Chinese shuttlers to fight for 4th-straight Sudirman Cup
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Chinese badminton team is determined to fight for its fourth-straight title of Sudirman Cup while other teams vow to provide resistance to the powerhouse at these biggest world mixed team badminton championships to be held from May 22 to 29.
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Chinese badminton player Lin Dan checks his racket during the training on May 18, 2011. Chinese badminton team is determined to fight for its fourth-straight title of Sudirman Cup to be held from May 22 to 29. |
Having defended the Sudirman Cup in the last three editions, Li Yongbo, the head coach of Chinese team remained in calm, saying "China have to be well prepared in the face of adversity, especially when playing against strong teams."
Chinese team left their base in Beijing for Qingdao on May 2 for its final preparations for these championships.
The Chinese is the best team in the history of Sudirman Cup, claiming seven trophies in 11 editions. South Korea is the only nation other than China to win these championships three times since Indonesia won the first edition in 1989.
China sends its best line-up to cement its dominance in these championships.
The men's singles is led by "Super Dan" Lin Dan, along with world No. 4 Chen Long and Bao Chunlai. Women's world top three shuttlers Wang Shixian, Wang Yihan and Wang Xin will raise the flag for China in women's singles.
The men's pairs in the team are veterans Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng and the younger Guo Zhendong/Chai Biao while Yu Yang/Wang Xiaoli and Zhao Yunlei/Tian Qing will be the women's pairs.
For the mixed doubles China opts for Xu Chen/Ma Jin at the expense of Korean Open and Super Series Masters Finals champions Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei.
The balance in all of the five events is key to success. South Korea, the only team other than China that has a relatively balanced strength, is reckoned as China's strongest rival.
The South Korean women Shuttlers clinched their first ever Uber Cup last year by dethroning the reigning champion China 3-1 in the final. Though the women's doubles Olympic silver medalists Lee Hyo Jung/Lee Kyung Won have retired, the South Korean is still competitive in women's competition with the participation of Uber Cup champions Sung Jih Yun, Ha Jung Eun and Kim Min Jung.
With the reunion of world No. 2 Chung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae, South Korea is also powerful in men's doubles.
The other potential trophy contenders are Malaysia, Denmark and Indonesia.
The Malay team, entered into the semi-finals in last edition and headed by the current world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei, keeps a low profile, setting its sight on a quarter-final finish. The Badminton Association of Malaysia said this was because of a lack of top shuttlers as women's singles ace Wong Mew Chew has retired.
The team of Denmark, which was out of the top four for the first time in the last 11 editions two years ago, is at full-strength for revival.
Their ace Peter Gade and Tine Baun will be counted on to deliver both women and men's singles points for Denmark, while world top men's doubles pairs Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen and world No. 3 mixed doubles Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Christinna Pedersen have also been looking strong.
Indonesian team only won the Sudirman Cup once in its inauguration in 1989, and their prospect this time looks gloomy again as their top shuttlers are all absent.
World No. 3 Hidayat Taufik decided no to participate in the event on Thursday, claiming he was not in the best form and wanted to give chance to young shuttlers.
Mixed doubles ace Liliyana Natsir confirmed she was unable to recover from her injury, while men's doubles Olympic champions Kido Markis/Setiawan Hendra were also absent.
