A whole host of dark horses are set to ride into Melbourne from the far north, however.  While Korea’s top university team is heading east to Canada’s west coast, the Samsung Electromechanics will be sending its entire team to Australia, minus Olympic champions Lee Yong Dae, Lee Hyo Jung, and Ha Tae Kwon.  Among them will be Asian Games bronze medallist Hwang Hye Youn, recently recovered from a serious foot injury.  Alongside her will be Seo Yoon Hee.  Seo left the national team in 2007 but has been racking up results domestically since then, including a runner-up finish at the nationals in December and the summer championship pro division title earlier this month.

Samsung also will be sending a strong doubles contingent, including Asian Champion Cho Gun Woo and Olympic silver medallist Lee Kyung Won.  Both will be dangerous playing with Kim Min Seo (formerly Kim Mi Young).  Major threats in the women’s doubles will come from Indonesians Nadya Melati / Devi Tika Permatasari and Japan’s Matsutomo/Takahashi.  Australia’s defending champion He Tian Tang is in an interesting new combination with Renuga Veeran.

In mixed doubles, last year’s runners-up Tam/Haliday of New Zealand will be favourites, along with Japan’s Shiota/Ikeda, who keep threatening to shine as a force in mixed.  Australia’s Veeran siblings should also be able to make the competition interesting.