The Sudirman Cup Mixed Team Badminton Championships has named China’s state-owned shoes enterprise, the Double Star Group as its title sponsor.

　　The world’s third team badminton event, which will kick off early next month, was seeking sponsors for a long time before signing Double Star.

　　It is the first time the Qingdao-based enterprise has cooperatd with an international sports event.

　　The Sudirman Cup will be held from May 10 to 15 in Beijing. More than 500 players from 42 places will participate in the event.

　　China, who won the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh Sudirman Cups, is in Group 1B with traditional powerhouse Indonesia, as well as Hong Kong and Sweden.

　　China won the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup in 2004 and a victory in the Sudirman Cup will make it the first country to win all three team titles.

　　The Chinese shuttlers will play their last practice matches on Friday when the final roster of the Chinese squad will be released.

　　Matches are played as the best-of-five games and feature men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles.