China tipped for Thomas & Uber Cup double

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 05, 2004

China tipped for Thomas & Uber Cup double

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China has been poised to win the Thomas Cup for the first time in 14 years after the seedings for the coveted men's world team championships was released by the International Badminton Federation on Mar. 4.

Combined with the enviable strength of Chinese women's team in the Uber Cup(women's team championships), a Chinese double could well be on the cards when the Thomas & Uber Cup Finals are contested in Jakarta next May.

Following their unexpected loss to South Korea at the 2003 Sudirman Cup (world mixed team championships), the Chinese will be even more keen to get their hands on two sets of silverware at theFinals, due to be held from 7-16 May in the Indonesian capital.

China's men won the Asian qualification event in Kuala Lumpur last month to qualify for Jakarta, and with four men's singles players currently in the top ten (Lin Dan, Chen Hong, Xia Xuanze and Bao Chunlai), and two men's doubles world bronze medallists inthe top six through Fu Haifeng/Cai Yun and Sang Yang/Zheng Bo, they're lining up a formidable artillery for the final battle in just over two month's time.

China, already titleholders and firm favorites in the Uber Cup,continue their dominance on the world women's circuit and can take their pick from past and present world champions Gong Ruina and Zhang Ning, as well as Zhou Mi and Xie Xingfang from the top ten in the women's singles event, as well as boasting three out of the top four women's doubles pairs in the current world ranking.

In the Thomas Cup, Denmark are the second favorites for the men's team title, which has never before been held by a non-Asian nation, with Malaysia as third seeds and Korea in fourth slated for at least semi-finals placings.

With only a fifth seeding, with Japan, Thailand and Germany seeded sixth to eighth respectively, the hosts and reigning Thomas Cup champions Indonesia will be drawn against one of the big four in the preliminary group stage of the event.

There is some consolation for the hosts, however, as under the new competition format being played for the first time in 2004, all teams are certain to emerge from their groups into a knockout stage, so even a tough group draw would not necessarily see Indonesia lose sight of their 14th Thomas Cup title when they taketo the courts at the Senayan Stadium.

England complete the line-up with Thomas Cup Finals debutantes USA, New Zealand and South Africa, seeded ninth to twelfth respectively.

South Korea's girls, as second seeds in the Uber Cup, are tipped to give titleholders China the biggest headache and surprise qualifiers and dark horses Chinese Taipei are seeded third with hosts of the 2006 competition, Japan, seeded fourth.

Europe's qualifiers Denmark, Germany and 2002 bronze medallists the Netherlands are the fifth, sixth and seventh seeds with Australia in eighth, while Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Africa complete the Uber Cup conclude the starting list as the ninth to twelfth seeds.

"Now with representation from all five continents, the Thomas &Uber Cup Finals will truly be global events for the first time in their esteemed history," said Professor Charoen Wattanasin, Chair of IBF's Events Committee.

"Under our new competition format, we have a unique opportunity to celebrate a global festival of badminton in Jakarta with the very best from each continent standing shoulder to shoulder, and with the potential to excite more TV viewers and more badminton fans around the world than ever before."

Source: Xinhua

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