Hong Kong bet aims to defend RP badminton open crown

MANILA, Philippines – Hong Kong’s Zhou Mi is targeting her second straight title when the 3rd Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Badminton Championships opens at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on July 1. Zhou dominated China’s Zhu Jingjing with a straight-set 21-18, 21-12 win to bring home the 2007 ladies singles crown which earned her the No. 2 ranking in the world. That makes Zhou the top favorite to once again top the tournament. But a horde of players are coming to town to attempt to stop Zhou in the $120,000 tilt, including compatriot Wang Chen, who had a last-eight finish in the Asian Badminton Championships last April. Yip Pui Yin, another top Hong Kong player, is aiming to bag the title as well as China’s Jiang Yanjiao, Xing Aiying and Ming Tian Fu of Singapore, Bulgaria's Linda Zechiri, Charmaine Reid of Canada, Maja Tvrdy of Slovenia and Nicole Grether of Germany. But among the participants, pundits are saying that the world no. 5 Wang is the player who has the best chance of dethroning Zhou. Wang last victory was in last year’s Hong Kong Open. She was also a semifinalist in the Korean and Malaysian Super Series early this year. Yip, on the other hand, is the world’s 18th ranked player, a spot she gained after reaching the quarterfinals of the last All-England Super Series. Meanwhile, local competitors Gelita Castillo and Malvinne Alcala were seeded Nos. 25 and 26, respectively, in the tournament as they carry the country’s hopes in the tournament. Fatima Cruz, Janelle De Vera, Irene Chiu, Juvy Villarta, Reyne Calimlim, Anna Barredo and Camille Yang will also carry the Philippine colors against the world’s top shuttlers. – Perry Legaspi, GMANews.TV