Hafiz skips China trip to be with wife and baby

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Mohd Hafiz Hashim will skip the China Open starting in Shanghai next Wednesday.

His wife, Nadzatul Shima Nazari gave birth to a premature baby girl last Friday and Hafiz has decided to stay back home.

Hafiz was drawn to play against India’s Arvind Bhat in the first round and he was in the same quarter as China’s fourth seed Bao Chunlai.

The 2003 All-England champion also skipped the last week’s Johor Open as he wanted to be around when his wife gave birth to their daughter.

However, Hafiz has already qualified for the National Grand Prix Finals, which will be played in Alor Star from Dec 9-12, by virtue of a runner-up finish in the Penang Open in August.

The 27-year-old lost to his elder brother, Roslin, in the Penang Open final, which was the first leg of the national badminton circuit.