Wuhan: Badminton Asia Championships (BAC) begins on Tuesday, and the badminton fans in China are starting to get hyped up for badminton’s big three to clash in Wuhan.
World No. 2 Lee Chong Wei who made a special guest appearance at the “Black Mountain Valley” championships that offered the highest ever total prize money in amateur badminton with about $1 million Chinese Yuan ($154,003 USD) in Chongqing on Sunday, is set to kick off his opener against World No. 11 Wang Zhengming in the first round BAC.
Two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan who just came off a China Masters victory on Sunday, has also travelled to Wuhan for BAC in the build-up to the Rio Olympics.
If the seeds hold up, Lee Chong Wei would set up a mouthwatering semi-final clash with Lin Dan at BAC.
World No. 1 Chen Long has to be happy that both Lee and Lin are in the other half. Other than that, Chen who was drawn into the top half of the draw, became the heavy favorite to advance to the finals.
In women’s singles, despite her fatigue, defending champion and World No. 1 Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand will be eyeing her second gold medal at the Badminton Asia Championship in Wuhan, China. Meanwhile, India’s Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu will carry the Indian challenges in the women’s event.
BAC is the last tournaments for the Asian shuttlers to clinch world ranking points before the deadline for the 2016 Rio Olympics Games qualification ends at the end of April.
