ENGLAND include all five World Championship finalists in their squad to tackle this months Malaysian and Korean Opens, the first two events in the Badminton World Federations new Super Series.
The England team, led by head coach Ian Wright, leave on Saturday but Commonwealth champion Tracey Hallam is conspicuous by her absence.
She is still recovering from the ankle surgery following the World Championships in Madrid in September. Promising doubles player Kris Roebuck is also out with a knee injury.
But world champions Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms will start their 2007 campaign in Kuala Lumpur and will be joined by world runners-up Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg.
Kellogg and Emms, the European champions, will also be chasing more success in womens doubles while world mens doubles runners-up Clark and Robert Blair will be looking to build on their No 6 world ranking.
In Hallams absence the singles burden falls on the shoulders of Andrew Smith, who has worked his way right up the world rankings to No 17 following his victory in Vietnam in November. National champion Nick Kidd joins him for the mens singles in Malaysia but does not play the Korean event.
The rest of the England squad will return from Korea at the end of January and will have barely a week to prepare for the English National Championships at The Velodrome in Manchester from February 2-4.
Malaysia Open (Jan 16-21) & Korea Open 2007 (Jan 23-28)
Mens Singles
Andrew Smith 14078
Nicholas Kidd 9460 (Malaysia Only)
Mens Doubles
Anthony Clark 9819 / Robert Blair 12052
David Lindley 11984 / Chris Langridge 51624
Womens Doubles
Gail Emms 7734 / Donna Kellogg 9646
Joanne Nicholas 9645 / Natalie Munt 10882
Suzanne Rayappan 13516 / Jenny Wallwork 53188
Mixed Doubles
Anthony Clark 9819 / Donna Kellogg 9646
Nathan Robertson 7572 / Gail Emms 7734
Robert Blair 12052 / Jenny Wallwork 53188
David Lindley 11984 / Suzanne Rayappan 13516
Partner Required / Natalie Munt 10882
Chris Langridge 51624 / Joanne Nicholas 9645
Coaches / Officials
Ian Wright, Julian Robertson, Hannah Behan
(source: badmintonengland)
