Top shuttlers begin quest in RP Open

World No. 4 Xu Huaiwen will be the player to beat in the ladies singles with the lone German bet expected to display her class act that netted her the Swiss Open crown last January and the European Championship last month before an expected big crowd and against an equally talented field.

Xu, the 31-year-old ace from Guiyang, China now based in Germany, won four straight titles last year – the Dutch Open, Bitburger Open, Finland World Grand Prix and the Belgian Intl. – and is raring to matching the feat with a win here and then hopefully in the
Indonesia Open, a six-star tournament, slated the week after the RP Open.

A spirited battle for top honors among four of the worlds top 20 players looms in mens singles with No. 11 Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia, No. 13 Wei Ng of Hong Kong, No. 14 Beng Hong Kuan, also of Malaysia, and No. 19 Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand fancied to crowd for the top $9,600 purse if they play true to form.  The last-minute withdrawal of powerhouse China and
Korea, which begged off to give way to their respective national opens, also made the chase for top honors in various divisions of this event, the first-ever four-star tournament to be held here, wide open.

World No. 11 Mohd Tazari and Woon Fui Lin head the 20-team cast in the mens doubles, which includes the tandems of Sudket Prapakamol and Phattapol Ngensrisuk of Thailand (No. 25) and Hendra Gunawan and Joko Riyadi of Indonesia (No. 26).

Reigning SEA Games champioins Eei Hui Chin and Pei Tty Wong of Malaysia, ranked no. 6 in the world, are the marked players in the ladies doubles, which also features world No. 11 Saralee Thoungthongkam and Satinee Jankrajangwong of Thailand, No. 21 Jo Novita and Greysia Polii of Indonesia, and No. 22 Duanganong Aroonkesorn and Kunchala Voravichitchaikul, also of
Thailand.

The Philippines is fielding in a full roster in the event, sponsored by Bingo Bonanza and JVC (PHILS.), Inc., including world No. 69 brother-sister tandem of Kennevic and Kennie Asuncion who will be out to foil the bid of the fancied Thai pairs of Prapakamol-Thoungthongkam and Songphon Anukritayawon-Voravichitchaikul, ranked Nos. 11 and 12, respectively in the world, in the mixed doubles. Kennevic, listed a far 231st in the world, is also heading RP teams 13-man roster in the mens singles where the likes of Wally Fernandez, Arolas Amahit Jr. Jaime Junio, Kelvin Ang, Christopher Flores, Wilson Frias, Ben Jonas Garcia, Marlon Villarin, Rodel Bartolome and Alfredo Mailon chase world ranking points.

The other local bets are Lloyd Escodes and Mark Alvin Natividad who hold 487 and 614, rankings, respectively.

Irene Chiu and Karyn Velez carry the cudgels for RP in the ladies singles while the hosts are fielding in six teams in mens doubles, including the pair of Kennevic and Rai Rajo of the US, three in ladies doubles, featuring the tandem of Kennie Asuncion and Wanglili of Indonesia, and four in mixed doubles.

Tickets are available at all Ticketworld outlets and are packaged in the following categories: May 24-26 Category 1 (P200); Category 2 (P150); Category 3 (P100); Category 4 (P50); Gallery (P10); May 27-28 Category 1 (P500); Category 2 (P350); Category 3 (P250); Category 4 (P150); Gallery (P20). Tickets purchased earlier will still be honored on the new event dates, according to IMG. For details call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or get online at: www.ticketworld.com.ph.

Aside from the Philippines, the other countries seeing action in the event, backed by Jam 88.3, 99.5 RT, Magic 89.9, 103.5 K-Lite, Wave 89.1, Snickers, Tobys 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 Finland, Canada, Germany, Japan, Vietnam, Italy, England, Thailand, the United States, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Macau, Hong Kong, Denmark and Singapore.