Junior champ Chien to lead Taiwan charge

26/06/1998

NEWLY crowned Asian Junior champion Chien Yu Hsiu of Taiwan will be the
main attraction at the Proton-EON Malaysian Open Badminton Championship on
July 1-5 in Penang.
Giantkiller Liu Kwok Wa will lead Hong Kong's challenge.
Liu, ranked 66th in the world, produced the upset of the year when he
packed off reigning world champion Peter Rasmussen of Denmark in the
Thomas Cup Finals.
The 17-year-old Chien, who demolished Indonesian Endra Feryanto 15-1,
15-1 for the Junior title, has yet to break into the top 10 of the world
rankings.
Like most Taiwan shuttlers, Yu Hsiu has gained plenty from the sparring
sessions with former Indonesian shuttler Fung Permadi who migrated to
Taiwan four years ago.
Fung, won the recent US Open, is also in the Taiwanese list but the 1996
World Grand Prix Finals champion has not been able to regain his touch and
is ranked 32nd in the world.
Thailand are the dark horse in the doubles. Pramote Teerawiwatana and
Siripong Siripool are ranked 15th in the world but have the ability to
beat higher ranked pairs although they only got together last year after
Sakrapee Thongsari broke up with Pramote.
Singapore has chosen to rest most of their top ranked players with the
exception of Zarinah Abdullah in the women's singles while Aprana Popat, a
silver medallist in the last World Junior Championship, will lead the
Indian women's charge.
Singapore - Men's singles: Ho Yeow Nam, Hee Lic Kai, Lee Yen Hui, Kuo
Wen Wayne; Doubles: Ho Yeow Nam-Hee Lic Kai, Lee Yen Hui-Kuo Wen Wayne;
Women's singles: Zarinah Abdullah.
Japan - Men's singles: Keita Asuda, Shinji Ohta, Fumihiko Machida,
Takuya Takehana, Tadashi Ohtsuka, Takahiro Suka, Seiichi Watanabe;
Doubles: Tadashi Ohtsuka-Keita Asuda, Shinji Ohta-Takuya Takehana,
Fumihiko Machida-Seiichi Watanabe; Women's singles: Yasuko Mizui, Takako
Ida, Miho Tanaka; Doubles: Haruko Matsuda-Yoshiko Iwata, Hiromi Yamada-
Naomi Murakami.
Hong Kong - Men's singles: Tam Kai Chuen, Liu Kwok Wa, Tam Lok Tin;
Doubles: Liu Kwok Wa-Ma Che Kong, Yau Kwun Yuen-Tam Lok Tin; Women's
singles: Ng Ching, Chan Mei Mei; Doubles: Chan Mei Mei-Tung Chau Man.
Thailand - Men's singles: Anupap Thiraratsakul, Natapol Sarawan, Boonsak
Polsana; Doubles: Pramote Teerawiwatana-Siripong Siripool, Khunakorn
Sudhisodhi-Tesana Panvisas; Women's singles: Thitikan Duangsiri, Natsaran
Boonvorametee, Sujitra Ekmongkolpaisal; Doubles: Sujitra Ekmongkolpaisoa-
Saralee Thungthongkam, Natsaran Boonvorametee-Thitikan Duangsiri.
Taiwan - Men's singles: Chien Yu Hsiu, Fung Permadi, Hsing Meng Hung,
Haung Chien June, Yu Chin Wei; Doubles: Haung Shih Chung-Ching Yu Hsun,
Lin Wei Shin-Lee Sung Yuan, Fan Po Ching-Chen Chun Chi, Chiang Hung Li-Ho
Li Wei, Hsing Meng Hung-Huang Chien June; Women's singles: Chan Ya Lin,
Huang Chia Chi; Doubles: Chen Li Chin-Tsai Hui Min, Chan Ya Lin-Chen Mei
Chun.
(END)