Zhou seeks title repeat in RP Open

MANILA, Philippines - Two years after she reigned over a tough international field, Zhou Mi of Hong Kong gets the top billing again as she goes for a second straight victory in the third Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Badminton Championships firing off July 1 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Zhou outclassed China’s Zhu Jingjing in straight sets to capture the ladies singles crown the last time the blue-ribbon event was held in 2007 with the ace shuttler reaping more honors in the world badminton circuit on her way to clinching the current No. 2 spot in the sport.

That makes her the player to beat in the ladies singles of the $120,000 championship, a Grand Prix Gold event sponsored by Bingo Bonanza and organized by International Management Group which headlines some of the world’s finest shuttlers.

They include Wang Chen, another HK bet who like Zhou is coming off a quarterfinal finish in the Asian Badminton Championships last April, Yip Pui Yin, also of Hong Kong, China’s Jiang Yanjiao, Xing Aiying of Singapore, Bulgaria’s Linda Zechiri, Charmaine Reid of Canada, Maja Tvrdy of Slovenia, Nicole Grether of Germany and Singapore’s Ming Tian Fu.

Meanwhile, tickets are now available at Ticketworld with prices pegged at P300, P200, P150, P100 and P50 for the first three days and P500, P400, P300, P200 and P50 in the final two days. For details, contact Ticketworld at 891-9999 or log on to ticketworld.com.ph.

Ranked No. 5 in the world, Wang last won in the Hong Kong Open last November and reached the semifinals in the Korean and Malaysian Super Series last January, while Yip, No. 18 in the world, made it to the quarters in the recent All-England Super Series as the Hong Kong troika gears up for a showdown for the top $6,000 purse.

Gelita Castillo and Malvinne Alcala, ranked Nos. 25 and 26, respectively, in the event, head the local challenge in the five-day tournament, sanctioned by the Philippine Badminton Association and backed by Victor (PCOME Industrial Sales, Inc), PLDT Business Solutions, The Philippine STAR, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Solar Sports.

For updates on Bingo Bonanza RP Open, which also features the men’s singles, men’s and ladies doubles and mixed doubles, log on to wwww.philopenbadminton.com.

Other local bets seeing action in the tournament, put up by Bingo Bonanza to likewise give Filipino players a chance to gain ranking points needed to make it to the 2012 London Olympics, are Fatima Cruz, Janelle De Vera, Irene Chiu, Juvy Villarta, Reyne Calimlim, Anna Barredo and Camille Yang.