Sudirman Cup opens as hosts China meet unexpected hurdle

2009-05-10 07:15:37

GUANGZHOU, May 9. (Xinhua) -- The 11th Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships opened here on Saturday with 34 teams competing in four divisions in the biennial tournament. Defending champions and hosts China will strive for a consecutive third crown on home soil but the order of play change may distract the team en route to the trophy. In this edition, the order of play is fixed as men's doubles, women's singles, men's singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. But the order may be adjusted if there is any player participating in two matches, and the player is entitled to a minimum interval of 30 minutes between the two matches. "The men's doubles is not China's stronghold. In the men's singles we have a lot of tough opponents as well as in women's singles," said Chinese badminton team head coach Li Yongbo. "In the past we could have a comfortable advantage over the other team, but now we may have to trail from behind." According to the rules, only teams in Division One can compete for the champion. China is grouped with Indonesia, England and Japan in Division 1A. While South Korea, Malaysia, Denmark and Hong Kong, China in Division 1B. Top two placers in each group will play a cross-over semifinal for a final berth. China may waltz into the semis as it has only one real rival in the group stage Indonesia. Only three teams China (six times), Indonesia (one time in the inaugural edition in 1989) and South Korea (three times) won the event, and five teams (China, Indonesia, South Korea, Denmark and England) made the semis. Kang Young Joong, president of Badminton World Federation (BWF), thanked the organizing committee for their hard work despite the rise of H1N1 flu in some countries and regions and made proper and effective measures to ensure the opening of the event. The tourney is slated from May 10 to 17.