded, along with Denmark's Thomas Lund and Jon Holst Christensen, the Malaysian ace duo of Cheah Soon-kit and Soo Beng-kiang and the Chinese Chen Kang and Chen Hoyong.

World number two women's pair Lili Tampi and Finarsih will make their first appearance since their Uber Cup victory last May, with South Korean Chung So-young, who will rejoin her world number one partner Gil Young-ah, to become joint red-hot favorite.

The International Badminton Federation (IBF) has given the host two wild-card entries in the men's singles and another free- pass ticket in the women's singles.

The participants will likely have only a two-day break before they have to turn up for the Indonesian Open in Yogyakarta, the next grand prix stop after the Malaysian Open. (amd)