The Ciputra Hanoi – Yonex Sunrise Vietnam International Challenge 2017 opened on March 22 at the Cau Giay Gymnasium in Hanoi.

Vietnam's top badminton player Nguyen Tien Minh

The event, which runs through March 26, sees the participation of 305 badminton players from 16 countries and territories.

The players will compete in five categories namely men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles, for a total prize of 20,000 USD. 

As many as 61 Vietnamese athletes participate in the tournament, including top players Nguyen Tien Minh and Vu Thi Trang. 

They will face challenges in defending their champion titles against strong regional rivals such as seed No 2 Khosit Phetpradab (world’s 54th) and seed No 3 Suppanyu Avihingsanon (world’s 64th) from Thailand and seed No 4 Jia Min Yeo (world’s 83rd) from Singapore. 

The tournament provides an opportunity for athletes to sharpen their skills and prepare for international competitions, especially the Southeast Asian Games in August in Malaysia, while badminton lovers will be able to enjoy competitions between top-notch athletes from Vietnam and other countries. 

VNA