Chinese aces spice up FDG Invitational Cup

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese Wang Lin and Wang Xin, both former world women’s singles No. 1, will grace the FDG Cup Open and Invitational badminton tournament which braces for its grand 11th staging this weekend at Powersmash Badminton Center in Makati.

Lin, who nipped Xin for the gold medal in the 2010 World Championships in Paris, will play exhibition matches with Frederick D. Go and members of the national team along with celebrity-guests in the highlight of the two-weekend tournament set June 14-15 and June 20-21, which features the cream of the country’s badminton crop.

Although they would be seeing action in the exhibition side of the four-day tournament, their mere presence is expected to draw the crowd and inspire local players vying in the annual event, which also stakes cash prizes and ranking points and held in partnership with Smart Live More, Smash Pilipinas, the PNRS and Partners Cup with Li-ning as the official shuttlecock.

The 25-year-old Lin from Zhenjiang, a former French and Denmark Open winner, reigned over the Badminton World Federation in 2010 after copping the world crown, while Xin, 29, who also took the top ranking in late 2010, won the 2010 Asian Games and 2012 Uber Cup gold medals.

A Philippine Open champion in 2009, Xin racked up five victories in 2011, winning the Hong Kong, French, Denmark and Singapore Opens and the Malaysia Open Grand Prix.

The Chinese aces are but two of the world-ranked players who have graced the annual event the last few years. World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia and Denmark’s Peter Gade, the world’s top player from 1998-2001, graced the event’s milestone 10th season last year.

Meanwhile, fabulous prizes will be raffled off during awards rites on June 21 to be hosted by Ai-ai de las Alas with comedians Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola spicing up the event.

Top ranked Toby Gadi and Bianca Carlos banner the stellar field that includes defending men’s double champions and Team Phl/Smash Pilipinas mainstays Paul Vivas, Peter Magnaye, and runners-up Ronel Estanislao and Joper Escueta.