Seepaul, Cassie face tough challenge in Peru

TRINIDAD and Tobago’s senior badminton champions, Anil Seepaul and Sabrina Cassie, face tough challengers in the VIII Peru International Open Championships.

“King” Seepaul and “Queen” Cassie were scheduled to compete among some of the world’s leading players and will be fully tested at this series. It is one of the highest levels of  competition, which features the champions from the top-rated badminton nations including the United States, Germany, Wales, Spain, Finland, Switzerland and Iceland.

According to four-time king Seepaul, top players from Brazil, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Peru have also entered and there will be tough passages to the next round. Wales 1998 Commonwealth Games’ champion Kelly Morgan as well as the bronze medallist Richard Vaughn will vie for top honours. Seepaul’s first round opponent is Peru’s Juan Jose Espinoza while nine-time ladies’ champion Cassie will battle with Peru’s Cecilia Jamieno. Should Seepaul win his match, he will have to take on the winner of the Lucas Araujo (Brazil) vs Hector Escovedo (Guatemala) in the next round. Should Cassie prevail over her first round opponent, she will clash with Peru’s number one Lorena Blanco.

Seepaul and Cassie will team up in the mixed doubles and their opponents are Peru’s pair of Dolvalle/Rivero. Cassie will partner United States’ Taff for the women’s doubles competition while Seepaul will join with Peru’s youth sensation Sebastien Salazar in the men’s doubles contest. Both Seepaul and Cassie are in high spirits and are ready to give of the best in the highest level competition the country’s champion twosome will encounter in their badminton career.