This year's FZ FORZA Slovenia International (Series tournament) will take place in Medvode and offers 5.000 US Dollars in prize money. The championships played in Medvode Sports hall will be hosting over 120 players from 18 countries.
The top seed in the men’s singles is Malaysian player Chun Seang Tan. he is currently number 53 in the world rankings. Slovenia's best player in this category is Iztok Utroša who achieved an excellent second place in the International tournament in Romania (March 2012). The local organizer have high expectations from him and this year’s national champion Luka Petrič.
In the category of women’s singles, 32 players will compete. The best player representing Slovenia is Maja Tvrdy (who will represent her country also at the Olympic Games in London), followed by Špela Silvester and Kaja Stankovic. Last year winner in this category Carola Bott (pictured) has entered the tournament as well as some other good players like top seeded Austrian Simone Prutsch.
Among the 16 entered pairs in the men’s doubles, the strongest pair is: Zvonimir Đurkinjak/Zvonimir Hölbling of Croatia. But the Slovenes are expecting a lot from the fifth seeded pair of Luka Petric/Kek Jamnik.
In the women’s doubles the spectators can witness the reappearance of Carissa Turner and Sarah Thomas of Wales, who took the bronze medals at last year's competition. The highest seeded Slovenian pair is Maja Tvrdy and Kaja Stankovic.
The top seeds in the mixed doubles are coming from Croatia: Staša Poznanovic and Zvonimir Durkinjak. Both are currently owning the 53 spot in the world rankings. In this event, Slovenia has only three pairs: Nika Koncut/Kek Jamnik, Eva Miklic/Matic Ivancic and national champions Tina Kodrič/Luka Petrič.
The tournament starts on 10th of May 2012 in Medvode sports hall. We guarantee excellent matches and we invite all fans of badminton to join us.
Click HERE for all results from Slovenia
Click HERE to see all previous champions of the tournament
Article by Matevz Srekl, Photo by BadmintonPhoto