Reigning world champions Chen Jin and Wang Lin (pic) have been dropped from the China squad for the Sudirman Cup mixed team championships.
Chen Jin has been in poor form over the past six months while Wang Lin is still regaining full fitness following a ligament surgery last September.
China selected Lin Dan, Bao Chunlai and Chen Long for their men’s singles line-up for the championships in Qingdao from May 22-29.
With Wang Lin out, the women’s singles line-up has Wang Shixian, Wang Xin and Wang Yihan.
The men’s pairs in the team are veterans Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng and the younger Guo Zhendong-Chai Biao while Yu Yang-Wang Xiaoli and Zhao Yunlei-Tian Qing will be the women’s pairs.
For the mixed doubles China opted for Xu Chen-Ma Jin at the expense of Korean Open and Super Series Masters Finals champions Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei.
China chief coach Li Yongbo said that Lin Dan would play in all of his matches as it would help the Olympic and three-time world champion adjust his condition and find his best form on China’s road to retaining the title.
“We have not failed to defend the Sudirman Cup in the last three editions of the championships,” he said at a press conference last Saturday.
“But we faced tremendous difficulties in every match and basically 50% of the matches that we won were very close.
“We will have to be well prepared in the face of adversity, especially when playing against strong teams like Indonesia and Malaysia. We must prepare to the fullest.”
The China team left their base in Beijing for Qingdao on May 2 for their final preparations for the championships.
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