Qualifying rounds for the 2019 Badminton Asia Championships take place at the Wuhan Sports Center on April 23. [Photo provided to wedz.gov.cn]
The 2019 Badminton Asia Championships kicked off at the Wuhan Sports Center in the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (WHDZ) in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, on April 23.
Wuhan has hosted the annual event since 2015, and will continue hosting it until 2020. This year's event will run until April 28.
As the top badminton tournament in Asia, the event regularly attracts some of the world's best players. Nearly 300 people from more than 20 Asian countries, including China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India, are expected to participate in this year's event.
During the first-day of qualifying rounds, Chinese mixed doubles shuttlers Zhang Nan and Li Yinhui suffered a first-round loss to Indonesian duo Hafiz Faizal and Gloria Emanuelle.
Two other Chinese pairs, Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong, as well as Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping, qualified for the next round after a three-game fight.
More top badminton players, including Lin Dan and Chen Long from China and Kento Momota from Japan, will participate in the ensuing competitions.
Chinese players Zheng Siwei (L) and Huang Yaqiong compete during a mixed doubles match in the 2019 Badminton Asia Championships, April 23. [Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese players Huang Dongping (L) and Wang Yilyu get excited after scoring a point during a mixed doubles match in Wuhan, April 23. [Photo/Xinhua]
