China

Top foreign players appear in China's badminton league

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-21 19:50

Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat hits a return to Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei in the men's singles finals of the Malaysian Open Super Series 2011 badminton tournament in Kuala Lumpur Jan 23, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

WUHAN, Central China - Notable foreign players appeared in China's badminton super league for the first time this year as the country aims to make the domestic game more competitive and internationally influential.

The league should open its door to foreigners and let all best players come to play in China so that we can build the league into the best in the world, the Chinese Badminton Association vice president Li Yongbo said.

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The 2011 Chinese Badminton Club Super League opened late Saturday, with a total of 117 players representing seven Chinese cities and provinces and the People's Liberation Army (PLA), known as the Bayi team. Top foreign players will play for provinces like Hubei and Guangdong.

Hendra Setiawan and Markis Kido of Indonesia, the doubles gold medalists at the Beijing Olympics, helped Hubei beat Hunan on the first day of the league though the Hunan team starred China's leading players Bao Chunlai and Zheng Bo.

Like the Sudirman Cup, the league is a mixed team event, with five matches in every round: men and women's singles, men and women's doubles and mixed doubles.

Hendra Setiawan said after the match that playing in China's domestic league made him feel good because "there are a lot of good players here and I can improve myself." As to his goal in the league, he said "champion" without hesitation.

Men's coach of the Hubei team Pei Liangwang said the two Indonesians had managed to adapt themselves quickly to China's domestic league and made their presence felt in the team.  "They add to Hubei's overall strength and are expected to score as many points as possible."

The Indonesian duo will be paid 120,000 yuan ($18,000) for every match as they play for Hubei, Hubei Daily quoted local sport official Shi Wei as saying.

In other developments, Grand Slam winner Lin Dan-led PLA team beat southern province of Guangdong, whose foreign players were absent.

But Guangdong's club manager Yang Chengfeng said Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat would appear in the coming clash with Hunan and Hubei, while Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei would help the team fight eastern province of Zhejiang.

Lin said he was not worried about increased competition, adding that "I'm glad to welcome Taufik Hidayat and Lee Chong Wei into the league."

Bao Chunlai said, "Top foreign players will help raise the level of the league and stimulate us to bring our talent into full play,"