Defending champion Chen Long plays a qualifier in his opening match in Badminton Asia Championships
(*Credit image: sports.ndtv.com)
Top seed K. Srikanth of India faces a tough first round match against Japan's Kenta Nishimoto in the Badminton Asia Championships to be held in Wuhan,China from April 24-29.
The Indian, winner of four Superseries titles last year, is currently in Gold Coast, Australia for the Commonwealth Games which begin on Wednesday.
Srikanth is also the top seed in the men's singles in Gold Coast.
In the Badminton Asia Championships draw made in Jakarta on Tuesday, defending champion Chen Long of China, the third seed, will also face a qualifier in the first round while 2016 champion Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia faces a tricky opener against China's young star Qiao Bin.
The draw for the Asian Championships was also attended by Badminton Asia Chair of Events Mr Bambang Roedyanto of Indonesia; Chair of Technical Officials Mr Chua Soo Hock of Malaysia, Tournament Referee Ms Nahathai Sornprachum of Thialand; Referee Assessor Datuk Anthony Linggian of Malaysia and the 14 aspiring candidates from 11 countries who are currently attending a Badminton Asia Referee Accreditation Course in Jakarta.
Two-time winner Lin Dan of China who lost to Chen Long in the final last year and seeded sixth this year also faced a tricky opening round match against Wang Tzu Wei of Chinese Taipei. Lin Dan won the Asian title in 2014 and 2015.
Second seed Son Won-ho of Korea opens his campaign with a match against Indonesia's Ihsan Maulana Mustofa.
In the women's singles top seed and defending champion Tai Tzu Ying was also drawn to face a qualifier in the first round and so is second seed and last year's runner-up Akane Yamaguchi of Japan.
India's hope P.V. Sindhu, seeded third, opens her campaign in Wuhan with a first round match against against Pai Yu Po of Chinese Taipei.
The Rio Olympics is also currently in Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games where she is the top seed.
In the men's doubles defending champions Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen of China face qualifiers in the first round while compatriots Liu Cheng-Zhang Nan, seeded second, face a Japanese hurdle in Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi.
In the women's doubles defending champions Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi of Japan have qualifiers as their first round opponents. The Japanese Olympic champions also won the title in 2016.
Top seeds Chen Qingchen-Jia Yifan of China were drawn to face Thailand's Kittipak Dubthuk-Natcha Saengchote of Thailand.
In the mixed doubles top seeds and 2015 champions Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia have Japan's Yuki Kaneok-Koharu Yonemoto of Japan as their first round opponents while second seeds Wang Yilyu-Huang Dongping of China face Vietnam's do Tuan Duc-Pham Nhu Thao.
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