World Governing Body Makes Life Tough For Kiwi Players

A new Badminton World Federation ruling means some New Zealand badminton players will find themselves having to play qualifying for the first time in their lives when the US$50,000 New Zealand Badminton Open a world Grand Prix event starting next week at the North Shore Events Centre.

 

 

 

Rules set in place by the world governing body BWF require the women’s singles draw to be no more than 32 places – four of those going to qualifying while the men’s singles draw is 64 singles. There is qualifying for the mixed as well.

 

 

 

The women’s singles qualifying includes 16 players from five different nations with North Harbour player Melissa Yin, a member of the New Zealand junior team set to try her hand at qualifying along with other players from the greater Auckland region, Mikayla Moore, Michelle HK Chan and Maggie Chan.

 

 

 

Top seed in the men’s singles main draw is Yan Kit Chan from Hong Kong will head the field with a current ranking of No9 while the women’s singles main draw top player is Hong Kong’s Pui Yin Yip at 22 in the world.

 

 

 

Qualifying and some main draw matches start at 1pm Tuesday 28 July with matches progressing until the finals on Saturday 1  August.