CHONG WEI SET TO DOMINATE SINGAPORE AND INDONESIAN OPENS
The Super Series 2010 band-wagon will start rolling again when its fifth leg, the Singapore Open starts at the National Indoor Stadium on 15th of this month. This will be followed by the Indonesian Open a week later at the Istora Senayan.
These events follow the already completed opening four legs for the year – the Korean, Malaysian, All England and the Swiss legs - after a break to accommodate the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals.
Unfortunately, the announcement that Chinese players will not be participating in both the Singapore and Jakarta tournaments is bound to take much shine off the two championships. Of particular interest would have been the expected clash between Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan. It will be recalled that the Malaysian won all three opening legs of the Super Series 2010 but skipped the Swiss Open. Lin Dan meanwhile had skipped the first three legs and was eliminated at the quarter-finals of the Swiss Open.
But the Chinese ace retuned with a comprehensive across-the-board performance at the Thomas Cup Finals in Kuala Lumpur, that saw him make absurd of Chong Wei’s ranking as the world’s No. 1with straight games destruction of the All England champion in the China-Malaysia semi-final tie.
The appetizing prospect of seeing them in their first Super Series clash for the year fizzled out when China informed the World Federation that its players would be involved in its own national league during the Singapore and Indonesian Opens and thus would not be able to make the trip to Singapore and Jakarta.
So for now, our interest in a Chong Wei-Lin Dan match-up will have to be put on hold until probably the World Championships in Paris in August or the China Open in September.
Meanwhile, the absence of the Chinese in both Singapore and Jakarta will probably be greeted with a tinge of delight by the ladies. It will provide the rest of the world with an opportunity to get to where the Chinese girls have been for a long while – on the rostrum.
With the likes of Wang Yihan, Wang Xin, Wang Shixian, Wang Lin and Jiang Yangjiao, the five top ranked players by WBF opting out, China’s only entry will be in the person of Lu Lan, now ranked 10th in the world. In Singapore the Chinese girl will be ranked 4th, behind the likes of Saina Nehwal, Tine Rasmussen and Zhou Mi.
Others players who will likely pose a serious challenge to the coveted title would include Eriko Hirose, Yao Jie, Bae Seng Hee and Yip Pui Hin. For probably the first time in a long while, the winner may come from someone who is not a Chinese national player.
Lee Chong Wei meanwhile, should very much be on his own against the likes of Peter Rasmussen, Nguyen Tien Minh, Boonsak Ponsana, Sony Kuncoro and Kenichi Tago. Except for that one incident against Lin Dan in the Thomas Cup encounter, Chong Wei has been pretty consistent in this part of the world.
The Men Doubles should develop into a four-way fight for the title among Koo Kien Keat & Tan Boon Heong, Markis Kido & Hendra Setiawan and the Danish pairings of Lars Paaske & Jonas Rasmussen and Mathias Boe & Carsten Mogensen.
Two Japanese and two Korean pairs will start strong for the Ladies Doubles title. Miyuki Maeda & Satoko Suetsuna and Mizuki Fujii & Reika Kakiiwa may set a record of sort for Japan if they should come out stronger against Kim Min Jung & Lee Hwo Jung and Ha Jung Eun & Jung Kyung Eun.
The Mixed Doubles should feature the high profile pairings of Nova Widianto & Lilyana Natsir and Thomas Laybourn & Kamilla Rytter Juhl in their continuing rivalry for the coveted title.
The rankings for the Singapore Open:
Men Singles Ladies Singles
Lee Chong Wei MAL Saina Nehwal IND
Peter Gade DEN Tine Rasmussen DEN
Nguyen Tien Minh VIET Zhou Mi HK
Boonsak Ponsana THA Lu Lan CHN
Jan Jorgensen DEN Eriko Hirose JPN
Simon Santoso INA Jie Yao NED
Sony Kuncoro INA Bae Seung Hee KOR
Kenichi Tago JPN Yip Pui Yin HKG
Men Doubles Ladies Doubles
Kien Kiat & Boon Heong MAS Satoko & Miyuki JPN
Markis & Hendra INA Mizuki & Reika JPN
Mathias & Carsten DEN Russkikh & Nedelcheva RUS/BUL
Lars & Jonas DEN Wen Hsing & Yu Chin TPE
Hendra & Yulianto INA Hyo Jung & Min Jung KOR
Yu Lang & Hung Ling TPE Savitree & Vacharaporn THA
Wan Wah & Tan Fook MAS Jung Eun & Kyung Eun KOR
Howard & Tony USA Choinet & Rasidi FRA
Mixed Doubles
Nova & Liliyana INA
Thomas & Kamilla DEN
Vita & Hendra INA
Robert & Zieba POL
Songphon & Kunchala THA
Diju & Jwala IND
Baek Cheol & Hyo Jung KOR
Nathan & Jenny ENG