With world No. 1 Lin Dan of China opting to skip next week’s blue-ribbon event to prepare for the tough China Masters, Lee Chong Wei will become the top ranked player in the $120,000 tournament although he will have to contend with the likes of reigning world and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat and a host of others for the top plum worth $9,600 in the men’s singles.
Lee, a semifinalist in last year’s World Championships, a seven-star tournament, is coming off a big victory in last month’s Swiss Open a week after reaching the semis in the All England Open.
Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty will also return to the scene of their SEA Games triumph in the women’s doubles as the world No. 4 pair heads the cast in their own side of the event, a four-star tournament sanctioned by the IBF and sponsored by Bingo Bonanza, JVC, PLDT and Smart.
Malaysia is actually fielding in one of the largest contingents in the five-day tournament organized by img with 14 players in the men’s singles, five in the women’s singles, seven pairs in the men’s doubles, four teams in the women’s doubles and three in the mixed doubles.
Fifteen countries have so far enlisted in the event, including Finland, Austria, Vietnam, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, United States, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, South Korea and Taiwan with the hosts to be represented by the brother-sister tandem of Kennie and Kennevic Asuncion and Paola Obanana.
Meantime, tickets are available at all Ticketworld outlets and are packaged in the following categories: March 1-3 Category 1 (P200); Category 2 (P150); Category 3 (P100); Category 4 (P50); Gallery (P10); March 4-5 Category 1 (P500); Category 2 (P350); Category 3 (P250); Category 4 (P150); Gallery (P20). For details call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or get online at: www.ticketworld.com.ph.
Games will start at 2 p.m.
The event is backed by Jam 88.3, 99.5 RT, Magic 89.9, 103.5 K-Lite, Wave 89.1, Snickers, Toby’s Sports, The STAR, Badminton Asia, Inquirer Badminton, Fossil Watches, Bacchus Energy Drink, Accel, Yonex Sunrise, Crowne Plaza, the official hotel, and Solar Sports, the official TV partner, are the four-player contingent from Vietnam. They are Nguyen Tien Minh, Nguyen Quang Minh, Tran Thanh Hai and Le Ngoc Nguyen.
For details, contact the PBA, Badminton Hall, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, P. Ocampo St,, Malate, Manila c/o Joel Mabborang at +63 926 5973222 or send an e-mail to joebm_13@yahoo.com and aglipay@globequest.com.ph or log on to the event’s website on www.philippineopenbadminton.com.