Fireworks All Set to Light Up New Year
After a disrupted 2020, badminton fans can look forward to the New Year as they will be treated to three weeks of non-stop action when the Asian Leg kicks off in Bangkok with the YONEX Thailand Open. With most of the…
· DEV SUKUMAR
After a disrupted 2020, badminton fans can look forward to the New Year as they will be treated to three weeks of non-stop action when the Asian Leg kicks off in Bangkok with the YONEX Thailand Open. With most of the stars having confirmed their entry, the YONEX Thailand Open, to be followed by the TOYOTA Thailand Open and the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2020, will provide a unique setting as players seek to rediscover their match feeling and sharpen their game in anticipation of the Tokyo Olympics.
Both for the teams and for those watching them, the primary question will be on how much effect the long layoff has had on the winning edge of the top players. Can they shrug off the cobwebs and continue from where they left?
Kento Momota, who will be playing his first international competition after his traffic accident and subsequent surgery in January 2020, will be pleased with the draw. First up is Khosit Phetpradab, who struggled in early rounds all through 2019 and the few tournaments of 2020. The second round will be particularly interesting to Danish fans, for it is likely to feature Denmark Open hero Rasmus Gemke against Momota.
- Kento Momota
- Rasmus Gemke
- Anthony Sinisuka Ginting
- Viktor Axelsen
- Chou Tien Chen
- Anders Antonsen
- Lee Zii Jia
- Tai Tzu Ying
- Akane Yamaguchi
- Nozomi Okuhara
- Evgeniya Kosetskaya
- Carolina Marin
- Pusarla V. Sindhu
- Hiroyuki Endo
- Yuta Watanabe
- Marcus Fernaldi Gideon
- Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo
- Ayaka Takahashi
- Praveen Jordan
- Melati Daeva Oktavianti