Taufik will be first foreign singles shuttler to play in China’s league
Latest News 9:29 AM
BEIJING: Former Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat has become
Guangzhou Yueyu Club’s first foreign signing to compete in next year’s
China Badminton League.
The Indonesian superstar took only 15 minutes to sign the agreement with the club’s general manager Yang Chengfeng on Thursday, Guangzhou Daily reported.
Chengfeng visited Taufik in Hong Kong during the Hong Kong Super Series tournament to finalise the shuttler’s participation in the league.
On Tuesday, the club had revealed plans to secure the services of Taufik, Malaysians Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and South Korea’s Lee Yong Dae-Jung Jae Sung for the new season.
The daily said that Taufik made a brief phone call to his wife to inform her of his decision to join the club before signing on the dotted line.
“I love the badminton fans in Guangzhou. Whether I won or lost, they would cheer for me,” said Taufik, who helped Indonesia lift the Thomas Cup in 2002 in the city.
“I am very familiar with the Tianhe Gymnasium (which will be the club’s home stadium) and Guangzhou is one of the cities in the world that has a rich badminton tradition.”
Taufik will receive a six-digit appearance fee for each game he plays – and he will have to play in at least two games throughout the season.
The league, which was revived this year, will be held between February and April and will feature top Chinese players like Lin Dan, Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng, Wang Yihan, Chen Jin and Wang Lin.
Chong Wei missed out on joining Guangzhou Yueyu this year after the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) refused to release him.
Former national doubles player Choong Tan Fook is the only foreign player to have taken part in the league, thus far, when he represented Guangzhou Yueyu last year.
The Indonesian superstar took only 15 minutes to sign the agreement with the club’s general manager Yang Chengfeng on Thursday, Guangzhou Daily reported.
Chengfeng visited Taufik in Hong Kong during the Hong Kong Super Series tournament to finalise the shuttler’s participation in the league.
On Tuesday, the club had revealed plans to secure the services of Taufik, Malaysians Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and South Korea’s Lee Yong Dae-Jung Jae Sung for the new season.
The daily said that Taufik made a brief phone call to his wife to inform her of his decision to join the club before signing on the dotted line.
“I love the badminton fans in Guangzhou. Whether I won or lost, they would cheer for me,” said Taufik, who helped Indonesia lift the Thomas Cup in 2002 in the city.
“I am very familiar with the Tianhe Gymnasium (which will be the club’s home stadium) and Guangzhou is one of the cities in the world that has a rich badminton tradition.”
Taufik will receive a six-digit appearance fee for each game he plays – and he will have to play in at least two games throughout the season.
The league, which was revived this year, will be held between February and April and will feature top Chinese players like Lin Dan, Cai Yun, Fu Haifeng, Wang Yihan, Chen Jin and Wang Lin.
Chong Wei missed out on joining Guangzhou Yueyu this year after the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) refused to release him.
Former national doubles player Choong Tan Fook is the only foreign player to have taken part in the league, thus far, when he represented Guangzhou Yueyu last year.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 9:29 AM.
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