Kuala Lumpur: According the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released on Thursday, Lee Chong Wei’s sweep of the recent US Open and Canada Open has increased his rankings to world No. 65.
Remember just three weeks ago, Lee Chong Wei was still ranked world No. 180. Now the Malaysian has steadily improved his ranking and is making a really strong comeback in the badminton world.
Following their Canada Open mixed doubles triumph last Sunday, Reginald Lee Chun Hei/Chau Hoi Wah of Hong Kong has shot up two places to No. 8. Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei and Xu Chen/ Ma Jin of China, and Tontowi Ahmad/Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia still took the top three spots in the mixed doubles rankings. Tan Aik Quan/Lai Pei Jing became Malaysia’s top mixed doubles pair in No. 40, while Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying has dropped one spot to No. 48.
There has been no shakeup in the top 10 positions of the men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, and women’s doubles in this week’s BWF rankings.
Chen Long of China continued as the No. 1 men’s singles shuttler, followed by Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark, Kidambi Srikanth of India, Kento Momota of Japan and Lin Dan of China to make up the top 5 men’s ranking.
Spaniard Carolina Marin stayed clear in the unchanged women’s singles rankings, ahead of Saina Nehwal of India, Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, Li Xuerui of China, and Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei.
In the men’s doubles, South Koreans Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong remained unchanged at No. 1. Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong were the highest ranked player from Malaysia, at No. 19, while Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong were ranked No. 93.
Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi held the top position in the women’s doubles, closely followed by Chinese Yu Yang/Wang Xiaoli, Luo Ying/Luo Yu, Kamilla Rytter Juhl/Christinna Pedersen of Denmark, and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari/Greysia Polii of Indonesia. Malaysia’s Vivian Hoo/Woon Khe Wei were ranked No. 12, while the SEA Games women’s doubles champions Amelia Alicia Anscelly/Soong Fie Cho were ranked No. 24.
