Aviva Open Singapore 2008 set to start

(BEIJING, June 9) -- The Aviva Open Singapore 2008 will kick off at 9 a.m. local time in the Singapore Indoor Stadium on June 10, 2008. The opening match will be between two Singaporean athletes, Yan Zhong Lenny Tan and Kirt Soon Tang. As the two will be fighting on home turf in front of a home crowd, the match promises to be exciting.

This tournament is organized by the Singapore Badminton Association, covering all five Olympic disciplines in the sport. Although many world class shuttlers have withdrawn from this tournament, fans won't be disappointed with the presence of men's singles world No. 2 player Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia and No. 10 Peter Hoeg Gade of Denmark. In addition, men's doubles world No. 6 pair Lars Paaske / Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark and No. 7 pair Alvent Yulianto Chandra / Luluk Hadiyanto of Indonesia will be competing. On the women's side, singles world No. 5 Hongyan Pi of France and No. 6 Tine Rasmussen of Denmark will make a showing, and women's doubles world No. 3 Du Jing / Yu Yang of China and No. 5 Cheng Wen Hsing / Chien Yu Chin of Chinese Taipei will be in Singapore. The world's top mixed doubles pair Nova Widianto / Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia will be there. Not to be shown up, world No. 2 in mixed doubles, Zheng Bo / Gao Ling of China will also be present.

There will be around 250 players from 25 countries participating in this six-day badminton super series. Detailed draws, matches, results and schedules can be found on the tournament's official website, www.singaporebadmintonopen.sg.