Er...Singapore Open 2006 is coming soon!!!! starting June 5.. If any of u guys going must tell me K!!! i am still wondering if i want to go anot..... season ticket cost $28 nw..... haiz.... $$$ Well..this is an event which i had missed... since 2001! Dunnoe about this time round......

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Report from Aviva Open Singapore Website, 29 May:

Denmark’s Peter Gade is the No 1 seed in the US$170,000 Aviva Open Singapore 2006 and it has given him the opportunity to win a tournament he has never won before.

And China’s Chen Hong, a two-time winner is also looking at the possibility of a third Aviva Open Singapore title following the draw made at the Singapore Badminton Association (SBA) on Monday (29 May), 3pm.

Like Gade, Chen Hong who is seeded in the No 3-4 bracket but in the lower half of the draw, has always considered the Indoor stadium, venue of the five-star meet, a favourite hunting ground and naturally the two of them are looking forward to the meet starting on June 5-11.

The draw conducted by officials from the SBA also saw Kenneth Jonassen of Denmark, the Aviva Open Singapore winner in 2004, as the No 2 seed and an all Dane final in the men’s singles looks a likely scenario.

But again, there is another Chinese in the way of the two Danes- China’s Bao Chun Lai, the world ranked No 5 and the hero in China’s Thomas Cup triumph in Tokyo recently. Chun Lai is in the upper half of the draw with Gade.

Chun Lai, was in terrific form, as his performance in Tokyo, where he demolished Jonassen in the straight games in the final, showed.

This means the 30-year old Gade, the World's ranked No 3, is in for a tough time, although he does appear to have an easy passage until the last 16 where he is expected to meet China's Chen Yu, the No 9-16 seed.

And if all goes according to plan, Gade will face up to Chun Lai, in the semis. But then again Chun Lai may have to face up to the Aviva Open Singapore 2006 defending champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia who is seeded in the No 5-8 bracket in the last eight.

Jonassen, the No 2 seed also appear to have a smooth passage, at least until the last eight where a meeting with Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro, in a likely encounter before the last four in which, the two-time winner of the Singapore Open, China's Chen Hong, the No3-4 seed lies in wait.

Singapore’s Ronald Susilo who is on the comeback trail after an Achilles’ heel injury, also appears to have a tough first round match where he is down to play Malaysia’s Kuan Beng Hong, the No 5-8 seed.

Li Li, Singapore’s hope in the Women’s Singles has drawn Malaysia’s
Norshaliza Baharum in the opening round and should sail past her opponent for a 2nd round clash against Taipei’s Cheng Shao Chieh or China’s Lu Lan.

And if Ronald and Li Li manage to emerge to progress beyond the quarter=finals, they will stand to win each $2,000 for the semis, $4,000 for the finals and $10,000 as champions from title sponsor Aviva.

The Danes are also the No 1 seed in the men's doubles with their World ranked No 1 Jens Eriksen and Martin Lundgaard Hansen firmly established as the red hot favourites.

Malaysia's Chong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah, the recent Asian champion are the No 2 seed and in the absence of the defending champion pair of Sigit Budiarto and Candra Wijaya with the retirement of the latter, the field is left wide open.

Malaysia's No 1 pair of Koo Kim Keat and Chan Chong Ming, the No 3-4 seed together with Indonesia'a Luluk Hadiyanyto and Alven Yulianto, could spoil the party for the big guns as well.

The challenge for the Women’s Singles title at the Aviva Open Singapore 2006 will be led by Netherland’s Mia Audina with France's Chinese import Pi Hongyan as the No 2 seed.

The Aviva Open Singapore 2006 women's singles race looks wide open.

In the women's doubles, China will start with world ranked No 2 Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen. They are expected to play the No 2 seed Gail Emms and Donna Kellogg of England.

Malaysia's Commonwealth Games gold medallist Wong Pei Tty and Chin Ee Hui are the No 3-4 seed together with Taipei's Cheng Wen Hsing and Chien Yu Chin, the recent Asian Badminton Confederation winner in Johor Baru.

Watch the drama unfold on the courts at the Aviva Open Singapore 2006 this June 5 –11, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Qualifying round matches are admission free while preliminary round and quarterfinal matches are priced at S$8 for adult and S$4 for senior citizens and children.

The semi-finals and final tickets are priced at S$10 for adults; S$8 for students and senior citizens and S$2 for children (under 12). Tickets are available from SISTIC.

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Badminton: No Singaporean seeds at Singapore Open in June
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia