MVP Cup pits best of the best

World-class badminton players are in town.

And for the next three days, Filipino badminton enthusiasts will get the rare chance to catch them in action as the MVP Cup, which features the best of Asia against Europe’s finest players, gets underway tonight at the Philsports Arena.

China’s Lin Dan, the world’s No. 1 in men’s singles, spearheads the Asian roster, which includes Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat, the gold medalist in the 2004 Athens Olympics who’s currently ranked eigth in the world.

Also carrying a big stick for the Asians in the event offering $50,000 to the winning team and $30,000 to the loser is China’s Zhang Ning, the world No. 2 in women’s singles who, like Hidayat, is the reigning Olympic champion in singles event.

Others in the team are Korea’s Seo Yoon Hee, the No. 16 in women’s singles and known as a giant-killer; Malaysia’s Chang Chong Ming and Koo Kian Keat, the world No. 8 in men’s doubles; Thailand’s Saralee Thungthongkam and Sathinee Chankrachangwong, the world No. 5 in women’s doubles; and the Philippines’ Kennevic and Kennie Asunsion, ranked No. 24 in the world of mixed doubles.

A brainchild of businessman-sportsman Manuel Pangilinan, chairman of the sponsoring Smart and PLDT, the event is also sponsored by Bingo Bonanza, Nokia, JVC, Yonex, Solar Sports, Discovery Suites, Inquirer Badminton and The Philippine STAR among others.

Organizers said tickets to the three-day badminton extravaganza are selling briskly. They are pegged at P500 for special ringside, P350 for courtside, P250 for lower level, P150 for ringside and P50 for gallery. They are available at all TicketWorld outlets (891-9999).

While the crowd is expected to root for the Asians, those seeing action for Europe will definitely try hard to make the spectators change their minds.

The presence of Germany’s Bjoern Joppien, who is so dangerous despite his No. 17 ranking, makes the Europeans just as tough.

The team also includes Denmark’s Anders Boesen, ranked 25th in the world; Mia Audina Tjiptawan, an Indonesian now playing for the Netherlands and is part of the European doubles champion; Pi Hongyan, a Chinese now carrying the French flag; England’s Robert Blair, a doubles specialist; Yao Jie, another Chinese playing for the Netherlands; and the world No. 1 mixed doubles pair of Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms of England.

The players flew into town yesterday afternoon from Kuala Lumpur. They are billeted at the posh and trendy Discovery Suites along Ortigas.

Action begins at 7 tonight with the first women’s singles pitting Zhang Ning against Tjiptawan to be followed by the first men’s singles between Hidayat and Boesen and the men’s doubles pitting Ming and Keat versus Robertson and Blair.

Action in day two also starts at 7 p.m. featuring the second men’s and women’s singles, and women’s doubles. On the third and last day of competition, it will be the Asuncions facing Robertson and Emms in what could be the crucial mixed doubles, followed by the third women’s and men’s singles on a team-captains’-option lineup.