KEY POINTS:
The world's No 3 female badminton player will headline a classy field at the US$50,000 ($85,000) New Zealand Open next month.
Defending champion Zhou Mi, representing Hong Kong, is back after a strong year to compete at the KLRC-sponsored tournament at the North Shore Events Centre.
Zhou is No 2 on current Super Series rankings behind China's Lu Lan. When Zhou won the New Zealand title last year she was unseeded after returning from injury and a two-year break.
Two former men's singles winners are returning. World No 19 Sairul Amar Ayob of Malaysia, who won the 2005 crown, and No 30 Tsuen Seng Lee from Taipei, the 2006 champion, are coming back. A group of 53 Indonesian players are expected, including world No 38 Tommy Sugiarto.
The Open, part of the Grand Prix circuit, runs from November 11-15. It will have live TV coverage into nations such as China and Indonesia.
"We are very happy with the standard of the players. Having players the calibre of Zhou, Ayob and Lee returning is a great coup," tournament director Julie Carrel said.
