KOREA OPEN Finals – Singles Double for Denmark

KOREA OPEN Finals – Singles Double for Denmark

Tine Rasmussen (pictured here with runner-up Pi Hongyan) and Peter Gade took golds in the singles events at the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series, the first time Denmark has done that at a tournament of this size since they won both, here in Korea in 2001. Tine’s win was not only her first at the Korea Open but it also marked the first time that she had ever won back-to-back titles. By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live) Winning two singles titles at a major badminton tournament is not an easy feat for any national team. In fact, only four countries have done it this millennium and, of these, only Denmark and China have done it more than once (the other two were Indonesia at the 2001 Indonesian Open and Korea at the 2008 German Open). It was fitting that it was again Peter Gade who started things off in this return to tradition for the Danes as he was part of the other two singles sweeps by Denmark since 2000, both of them right here in Korea. Peter Gade’s repeat championship performance, however, was by no means a foregone conclusion as he was playing world #1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, who had beaten the Dane 3 times already in one month. The first game was close throughout. Lee looked ready to finish it when he had an 18-16 lead but Gade (pictured) hung on and had inched up to 17-18 when Lee tried to kill a loose net shot by Gade but instead hit the tape. The shuttle bounced high enough that Gade was able to take the net kill himself. Soon thereafter, Gade then earned two game points when his drop shot ticked the tape on the way over. The end change made a world of difference on this day and Lee Chong Wei took the second game easily 21-10. “On the one side, you really have to work for every point and if you’re behind it’s going to be too difficult,” explained Gade later, “so I did the same thing that I did in the quarter-final and it worked today. I decided not to use any energy and to save it to play as fast as I can in the third game. It’s not my normal way to do it, to throw away a game, but tactically, it was the right thing to do.” The strategy paid off as Gade was able to stay one step ahead of the Malaysian ace and finish off the third game 21-17. “I knew that with the rest yesterday, I would have a little extra energy to go to that speed where I’m able to beat Chong Wei. But I played well tactically on the right points and that is why I won,” said Gade. “Of course, Chong Wei is tired but I’m tired as well. It’s been such a tough schedule. So this was the last match. I just wanted to get everything out and go home to my family and to do it with a win against Chong Wei: this was one of the goals of 2009 was to beat Chong Wei so I’m very happy.” “Neither of us was able to get the attack through. Normally we want to attack – both of us – but that is just the way it is in this stadium with the defense. You have to be patient. And you need to play very fast around the net. Playing the right net shots was the key and I did that. My normal way is to control and I can control with every other player except for Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei. “The crowd is very big here, and there is a lot of support but I think the key here is that Lee is not at home. When he’s at home, playing in front of 7,000 or 8,000 people, maybe he regains a little bit of self-confidence and that’s the balance. If I can beat him here, then I can beat him at All England if I can improve more than him between now and then.” Two First-time Finalists, One New Champion As Peter Gade relaxed under the laurels of his fourth title, his compatriot Tine Rasmussen was taking the court to go after her first, but so too was France’s Pi Hongyan, in the first all-European final in Korea since Gade and Jonassen duked it out in Incheon in 2005. The two games were very similar with Tine Rasmussen (pictured below) opening up a margin in each, only to be reeled in by the feisty Pi before standing firm and finishing it off. In the first game, Tine led 20-16 but allowed the French player to close to with one before finishing it 21-19. In the second, Pi closed an even bigger gap, coming back from 13-18 down to tie the game at 19. But once again, Tine was able to get the crucial final points to finish the match 21-19, 21-19. Tine later revealed that the conditions made it a whole different game for both players. “The shuttles were very fast and both of us made mistakes on the back lines,” she said “and when I got a high lob, I couldn’t see a thing so I would just smash to the centre of the court and my shots weren’t as precise as usual but it was the same for both of us. “I was really happy to win in two games because I was tired mentally and physically. Of course, I should be after two amazing weeks. “I have never gone on after winning one tournament to win another. I’ve always had an injury or something so just going to the quarters made me just take it one match at a time. “I know Hongyan had a lot of confidence today because she beat Zhou yesterday and she is playing her best. But when Peter won, I think I gained some confidence and I hope our doubles pair can feel that, too,” she said, presciently. The slightly larger prize purse at the Korea Open is a bonus that Tine says only sets in afterward, the All England being the only tournament to stand out from the crowd as a coveted trophy. This storied event is next up for both singles winners of today. With the return of the top Chinese players, Tine says that she will be doing more homework, studying videos, once the draw comes out and she sees who her opponents will be. For complete results from the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series finals, please CLICK HERE