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THOMAS & UBER CUPS FINALS: FIRST SERVE SLATED FOR TODAY

May 15, 1998 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - The world team championships in badminton starts today at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong with a women's team matchup between defending champion Indonesia and England at noon coupled with a Korea-Netherlands tussle. The top-seeded Chinese women begin their bid to recapture the world women's team title and the Uber Cup that goes with it later tonight against a team from host Hong Kong, while the European number ones from Denmark face off against Japan.

The men's teams will see action starting tomorrow with defending champion Indonesia clashing with the Netherlands and the Chinese men, favourites to snatch the Thomas Cup symbolic of the world men's team championship, seeing action against Sweden at noon. Malaysia and Korea are expected to have a battle royale tomorrow evening, while Denmark, one of the stronger sides at the tournament, have a light assignment against Hong Kong.

Following is the rest of the schedule for the Finals (all times Hong Kong time:

May 17 at 12:30 - Indonesia vs Netherlands; Korea vs England (women's teams)
May 17 at 18:30 - China vs Japan; Denmark vs Hong Kong (women's teams)
May 18 at 12:30 - Indonesia vs Korea; Netherlands vs Malaysia (men's teams)
May 18 at 18:30 - China vs Hong Kong; Denmark vs Sweden (men's teams)
May 19 at 12:30 - Indonesia vs Korea; Netherlands vs England (women's teams)
May 19 at 18:30 - China vs Denmark; Japan vs Hong Kong (women's teams)
May 20 at 12:30 - Indonesia vs Malaysia; Netherlands vs Korea (men's teams)
May 20 at 18:30 - China vs Denmark; Sweden vs Hong Kong (men's teams)
May 21 at 12:30 - Women's Team Semifinal 1 May 21 at 19:00 - Women's Team Semifinal 2 May 22 at 12:30 - Men's Team Semifinal 1 May 22 at 19:00 - Men's Team Semifinal 2 May 23 at 19:00 - Uber Cup (Women's Team) Championship Match May 24 at 19:00 - Thomas Cup (Men's Team) Championship Match

(mcoe/dsimmons)

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