When the last of the ping-pong balls to determine placing of the eight 
seeded players in men’s singles of the Doha Asian Games was drawn, there was an obvious sign of despondency on the faces of the chief coach to the Malaysian team, Yap Kim Hock and the association’s general manager, Ganga Rao (right). This probably was understandable.
Their top player Lee Chong Wei (left) was seeded second, which was good news, and thus conveniently avoided his nemesis Lin Dan until the final. But his position in the bottom half of the draw stood precariously in want. For standing in the way to his expected clash with Lin Dan, are some very dangerous players. They come in the form of China’s Bao Chunlai, seeded 3/4, Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia and Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana, both seed among 5/8. The second seeded will need to be at his brilliant best right through the tournament if he entertains any hope of a gold for the nation. If he gets past the Thai youngster, Boonsak, then either Chunlai or Taufik will wait for him in the semi-finals.
The scene is different in the top section. Going by existing records, Lin Dan should breeze his way past some meager earlier opposition including Ng Wei of Hong Kong before running into either Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia, seeded 5/8 or the joint third seed Korean Lee Hyun Il. He may be tested by the Korean in particular but the challenge may not be ‘life-threatening’.
In ladies singles, China’s Zhang Ning (left) and Xie Xingfang have been drawn to meet in the final. Throughout the year, these two girls have shared international limelight and the scenery is not likely to change in Doha. But the excitement will come from the pretenders to the gold and silver medals.
Japan’s Kaori Mori and Hong Kong’s Wang Chen are the joint seeds while Malaysia’s Wong Mew Choo, Japan’s Hirose Eriko, Korean Hwang Hye Youn and Yip Pui Yin of Hong Kong are the back-up seeded challengers as joint 5th - 8th ranking.
A player worth watching here is the unseeded Nehwal Saina (right) of India. Since her success at the Philippines Open earlier in the year, this 16-year old has won the silver in the World Junior championship in Incheon and the gold in the Indian satellite. Barring any mishaps Saina will meet Xingfang in the quarter-finals.
In men’s doubles, China’s Fu Haifeng & Cai Yun is top seeded with Jung Jae Sung & Lee Dong Dae of Korea as the second seeds. Expected challenge to their positions will come from the joint 3/4 seeds Indonesia’s Markis Kido & Hendra Setiawan and Malaysians Tazari & Lin Woon Fui.
China’s domination looks likely to continue in ladies doubles with Gao Ling & Huang Sui along with Zhang Jiewen &Yang Wei being seeded 1 & 2. If any upset is to be recorded, then it will most likely come from the Koreans Lee Kyung Won & Lee Hyo Jung or the Taiwanese pair of Chien Yu Chin & Chen W