Badminton: Re-match for Olympic champion Chen Long at OUE Singapore Open

China's Olympic champion Chen Long is the men's world No. 2. PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - China's Olympic champion Chen Long will have a chance to avenge his German Open loss to Chinese Taipei's Wang Tzu-wei at next month's OUE Singapore Open.

The draw for the Apr 11-16 tournament, which will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, was announced on Wednesday (March 22).

Chen, the men's world No. 2, will open his singles campaign against Wang, who had beaten the Chinese 21-18, 8-21, 21-18 in the semi-finals of the German Open earlier this month.

The women's singles main draw will feature nine of the world's top 10 female shuttlers.

Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu of India will start her tournament against bronze medallist Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, while local shuttler and Olympian Liang Xiaoyu, the world No. 25, will face No. 24 Hsu Ya-ching of Chinese Taipei.

Singapore's Grace Chua and Yeo Jia Min will play the qualifying rounds for a spot in the main draw. If they progress to the main round, 18-year-old Jia Min will face 2010 Singapore Open champion Saina Nehwal, while Chua, 21, will meet Chinese Taipei's Lee Chia Hsin.

Singapore's Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Hendra Wijaya will take on Thai pair Bodin Isara and Nipitphon Phuangphuapet in the first round of the men's doubles in the main draw. Compatriots Terry Hee and Loh Kean Hean will play in the qualifying rounds.

Hee, 21, will also feature in the mixed doubles with Tan Wei Han. The 17th-ranked pair face Indonesia's Ronald Ronald and Melati Oktavianti, who are No. 18, in their opening match.

The OUE Singapore Open is the last Superseries for shuttlers to earn qualifying points for the Aug 21-27 World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.

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