China’s big guns come out to play

China’s big guns will be out to reinforce their authority in the sport when they compete in the Li Ning China Masters Superseries this week.China’s big guns will be out to reinforce their authority in the sport when they compete in the Li Ning China Masters Superseries this week.

All five of China’s newly crowned world champions – Lin Dan (men’s singles), Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (men’s doubles), Wang Yihan (women’s singles), Yu Yang-Wang Xiaoli (women’s doubles) and Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (mixed doubles) – are in the draw and will be looking to repeat their winning performance in front of an appreciative home crowd.

Lin Dan, arguably one of the greatest players of all times, has a seemingly easy ride as his main rival and current world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei is absent.

The Malaysian, who came agonisingly close to beating Lin Dan in the World Championship final in London a month ago, is skipping the tournament to concentrate on defending his Yonex Open Japan Superseries title next week.

In Chong Wei’s absence, Danish veteran Peter Gade (left), the grand old man of badminton at 34, is likely to be Lin Dan’s opponent in Sunday’s final.

The only person Lin Dan has to fear in his half of the draw is 2010 world champion Chen Jin, who is seeded fourth.

Gade, meanwhile, will have to look out for China’s Du Pengu, Chen Long and Japan’s Kenichi as well as compatriot Jan O Jorgensen.

In the women’s draw, Wang Yihan has the ever dangerous Saina Nehwal of India and Jiang Yanjiao in her half of the draw while second seed and former world No. 1 Wang Shixian will begin her campaign against the up and coming Tai Tzu Ying of Taipei.

She also faces a potential semi-final against another former world No.1 in Wang Xin while Taipei’s Cheng Shao Chieh, who reached last month’s World Championships final, is a potential quarter-final opponent.

In the men’s doubles, four-times world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng are expected to meet former world No. 1 Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark in the final.

Two South Korean pairs, Lee Yong Dae-Jung Jae Sung and Yonex Taipei Grand Prix Gold champions Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong will be out to spoil the party.

As for the women’s doubles, Yu Yang-Wang Xiaoli are seeded to meet teammates Zhao Yunlei-Qing Tian, whom they beat in London in the World Championship final.

Yonex Sunrise India Open Superseries champions Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna (right), are seeded second. The Japanese girls, who won a bronze medal in London have fellow bronze medallists Jwala Gutta-Ashwini Ponnappa of India in their half of the draw as well as former world No. 1s Cheng Wen Hsing-Chien Yu Chin of Taipei.

Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei, who have dominated the mixed doubles this year, will be the favourites to add the title to their collection.

Meanwhile, in the only match in the qualifying event, China’s China’s Lu Yi defeated Malaysia’s Chan Kwong Beng 21-8, 21-18.