WUHAN, China, April 23 -- As the world's top shuttlers gather to compete in the upcoming Badminton Asia Championships, which are to be held here from April 24 to 29, Chinese stars are looking forward to flourishing in front of home supporters.

It is the fourth straight year that the continental badminton tournament has been held in the central Chinese city. The home favorites finished the last edition with three golds, including the men's singles, men's doubles and mixed doubles. For many of the players, the Asia Championships are also a good preparation for the upcoming Thomas & Uber Cups which are to be held in Thailand next month.

Chen Long, the Rio Olympic winner, also the reigning champion, will kick off his title defense with an opener against a qualifier. But the current world No. 3 has been struggling this season as he failed to reach the semifinal phase in any of the three BWF World Tour events he participated, including a first-round exit in the Malaysia Masters in January.

Chen's possible rival in the semifinal could be his Chinese compatriot, two-time winner Lin Dan. Widely considered as the best-ever men's shuttler in history, the 35-year-old inevitably sees the slump in form in recent years. However, the Beijing and London Olympic champion is trying to extend his career as long as possible, and he has proved that he still got something to give out, just like as he did at the All-England Open one month ago, where he finished runner-up to another Chinese player Shi Yuqi.

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