YONEX ALL ENGLAND OPEN BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS: THE BEST ARE BACK


Lee Chong Wei is never as strong as when he has time to prepare well – and the Malaysian has prepared industriously since the beginning of the year


YONEXALLENGLAND THEBESTAREBACK


OPENBADMINTONCHAMPIONSHIPS:


Raphael Sachetat previews the forthcoming Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships, which will feature a stellar line-up including legends Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei and Olympic Champion Chen Long.


Lin Dan By Raphael Sachetat


A few months ago, everyone was expecting the world of badminton to lose two of its most charismatic stars with both Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan expected to retire from international competition. However, the two legends are not yet ready to hang up their rackets, even if this year’s championships mark the beginning of a new four-year Olympic circle. Indeed, anticipated record crowds will no doubt hope that the paths of the two greatest players of the modern generation will cross once again at the Barclaycard Arena.


The line-up is unsurpassed with the entire world top 28 Men’s Singles having entered this year’s event, making it a tournament of an even higher standard than the Olympics with its restriction of two players per country. The organisers couldn’t have dreamt of a better start for the new 12 Superseries season, the 2017 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour will however be the last one in this format as the international governing body has announced an overall to the structure of its main events from 2018.


The extravagant Lin Dan will be the one to watch. He has not competed internationally since the Olympics where he


INTERNATIONALBADMINTONMAGAZINE March 2017 | 7 www.isportgroup.com/InternationalBadmintonMagazine


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