VietNamNet Bridge - Host player Nguyen Tien Minh will be the No 1 seed at the Viet Nam Open Badminton Grand Prix.
Minh, the world No 7, is the highest ranking athlete registered for the annual event.

The two-time Olympian, will have a chance to make up for his defeat at the hands of Japan's Sho Sasaki at last month's US Open in California.

Le Ha Anh will also be representing Viet Nam in the main draw, while Nguyen Hoang Nam, Van Tuan Kiet and Nguyen Hoang Hai will have to come through the qualifying rounds.

At last year's tournament, Minh was knocked out in the quarter-finals after defeat to Yuekun Chen of China, who went on to take the title

The Grand Prix series, which is managed by the Badminton World Federation, gives no priority to host players, and seedings are based on world rankings.

In the women's competition, Viet Nam's representatives will all have to go through qualifying for a shot at the main draw, due to their low world rankings. The only local hope is Vu Thi Trang who is ranked 152nd in the world. Trang pocketed a bronze medal at the first Youth Olympics in Singapore last year.

Thailand's Inthanon Ratchanok, the world No 13, is the favourite in the women's singles event, and she is also the defending champion.

In other events, Bui Bang Duc/Dao Manh Thang will compete in the men's doubles, Vu Thi Trang/Nguyen Thi Sen in the women's doubles and Huynh Nguyen Khang/Thai Thi Hong Gam in the mixed doubles. They will also start from the qualifying rounds, but are expected to progress to the main tournament.

Organisers said that the last chance to register for the event would be tomorrow.

The draw will be carried out two days later at the BWF office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The results of the draw will be posted on www.tournamentsoftware.com along with up to date news and match scores.

The competition will swing into action on August 23 and conclude five days later in HCM City.

Source: VNS