KEY POINTS:
Prizemoney of US$50,000 ($67,823) is on offer at this month's New Zealand Badminton Open in Auckland.
The event, from May 15 to 20 at the Auckland Badminton Hall in Gillies Ave, is a World Grand Prix tournament and has attracted entries from more than 170 players representing 25 countries.
The defending men's and women's singles champions Tsuen Seng Lee (Malaysia) and Chi Huang (Australia) are both returning.
Hongyan Pi, ranked No 6, is one of the highest ranked players to take the court in New Zealand.
The Chinese-born Frenchwoman has 17 career titles and was as high as No 2 in the world in February 2005. Melbourne Commonwealth Games women's singles gold medallist, Tracey Hallam, of England, has also entered.
The men's singles draw features England's Andrew Smith as the likely top seed at No 13 in the world followed by defending champion and 16th ranked Lee of Malaysia and countryman Muhd Roslin Hashim at 18. The top ranked Kiwi is John Moody at 35.
There are 56 entries for the women's singles, headed by Pi. Pui Yin Yip of Hong Kong is ranked at 13. Defending champion, Taipei-born Australian Huang at 17 will be the third seed.
Other seeds include, the Japanese Kanako Yonekura (32) and Chie Umezu of Japan (34) and Malaysian Sutheaswari Mudukasan (38).
Englishwoman Hallam, on the way back from an injury, is also ranked inside the top-40 and Kiwi No 1 Rachel Hindley is at 42.
Kiwi triple Commonwealth Games and world champs medallist Dan Shirley and Malaysian partner Joanne Quay are ranked 15th in the world and will be the top seeds in the mixed doubles.
The top Kiwi women's doubles team is Donna Cranston from the Waikato and Renee Flavell from Auckland.
Hong Kong pair, Albertus Njoto and Yohan Wiratama, ranked 12 in the world top the men's doubles field. Veteran Kiwis Richard Purser and Phil Horne will also vie for the title.
