HANOI, April 5 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 Vietnam International Challenge takes place here from April 9 to 14, featuring nearly 300 players from 18 countries and regions, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, England, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea.

The top seed in the men's singles is Heo Kwang Hee from South Korea, who currently ranks 46th in the world. Seeded second is Indonesia's Firman Abdul Kholik (51st), and third is Nguyen Tien Minh from Vietnam (64th), the Vietnam Badminton Federation said on Friday.

Favorites in the women's singles include defending champion Dinar Dyah Ayustine from Indonesia, Vietnam's Nguyen Thuy Linh, and Lee Ying Ying of Malaysia.

The Vietnam International Challenge, which has been held for the past 12 years, became an officially sanctioned tournament of badminton's BWF world governing body in 2018. Enditem