China

China name Sudirman cup squad

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-05-30 08:42

China, defending Sudirman Cup champion announced a 17-strong squad for the 10th World Mixed Team Championships (Sudirman Cup) at Glasgow's Scotstoun International Sports Arena slated for June 11-17.

Fu Haifeng (L) and Chai Yun celebrates after winning the battle against Malaysians in the men's doubles in the Indonesia Open Super Series finals May 13,2007.[Xinhua]

China, reigning champion and holder of Thomas Cup, Uber Cup and Sudirman Cup, aimed to defend the title.

Lin Dan, world number one, led China's men's singles list. He was joined by world number two Chen Jin and Bao Chunlai. Chen Yu dropped off the list.

Leading China's women's singles will be Olympic champion Zhang Ning and world champion Xie Xingfang. Zhu Lin, winner at Malaysia Super Series and runner-up at Korea Open Super Series and Indonesia Super Series, was included into the list, outlasting Jiang Yanjiao and Lu Lan.

Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng, world top-rated men's doubles shuttlers, and Xie Zhongbo and Guo Zhendong were on the list. Three pairs Gao Ling and Zhang Jiewen, Yang Wei and Zhao Tingting as well as Wei Yili and Zhang Yawen constituted women's doubles squad. Zheng Bo and Gao Ling, and Xie Zhongbo and Zhang Yawen were on the mixed doubles list.

Li Yongbo, head coach of the Chinese team, said they intended to send as more players as possible to the tourney so that they may field appropriate line-ups for different opponents.

Five-time Sudirman Cup winner China will take on the fourth seed Malaysia, the sixth seed Thailand and the seventh seed England in Group 1A. Second seed Denmark will face former champion South Korea and Indonesia, and Hong Kong in Group 1B.

The Chinese team, now preparing for the Sudirman Cup in Jinjiang, southeast China, will come back to Beijing on June 1, and will head for Glasgow on June 7.