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Tai Tzu-Ying is scheduled to compete in the Hong Kong Open Super 500 series next week, where she could challenge a 41-year record in tournament history if she confirms her participation.
Following the Taipei Open, Tai is expected to join the Hong Kong Open, according to her original plan. However, her coach, Lai Chien-Cheng, mentioned that while they’ve registered for the tournament, the final decision will depend on circumstances, and there’s no guarantee that she will participate. The BWF (Badminton World Federation) requires top-ranked players to compete in at least two 500-level tournaments. For now, Tai has her sights set on the Hong Kong Open, while her participation in the Arctic Open in Finland in October and the Kumamoto Masters in Japan in November will be decided later.
The Hong Kong Open kicks off on the 10th of next week, and the draw was recently announced. With top-ranked players An Se-Young and Chen Yufei absent, third-ranked Tai Tzu-Ying is seeded first in the women’s singles category. If she competes, this will be her first appearance in a 500-level event this season, facing a qualifier in the first round.
Hong Kong has been a lucky venue for Tai Tzu-Ying, where she claimed titles in 2014, 2016, and 2017. This ties her with legends Han Aiping, Xie Xingfang, and Bang Soo-hyun for the most women’s singles titles in the tournament’s history. If she wins again in her final dance this year, Tai will become the first player to secure four women’s singles championships since the tournament’s inception in 1982.
