Son Wan Ho
Son Wan Ho's presence will benefit South Korea Reuters

Robot Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships, the inaugural team event that features top teams from Asia, will be played in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City from 14 to 19 February. Nguyen Du Cultural Sport Club will host 13 teams this year including badminton heavyweights China, South Korea, Japan and Malaysia, who are the only four seeded teams in the tournament.

Groups

The teams have been drawn into four groups - A, B, C, D - with the third group having an extra fourth team.

Group A Group B Group C Group D
China [1] Malaysia [4] Japan [3] Korea [2]
Chinese Taipei Indonesia Thailand India
Hong Kong Sri Lanka Vietnam Singapore
--- --- Philippines ---

Tournament Format

Each team will play a single-legged round robin format in the group stages and the top two teams from each group progress to the quarter-final, for which a separate draw will be made after the group stages ends on Thursday.

The event will see top shuttlers battling in five events - Men's singles, Men's doubles, Women's singles, Women's doubles and Mixed doubles.

Tournament Schedule

  • The group stages of the tournament will commence from Tuesday and go on until Thursday.
  • The quarter-final matches will be played on Friday.
  • The semi-final matches will be played on Saturday and the title tie will be held on Sunday.

The individual tie information for each day will be updated here later.

TV Schedule [Available from quarter-final]

Singapore: Eleven Sports

Malaysia: Astro Supersport 4

India: Star Sports

China eyeing inaugural title at the championships

China are the top seeds and they are looking favourites to win the inaugural title. Despite not having the likes of Olympic champions Lin Dan and Chen Long, the Asian giants have a strong side which will be lead by rising Men's singles star Shi Yuqi, who had a successful year in 2016 winning his maiden Superseries title in France and two Grand Prix Gold titles.

Malaysia send strong team to Vietnam

Fourth seeds Malaysia have world number 31 Iskandar Zulkarnain and Lim Chi Wing in the Men's singles category while Lee Ying Ying has replaced top-ranked Goh Jin Wei in the Women's singles. World number one Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong are giving the tournament a skip and Leo Ee Yi/Ong Yew Sin are pairing up for Men's doubles.

Singapore handed tough draw

Singapore have been bolstered by the presence of world number 28 women's shuttler Xiaoyu Liang but the team will find it tough as South Korea and India are favourites to progress from the group. While world number four Son Wan Ho leads the campaign for Korea, India have a strong unit despite not having their Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal.

Japan, Thailand to battle for Group C supremacy

Hong Kong have Ng Ka Long and Cheung Ngan Yi to lead the campaign and challenge China in Group A while Japan, who are looking favourites to progress from Group C, have the likes of Akane Yamaguchi and Sayaka Sato. Also in the group are Thailand, who have the likes of Bodin Issara, Savitree Amitrapai and world number 11 Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk.

Complete squads list

Group A

China: Li Junhui, Liu Cheng, Liu Yuchen, Qiao Bin, Shi Yuqi, Zhang Nan, Zhao Jun Peng, Zheng Siwei, Bao Yixin, Chen Qingchen, Chen Yufei, He Bingjiao, Huang Dongping, Jia Yifan, Li Yinhui, Yu Xiaohan

Chinese Taipei: Chen Hung Ling, Chou Tien Chen, Hsu Jen Hao, Lee Jhe-Huei, Lee Yang, Tseng Min Hao, Wang Chi Lin, Chang Ching Hui, Chiang Mei Hui, Hsu Ya Ching, Hsu Ling Gang, Wu Ti Jung, Yang Ching Tun

Hong Kong: Hu Yun, Law Cheuk Him, Lee Chun Hei Reginald, Ng Ka Long Angus, Or Chin Chung, Tang Chun Man, Wei Nan, Wong Wing Ki Vincent, Chau Hoi Wah, Cheung Ngan Yi, Cheung Ying Mei, Ng Tsz Yau, Poon Lok Yan, Tse Ying Suet, Yeung Nga Ting, Yip Pui Yin

Group B

Malaysia: Lee Ying Ying, Hoh Yen Mei, Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, Lim Chi Wing, Leo Ee Yi, Ong Yew Sin, Goh Sze Fei, Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, Chow Mei Kuan, Lee Meng Yean, Lim Yin Loo, Yap Cheng Wen, Tan Kian Meng, Lai Pei Jing, Goh Soon Huat, Shevon Lai Jemie

Indonesia: Muhammad Bayu Pangisthu, Firman Abdul Kholik, Angga Pratama, Ricky Karanda Suwardi, Wahyu Nayaka Arya Pankaryanire, Ade Yusuf, Hanna Ramadini, Gregoria Mariska, Angga Shiita Awanda, Mahadewi Istirani Ni Ketut, Tiara Rosalia Nuraidah, Rizki Amelia Pradipta, Alfian Eko Prasetya, Annisa Saufika, Edi Subaktiar, Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja

Sri Lanka: Karunaratna Dinuka, Karunaratne Niluka, Hendahewa Thilini Pramodika, Hettiarachchige Renu Chandrika, Karunaratne Diluka, Sasindu Ranthushka, Shehani Lekha, Sirimannage Kavindi

Group C

Japan: Endo Hiroyuki, Kamura Takeshi, Kazuno Kenta, Kobayashi Yugo, Nishimoto Kenta, Sakai Kazumasa, Sonoda Keigo, Watanabe Yuta, Higashino Arisa, Kurihara Ayane, Matsutomo Misaki, Okuhara Nozomi, Takahashi Ayaka, Tanaka Shiho, Yamaguchi Akane, Yonemoto Koharu

Thaialand: Isara Bodin, Kedren Kittinupong, Phuangphuapet Nipitphon, Puavaranukroh Dechapol, Suppanyu Avihingsanon, Khosit Petpradah, Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, Savitree Amitrapai, Pornpawee Chochuwong, Nitchaon Jindapol, Busanan Ongbamrungphan, Kititharakul Jongkolphan, Prajongjai Rawinda, Supajirakul Puttita, Taerattanachai Sapsiree

Vietnam: Bao Minh, Do Tuan Duc, Duong Bao Duc, Nguyen Tien Minh, Pham Cao Cuong, Pham Hong Nam, Le Thu Huyen, Nguyen Thi Sen, Nguyen Thuy Linh, Pham Nhu Thao, Vu Thi Trang

Philippines: Magnaye Peter Gabriel, Morada Alvin, Carlos Antonie, Ros Leonard, Philip Joper, Barredo Sarah Joy, Leonardo Alyssa Yasbel, Pomar The Marie

Group D

South Korea: Choi Solgyu, Son Wan Ho, Joen Hyeok Jin, Kim Gi Jung, Kim Jae Hwan, Yoo Yeon Seong, Chae Yoo Jung, Chang Ye Na, Kim Ha Na, Kim Ga Eun, Sung Ji Hyun, Lee So Hee

India: HS Prannoy, Sameer Verma, Chirag Shetty, Sumeeth Reddy, Manu Attri, Pranav Jerry Chopra, Satwiksairaj, Rituparna Das, Tanvi Lad, Maneesha, Ashwini Ponappa, Sikki Reddy

Singapore: Chrisnanta Danny Bawa, Hee Yong Kai Terry, Kean Hean Loh, Kean Yew Loh, Zin Rei Ryan, Hendra Wijaya, Liang Xiaoyu, Tan Wei Han, Hui Zhen Grace, Ren-Ne Ong, Jia Ying Crystal, Jia MIn Yeo