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Stadium Badminton Kuala Lumpur
3 1/2 Mile Jalan Cheras
56000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (+60) 3 92845421
Fax: (+60) 3 92843251
Email: bac@badmintonasia.org
For court booking call:
Tel: (+60) 3 92849576
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THE THOMAS-UBER CUPS SHOWDOWN STARTS THIS WEEKEND
The Finals of the 2010 Thomas & Uber Cups start at the Putra Badminton Stadium in Kuala Lumpur this weekend. Twelve teams will participate in each of the two Finals.
The format of play ensures that there is at least one representation from each of the five regions of the world. Asia as the powerhouse of the sport has the maximum number of countries in both the Thomas and Uber Cup finals with 6 national teams in each, just ahead of Europe’s three. The Americas, Africa and Oceania have one each.
In the Thomas Cup series, China will head the cast with Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and India making up the Asian strength while European challenge will be led by Denmark, Germany and Poland. Peru will carry the flag of South & Central America, the United States and Canada while Australia will represent the Oceania zone and Nigeria will travel in from Africa.
In The Ladies Team Championship for the Uber Cup, China will defend the trophy for the seventh successive time against fellow Asians Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and India. The rest of the world making the trip to Kuala Lumpur for the Finals will be Denmark, Germany, Russia, Australia, United States and South Africa.
The venue of the tournaments, the Putra Stadium which was built in 1990 and boasts some of the best and most modern facilities for the sport is a memorial to the nation’s first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra. In the last couple of weeks, the venue has seen sprucing and touch-up in preparation to these two events.
With a capacity seating for 16,000, the Putra Stadium, on the outskirts of the city centre, forms part of the huge National Sports Complex which also houses a soccer and athletics stadium, an aquatic pool and squash centre… all of international standard.
China as defending champion of both the Thomas and Uber Cups has been touted early favourites. While this may be a true to a large extent with the Ladies Team event, the same cannot be assumed in respect of the Thomas Cup. Host Malaysia while enjoying home ground advantage also has the world’s highest ranked players in the Men Singles and Doubles. That say something g about the strength of the local side. No doubt, China would be aware and cautious over these facts.
Indonesia which has won the trophy a record 13 times to China’s 7 since its inception in the late forties, has always viewed the Thomas Cup as a national treasure and will be motivated by a huge partisan and vociferous crowd that has become a common feature at all previous tournaments. South Korea will be a dangerous ‘dark horse’ with the ability to take advantage of any opportunity that may come its way.
Denmark remains the only European nation that stands a chance of making a strong impression on the Kuala Lumpur series but its chances of wrestling the coveted trophy away from Asia remains very remote.
The Uber Cup on the other hand, is destined to remain in China for yet another year. There is absolutely no possibility of any nation causing an upset. Korea may have a reasonably strong lineup but it lacks the depth to sustain for victory in the best of five matches.
The tournament start on Sunday with the preliminary group matches in both the Thomas and Uber Cups with the Finals in the Ladies event due on Saturday 15th May at 2.00pm local time and the Thomas Cup on Sunday 16th May, also at 2.00pm.
In conjunction with the tournament, Badminton World Federation will conduct its Annual General meeting on Saturday 15th and the various committee meetings will follow until Friday 21st May.
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