World No 1 Lee Chong Wei will lead Malaysia’s charge for the richest prize money event in badminton when the YONEX-SUNRISE BWF World Super Series Masters Finals 2009 on gets underway on 2 December in Johor, Malaysia.
But out to stop him will be a strong cast comprising Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat, China’s Bao Chunlai and Europe’s flag bearers Peter Gade and Jan Jorgensen of Denmark. ss-finals-gade
The Masters Finals is the climax of the 12-leg Super Series circuit and offers total prize money of US$500,000 with the winner of the men’s singles and women’s singles pocketing USD40,000 each while the winning pairs in the doubles will be richer by US$42,000 each.
The top eight ranked players/pairs in the Super Series ranking qualify for the Finals. This, however, is limited to a maximum of two entries per event per Member Association.
“We are delighted that a strong field of top players have confirmed their participation in the Masters Finals and I’m confident badminton fans will be in for a treat in Johor Bahru,” said Badminton World Federation Chief Operating Officer Thomas Lund.
“While it’s disappointing that a few players and pairs are unable to compete, the Masters Finals has attracted a very strong field.”
Rounding up the men’s singles line up are Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana, former Asian champion Park Sung Hwan and Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Yu Hsin.
Due to their national commitments in the East Asian Games and South East Asian Games, China’s Lin Dan and Indonesia’s Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan will skip the Johor event.
The Indonesian’s absence, however, will be hardly felt as the two in-form pairs in the world – Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Korea’s Lee Yong Dae-Jung Jae Sung have confirmed their participation.
Malaysia have another reason to cheer as Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari have also qualified for the Masters Finals and will be looking to end the year on a winning note.
Denmark’s Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen and England’s Anthony Clark-Nathan Robertson will be out to spoil an Asian party and given their form, pose a real threat to the favourites. ss-finals-leelee
Olympic champions Lee Yong Dae-Lee Hyo Jung have also confirmed their place in the mixed doubles and will be eager to continue their winning momentum after bagging the Hong Kong Open last week.
LIST OF QUALIFIERS:
Men’s singles: Lee Chong Wei (MAS), Peter Gade (DEN), Park Sung Hwan (KOR), Bao Chunlai (CHN), Taufik Hidayat (INA), Jan Jorgensen (DEN), Boonsak Ponsana (THA), Hsieh Yu Hsin (TPE).
Men’s doubles: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (MAS), Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (DEN), Lee Yong Dae-Jung Jae Sung (KOR), Anthony Clark-Nathan Robertson (ENG), Guo Zhendong-Xu Chen (CHN), Alvent Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan (INA),Rian Sukmawan-Yonathan Dasuki (INA), Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari (MAS).
Women’s singles: Pi Hongyan (FRA), Saina Nehwal (IND), Lu Lan (CHN), Salakjit Ponsana (THA), Yao Jie (NED), Nicole Grether (GER), Juliane Schenk (GER), Kim Moon Hi (KOR).
Women’s doubles: Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui (MAS), Ha Jung Eun-Kim Min Jung (KOR), Lee Hyo Jung-Lee Kyung Won (KOR), Cheng Wen Hsing-Chien Yu Chin (TPE), Gabrielle White-Jenny Wallwork (ENG), Duang Anong Aroonkesorn-Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (THA), Lena Frier Kristiansen-Christina Pedersen (DEN), Nicole Grether-Charmaine Reid (GER-CAN).
Mixed doubles: Lee Yong Dae-Lee Hyo Jung (KOR), Joachin Fisher Nielsen-Christina Pedersen (DEN), Songphon Anugritayawon-Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (THA), Ko Sung Hyun-ha Jung Eun (KOR), V. Diju-Jwala Gutta (IND), Anthony Clark-Donna Kellogg (ENG), Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thoungthongkam (THA), Robert Mateusiak-Nadiezda Kostiuczk (POL).