Asthma forces Gade out of All England championships

Birmingham, England (ANTARA News) - Peter Gade, the 1999 champion from Denmark, was forced to pull out of the men`s singles All-England Championships in Birmingham on Tuesday due to asthma.

The number eight seed was due to meet Singapore`s Yen Hui Kendrick Lee in Wednesday`s first round, but Danish coach Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen said it was not possible for him to compete.

"It was going to be impossible for Peter," he was quoted by AFP as saying.

"He cannot even run 100 yards so there was no option but for him to pull out. But it is disappointing."

Singapore`s Ronald Susilo, drawn against Olympic Champion and number seven seed Taufik Hidayat in the first round, also pulled out through injury.

In the women`s singles, England`s top hope Tracey Hallam, the world No.16, was desperately disappointed to lose her race against fitness and was another eve of championship withdrawal.

The Commonwealth Games Champion has been struggling with a thigh problem.

"I pulled out of last week`s German Open with the hope of being able to play in Birmingham," she explained.

"But it is just too soon. It is really heartbreaking to miss the All-England."

Germany`s Juliane Schenk, who was injured in her semi-final of the German Open last week, was the fourth withdrawal from the main singles draws. (*)