Player line-up revealed for the 2016 Xiamenair Australian Badminton Open
Sydney, May 7: At a special event at The Star, Badminton Australia today announced the player line-up for the 2016 XIAMENAIR Australian Badminton Open drawing a stellar bank ready to battle it out in Sydney.
Amongst the line up is India’s Saina Nehwal, who won the 2014 Australian Badminton Open.
With 28 countries represented at the event this year some of the best represented will be from China, India, Denmark, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia.
- Two-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion Lin Dan (China) will be returning to Sydney along with
- current World No.1 Chen Long (China)as well as
- World No.2 Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia),
- current World No. 1 Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand),
- defending women’s singles champion and World No. 2 Carolina Marin (Spain),
- World No. 1 Women’s Doubles Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi (Japan) and
- current Men’s Doubles World Champions Hendra Setiawan and Mohammad Ahsan (Indonesia).
- Also joining the strong line-up is hugely popular Saina Nehwal (India), who is World No.8 and a 2015 World Championship silver medallist, and has more than 5 million followers on social media.
Tan Boon Heong title holder of the world’s quickest smash at 421km/ph will also be part of the fast paced action at the 2016 XIAMENAIR Australian Badminton Open.
The 2016 XIAMENAIR Australian Badminton Open, which runs from 7-12 June at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush will bring an influx of players, officials and supporters from around Australia and the world.
With US $750,000 up for grabs, the 2016 XIAMENAIR Australian Badminton Open offers one of the most lucrative sporting prize pools in Australia.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events and Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres said the event promises to attract a large crowd of local and visiting badminton fans.
With the Rio Olympics just a few months away, the competition is expected to be intense, with a lot of interest from badminton fans and also see the players fight for their last world ranking points as Rio Olympics draw near.
Returning as one of the major sponsors of the event, The Star’s Managing Director, Greg Hawkins saying, “The Star is proud to be supporting this important event on the Badminton World Federation tournament calendar for the third year running.
“We are delighted to welcome the world’s best badminton players and the visitors who follow the sport to The Star in Sydney.”
Having made 2 trips to Sydney, world #1 men’s singles player Chen Long said that “In 2007 I competed and won the boy’s singles in the Australian Youth Olympics and last year I won the men’s singles in the Australian Open.
“So Australia gives me the winning feeling. I hear we will do a harbour boat cruise so I am looking forward to seeing the VIVID light festival and enjoying the mild Sydney weather.”
Current men’s single world #3 Lin Dan, who is also a Dolce & Gabbana model and global ambassador, has travelled from China to Australia to compete for the last two years, said, “I’m looking forward to once again enjoying the seafood and great weather that Sydney has.
“I saw Vivid Sydney festival last year and have never seen so many colourful lights and so many people enjoying it. I hope to catch some of it again this trip.”
The 2015 tournament was broadcast to more than 200 million homes globally, with these figures set to be surpassed in 2016.
Tickets to the XIAMENAIR Australian Badminton Open start at just $25 with platinum ticketing at $95 on the finals day. Early bird and family packages are also available.
Tickets to watch the world’s best badminton players compete can be purchased online via: http://www.australianbadmintonopen.com.au/