World Champion Lin Dan and Olympic Champion Zhang Ning are both the current world No1s in singles, while all-round doubles expert Gao Ling emphasises the strength in depth of a country that already held the Thomas and Uber Cup before claiming the Sudirman in Beijing two years ago.

It was the first time that all three trophies² were in the same hands.

China opens the campaign on Monday evening against Thailand, whose strongest hope of an upset will be from world No.3 mixed doubles pair of Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungkongkam, and also share Group 1A with England and Malaysia.

Group 1B throws up an interesting first day encounter between South Korea, the three-time former winners, and the beaten finalists from two years ago, Indonesia. The winners will have high hopes of going on to reach the final.

The South Koreans, three-time former winners, are struggling to find a top-class singles player. Park Sung Hwan is the highest man at No.17 in the latest world rankings, while Hwang Hye Youn is the leading woman at No.15.

Indonesia were the first winners 18 years ago and have Olympic Champion Taufik Hidayat in the men`s singles and can also call on doubles stars Nova Widianto, Natsir Lilyana and Flande Limpele.

The Indonesians have sent a huge squad³ to Glasgow, but strength in depth could still be a problem for the hopes of taking the title for a coveted⁴ second time. Denmark, former semi-finalists and Hong Kong are the other teams in Group 1B.

Malaysia are a fast improving badminton nation, although maybe not quickly enough to do damage this week. But, having earned promotion⁵ from Group 2 two years ago, consolidation⁶ of a place among the top flight will be the goal.

The Danes and the English, who will have a strong support, carry European hopes, and either side would be delighted to go home with a bronze medal.

The ever-reliable Peter Gade heads the Danish line-up, while leading lady Tine Rasmussen will be hoping for better fortune than at the Sudirman Cup in China two years ago when she suffered a ruptured⁷ Achilles tendon and is only now fighting back to full fitness⁸.

England`s world champions, Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms, will be strong in the mixed doubles, but lack of a top-class singles player will dent⁹ hopes of climbing higher than the fifth place in Beijing.

Li Yongbo, China`s head coach, steered¹⁰ the team to victory in a final against South Korea ten years ago, and he expects to be lifting the Cup again next Sunday. "The strength of the teams is similar to the last time we were here at Scotstoun in 1997," he said.

"Malaysia have improved the most, while Indonesia is strong in men`s singles and the mixed. But they are still not strong enough overall. South Korea are quite strong in doubles, but the Danish team is too old."

China meet England in the second group match on Tuesday and complete the round-robin stage against Malaysia on Thursday, AFP reported.

Group 1A schedule:

Monday (18.30 local time): China v Thailand; Malaysia v England

Tuesday (18.30): Malaysia v Thailand; England v China

Thursday (09.30): China v Malaysia (13.30) England v Thailand

Group 1B schedule:

Monday (18.30): Denmark v Hong Kong; Korea v Indonesia

Tuesday (13.30): Denmark v Indonesia; Korea v Hong Kong

Wednesday (13.30): Indonesia v Hong Kong; (18.30) Denmark v Korea