The VICTOR Korea Open, in a shortened Superseries season that only started not until March, has been moved to September from its usual schedule in January as the calendar opener. But the super-star line-up has remained as strong as ever.
Biggest local favorite to secure a gold would be men’s doubles top seeds
Lee Yong Dae and Yoo Yeon Seong, who will head out against another pair of Team VICTOR sensation in the promising Gideon Markus Fernaldi and
Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo. The young Indonesian duo has rocketed in the rankings from number 182 at the start of the year, to now a career high no.32. Their best result together has been a runner-up showing at the Chinese Taipei Open G.P. Gold event in July.
Yoo Yeon Seong will be looking for his first victory at the home tournament.
Other home contenders include
Son Wan Ho, who squandered five match points in the first round of Japan Open Superseries on Wednesday to give China’s Lin Dan a narrow escape, losing the 93-minute marathon by 21-17, 23-25, 17-21, and
Sung Ji Hyun, who was the winner in 2013 and bagged a bronze medal last year.
Son, if getting past England’s world no.20 Rajiv Ouseph, would very likely earn himself another chance at Lin in the second round. Lin would face a qualifier in the opener.
Korean No.1
Son Wan Ho will potentially have to face Lin Dan again in back to back weeks
in R16.
On the women’s side, world no.3
Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan will be the top seed, setting her pace facing a strong opposition in American Zhang Beiwen, to whom
Tai has actually lost the latest two encounters. In both matches,
Tai was up a game and giving away the second by the score of 20-22 before sent packing. Olympic champion Li Xuerui is the player to beat in the bottom half.
As the title sponsor and an official partner of BKA, VICTOR will be providing quality court equipment and shuttlecocks (VICTOR
MASTER ACE), as well as live updates on
VICTOR SPORT GLOBAL facebook page throughout the week.