Clash of Asia’s best
Chong Wei-Srikanth likely to cross paths in the last eight
PETALING JAYA: The top national shuttlers will have a chance to prove their capability when they compete in the Badminton Asian Championships (BAC) in Wuhan, China, this week.
Badminton was targeted to win three gold medals at the recent Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, but only managed two and even lost the mixed team title for the first time in 12 years.
Veteran singles player Lee Chong Wei and women’s doubles pairing of Vivien Hoo-Chow Mei Kuan came to the rescue by delivering the goods.
The BAC meet, which starts with the qualifying rounds today, has attracted all the top shuttlers from the Asian continent including the Chinese duo of Lin Dan and Chen Long – the men’s singles winners from the respective 2012 (London) and 2016 (Rio) Olympics.
The tournament will provide badminton fans with good indications of those who will likely finish on the podium at the Asian Games later this year.
Fifth-seeded Chong Wei has a relatively good draw with defending champion Chen Long and last year’s losing finalist Lin Dan in the lower half of the draw.
The three-time Olympic silver medallist Chong Wei should find himself in the final fighting for a third BAC crown if he produces the form that saw him beat India’s top shuttler K. Srikanth in the Gold Coast men’s singles final.
Chong Wei, who last won the title in 2016, should beat China’s Qiao Bin to earn a likely second round clash against Anthony Ginting of Indonesia.
A rematch against Srikanth is on the cards if Chong Wei reaches the last eight.
All-England reigning champion and fourth seed Shi Yuqi of China, Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan and Japan’s Kento Momota are the likely opponents if Chong Wei makes it to the semi-finals.
“It is important for me to forget the Commonwealth Games achievement and now focus on the tournaments to come.
“I feel my game is steady now and I have a duty to perform at the Thomas Cup Finals in Bangkok next month and also the Asian Games later. The Asian championships is a good preparation event for me,” said Chong Wei, who was beaten in the semi-finals by Lin Dan in last year’s BAC.
Former world junior champion Goh Jin Wei, who was dropped from the Commonwealth Games squad, is out to show she is worthy of a spot in the Asian Games.
Jin Wei, however, will find it hard to impress as she has a tricky firstround clash against Thailand’s Busanan Ongbamrungphan.
Under-pressure men’s doubles top pairing of Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong, who failed in their bid to deliver the gold in Gold Coast, will be out to avoid an embarrassing first-round defeat by Taiwanese pair Liao Min-chun-Su Ching-heng.
Eighth seeded V Shem-Wee Kiong have Japan’s third seeds Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda and China’s Liu Cheng-Zhang Nan for company in the lower half of the draw.