COPENHAGEN MASTERS: GADE, SUN, HOYER, RASMUSSEN LEAD ENTRIES

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS REPORT is presented by badminton world champions YANG YANG (1987 and 1989) and ZHAO JIAN HUA (1991) and by YANG YANG BADMINTON PRODUCTS **

December 25, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Four of the world's best badminton men's singles players have accepted invitations to compete at the Copenhagen Masters tournament being held at the Cirkusbygningen in Copenhagen, Denmark from the twenty-seventh of December to the twenty-ninth. Leading the entries are the top rated player in the world, Peter Gade-Christensen from Denmark, World Grand Prix Finals champion Sun Jun of China, 1996 Olympic gold medalist Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen of Denmark, and 1997 world champion Peter Rasmussen, also of Denmark. 1995 world champion Heryanto Arbi of Indonesia will also be competing.

In the women's singles event, Gong Zhichao of China, ranked third in the world, and Camilla Martin of Denmark, ranked fourth, are the top entries.

In men's doubles, Chandra Wijaya of Indonesia, who together with Budiarto Sigit are the world champions, is entered with compatriot Tony Gunawan who is rated tenth in the world with regular partner Victo Wibowo. Wijaya and Gunawan will face a strong challenge from three Danish pairs - Jon Holst-Christensen and Michael Sogaard, Jesper Larsen and Jens Eriksen, Jim Laugesen and Thomas Stavngaard.

There are no women's and mixed doubles events in this invitational tournament for top Danish competitors and players from the other top badminton countries like China, England, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, and Sweden.

The Copenhagen Masters offers a purse of about 50,000 US dollars. Top prize in the men's and women's singles events is about 5,000 US dollars each, while the winning pair in the men's doubles event will go home richer by about 6,500 US dollars.

Following is the list of entries:

Men's Singles
Peter Gade-Christensen (Denmark), Sun Jun (China), Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen (Denmark), Peter Rasmussen (Denmark), Heryanto Arbi (Indonesia), Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen (Denmark), Ardy Wiranata (Indonesia), Jeroen van Dijk (Netherlands), Kenneth Jonassen (Denmark), Thomas Sogaard (Denmark), Anders Boesen (Denmark), Martin Lundgaard-Hansen (Denmark)

Women's Singles
Gong Zhichao (China), Camilla Martin (Denmark), Zeng Yaqiong (China), Marina Andrievskaya (Sweden), Mette Pedersen (Denmark), Mette Sorensen (Denmark), Ann Sondergaard (Denmark), Olivia (Indonesia)

Men's Doubles
Chandra Wijaya/Tony Gunawan (Indonesia), Jon Holst-Christensen/Michael Sogaard (Denmark), Jens Eriksen/Jesper Larsen (Denmark), Jim Laugesen/Thomas Stavngaard (Denmark), Peter Axelsson/Par-Gunnar Jonsson (Sweden), Chris Hunt/ Simon Archer (England), Jeremy Gan/Chan Chong Ming (Malaysia)

(NOTE: One more men's doubles pair may be added by the tournament organizers - Editor).

(mcoe/dsimmons)