Chen, Pi top draws in Bingo Bonanza RP Open badminton

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With three of the world's top ranked players in the
fold and a host of other talented bets from all over
the globe seeing action, the 2007 Bingo Bonanza
Philippine Open Badminton Championships will be a
surefire hit when it is staged July 18-22 at the
Philsports Arena in Pasig City. 
  
Chen Hong, the world's No. 3 from China, will head the
elite cast in the men's singles, while Pi Hongyan, the
Chinese native donning the French jersey and ranked
No. 6 in the world, will be the player to watch in the
ladies singles of the event, the second world ranking
tournament to be held here. 

This marks Bingo Bonanza's second straight sponsorship
of the Philippine Open after its successful staging
last year where Malaysian Hafiz Hashim and teener
Sania Nehwal of India reigned in the singles events. 

"It brings us pride and joy that the world’s shuttlers
are back on Philippine soil giving our fellowmen the
chance to watch them in person and at the same time
give our local players an avenue to compete with the
world’s best,” said Albee Benitez, president of Bingo
Bonanza Corporation.
 
Bingo Bonanza is the pioneer in professional bingo
gaming in the country which brought the bingo game to
the public in the convenience of large and modern
bingo halls, elevating the game into a professional,
reliable and legitimate source of entertainment for
the fun-loving Filipino. 
  
Aside from China, France and host Philippines, the
other teams confirmed to play seven weeks into the
$120,000 (around P5.7 million) tournament, a BWF
(Badminton World Federation) Grand Prix Gold
tournament, are England, Wales, Slovenia, Russia,
Canad, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and Iran. 
  
The event, serving as an Olympic qualifying tournament
where players shoot for important ranking points to
qualify for next year's Olympiad in Beijing, will give
local players the rare chance to obtain world-ranking
points on home soil and at the same time raise the
level of play here.

Chen, back-to-back winner of the China and Denmark
Opens last year, will be coming off a runner-up finish
in the recent Asian Continental Championship and a
semifinal stint in the Indonesian Super Series, making
him one of the favorites for the top plum in the
five-day championship. 
  
Joining the crack Chinese delegation in the event
sponsored by Bingo Bonanza, Victor, exclusively
distributed by Pcome Industrial Sales, Inc., Snickers,
Solar Sports (official broadcaster), Holiday Inn
Galleria Manila and The Richmonde (official hotels)
are Lu Yi and Gong Weijie (men's singles), Wang Yihan
and Zhu Jinging (women's singles), Guo Zhendong/Xie
Zhongbo (men's doubles), Yang Wei/Zhao Tingting and
Tian Qing/Pan Pan (ladies doubles) and Zhang Jun/Zhang
Tingting (mixed doubles). 
  
Earlier, Pi, veteran of the 2004 Olympics, and Andrew
Smith of England confirmed their participation in the
event, along with Swiss bets Marc Schneidereit and
Thomas Heiniger (men's singles) and Gita Djajawasito
and Tenzin Pelling (women's singles),
Heiniger/Schneidereit Djajawasito/Pelling (women's
doubles); Pelling/Donovan and Djajawasito/Heinigier 
 (mixed doubles); and Tri Kusharjanto/Minarti Timur
(mixed doubles). 
  
The event is expecting close to 200 players from 15
countries to compete in the event, held under the
auspices of the Philippine Badminton Association and
organized by IMG (International Management Group). It
also serves as the last major tournament before the
World Championships, thus making it a 'must' event for
those priming up for the world tilt.

Registration is now ongoing with the deadline set on
June 12. For details, contact PBA at tel. Nos. 632 303
1070; 632 338243 or fax: 632 303 1070; Email:
joebm_13@yahoo.com. 
  
Other events on tap are the men's doubles, women's
singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. If more
players sign up for the event than there are positions
in the field (e.g. 64 in singles and 32 in doubles),
then a series of qualifying rounds will be held in the
relevant categories with the new scoring rally point
system to be used. The eliminations will be played on
July 17.