The Germans are coming!

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World No. 5 Huaiwen Xu joins the growing list of
world-ranked players competing in the 2007 Bingo
Bonanza Philippine Open Badminton Championships as she
heads the crack squad from Germany in the $120,000
event firing off July 18 at the Philsports Arena in
Pasig City, Metro Manila.

Huaiwen, the former Chinese star who joined the German
national squad in 2003, will be coming off a runner up
finish in the German Open last March and a pair of
semifinal stints in last month’s Swiss Open and
Singapore Super Series.

The power-hitting native of Guiyang, Guizhou, winless
since ruling the European Championship and Luxembourg
Open last year, is a veteran of the 2004 Athens
Olympics and has been tipped to crowd France’s Pi
Hongyan, the world No. 6 also from China, for the
crown in the women’s singles event of the five-day
championship sponsored by Bingo Bonanza for the second
straight year.

Backing up Huaiwen is Juliace Schenk, the world’s No.
23 who is hot on the trail of a big title romp in the
Spanish Open last month while world No. 36 Bjoern
Joppien and Roman Spitko will spearhead Germany’s bid
in the men’s singles of the event, a BWF (Badminton
World Federation) Grand Prix Gold tournament
sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation
and organized by IMG (International Management Group).
Chen Hong, the world’s No. 3 from China, remains the
top draw in the men’s side that has so far lured 20
players six weeks into the event sponsored by Bingo
Bonanza, Snickers, Solar Sports (official
broadcaster), Holiday Inn Galleria Manila and The
Richmonde (official hotels) and Victor, exclusively
distributed by Pcome Industrial Sales, Inc.

The RP Open, which also stakes world ranking points
and serves as an Olympic Qualifying tournament where
players shoot for important ranking points to qualify
for next year’s Olympiad in Beijing, has so far
attracted 13 countries, including China, England,
Wales, Slovenia, Russia, France, Switzerland, Canada,
Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan and Germany with more
expected to join in the coming weeks.

The organizing IMG is expecting close to 200 players
from 15 to 20 countries to compete in the event, which
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, according to IMG, which has a wealth of
experience in running successful high-profile
badminton events. For details, contact PBA at tel.
Nos. 632 303 1070; 632 3382431 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 elims will be played on July 17.