SINGAPORE are determined to regain the men's team title at the East Asian Championships and have recalled veteran Zainal Abidin to the fold for the July tournament in Manila, the Philippines. Abidin, a nine-time East Asian individual champion, was a stalwart in the Singapore squad when they won the team title for 13 years running from 1978. Hong Kong wrested the team crown from the Singaporeans in 1991 and retained it the following year, but the 1993 tournament was not held. Singaporean number one Peter Hill said: ''We are determined to regain the team title this time and both Zainal and I will be playing a team invitational tournament in Dubai next month to sharpen up for the East Asian.'' But Hong Kong, led by defending individual champion Faheem Khan, would still be the team to beat although coach Chris Clark pointed out that the Malaysians could not be underestimated either. ''It will be a three-horse race between Singapore, Malaysia and ourselves,'' said Clark. ''Singapore will be heavy if Zainal is back in the team and Ernest Tan at number three. But Malaysia are solid as well with Jay Lim, Tan Tien Huat and Kenneth Lo.'' Only two members of the Hong Kong team have been confirmed - Khan and Andrew Shum Siu-chung. Sunny Poon Yat-sing, Yang Man-sum and star juniors Jackie Lee Chun-kit and Wong Wai-hang will play off for the other two places in the squad. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Rebecca Chiu Wing-yin qualified for the women's main draw at the Japan Open with two straight-games victories yesterday. Chiu first demolished Chiko Yamamoto 9-3, 9-0, 9-0 and followed it up with a 9-5, 9-1, 9-0 triumph over Katsumi Yamamoto. The Jockey Club Ti-I College pupil, however, faces a tough task in first round of the main competition today against England's world number 12 Rebecca Macree, the event's second seed.
