Badminton Lover

BAC Finals – Kido and Setiawan Cool Champions

2009-04-12T09:13:00.001-07:00

Korea’s doubles pairs kept the spectators on the edge of their seats but finally came up just short at the 2009 Happy Suwon Badminton Asia Championships. Ko Sung Hyun and Yoo Yeon Seong were the closest to glory, erasing nine match points, including six in a row before letting Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan (pictured) add a second Asian title to their extensive collection. Earlier, Ma Jin and Wang Xiaoli took their second straight title leaving Lee/Lee with the silver medal at home for the second time this year.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Suwon. Photos: Badmintonphoto.com (live)

The hard work appeared to be finished for Lee Kyung Won and Lee Hyo Jung yesterday when they emerged victorious over the pair that had beaten them both in last year’s BAC semi-finals and at their last home final, in Seoul. But Ma Jin and Wang Xiaoli had other plans. They beat a Korean pair in the final their last time in Korea, as juniors in 2006, and with their win in India two weeks ago, they seemed to approach the match like favourites rather than as unseeded underdogs.

The 11-point intervals came on shots that appeared, at first, to tell the tale of each game. In the first, both Lees watched motionless as a smash whizzed right down the centre line. The Chinese kept the momentum and finished the game 21-11. The second game started with an onslaught from the Koreans as they nabbed the first two points with a powerful net kill from Hyo Jung followed by a smash return winner from Kyung Won. The interval came at 11-3 when Hyo Jung killed the shuttle into Ma Jin’s body.

Throughout the match, Lee Kyung Won adopted the tactic of holding her serving pose then flicking over Ma Jin the moment she lowered her hand from the “not ready” signal position. This seemed to work to a point but neither this, nor the Koreans’ impressive start could stop the Chinese from taking back the momentum and they finally caught the Olympic silver medalists at 17-all and took advantage of a string of errors, many of which they themselves created with their consistent, attacking play. The match ended as Lee Hyo Jung pushed another shuttle into the net and the Chinese took their second Grand Prix Gold title in three weeks.

"We are new to the international tour so every new matchup is unfamiliar," said Ma Jin after the match, "but I think we were more prepared to play against them today than they were to play us.

"Lee Kyung Won was trying some different tactics against us but we did well at anticipating their movements so that is why we won."

Korea’s next chance at a title seemed much slimmer as new pair Ko Sung Hyun and Yoo Yeon Seong had the unenviable task of taking on Olympic champions in the men’s doubles final. Each of these Korean players came into this tournament having won no bigger international title than the Vietnam Open but their lack of experience was belied by their stellar performance.

In the first game, the lead continually traded hands until the Indonesians pulled ahead at 16-12. The Koreans evened it up at 18-all but Kido and Setiawan kept their composure and finished it 21-18. Yoo/Ko gained an edge at the interval in the second game but Kido/Setiawan went on a rampage until they earned themselves six match points.

The Koreans then exhibited all the poise they needed under pressure and slowly clawed their way back. Two dubious line calls helped and Setiawan’s appeals to the service judge and chair umpire were to no avail. When Ko Sung Hyun made a spectacular, diving return and Hendra smashed the golden, short lift into the net, the crowd erupted in jubilation.

The Koreans saved another three match points and missed a game point of their own before the Ko mishit an interception to deliver Kido/Setiawan their second Asian title.

After the match, Setiawan maintained that he continued to believe they would win, even in the crucial final points, even though he felt he lacked power due to an inability to sleep the night before the final.

“They played much as we expected: very powerful and speedy,” said Setiawan. “We tried to keep attacking at the end. We thought that was the best way, and with Markis at the back because he has a better smash.

“This win is very important for us because it is our first title this year,” he said, adding that this milestone was more important than taking their first Asian title since 2005. “Now we will celebrate by sleeping and resting for one or two days, then it’s back to training because the Sudirman starts in three weeks. I feel good now and we have confidence now that we can win some Super Series events but it has been boring here without the rest of the Indonesian team. It’s just been me and Markis and our coach.”

“We are very disappointed that we didn’t take the title,” Yoo Yeon Seong said. “We dared to dream of taking the spotlight at home today but at the end it was obvious that the skill difference was just too great and we realize that but I think if we get back and train hard we can beat them the next time.

“In the last points, it was obvious that with all their experience in big finals, they were able to control their excitement and remain calm and that was what made the difference.”

With that final ended the international challenge on finals day but the crowd remained keenly appreciative of the men’s singles final, the first of two all-China affairs, which delighted not only the sizeable Chinese cheering section but which also kept the Korean spectators entertained as they looked forward to the appearance of the nation’s top two mixed doubles pair.

Playing in his first ever international final at the senior level, 2007 World Junior Champion Chen Long made a more than acceptable showing, taking the first game from Bao Chunlai before the veteran buckled down and won the battle of the giants 16-21, 21-10, 21-16.

BAC QF – Sasaki Single Singles Holdout against China

2009-04-10T05:48:00.000-07:00

China grabbed a commanding 7 of eight available semi-final spots in singles at the 2009 Happy Suwon Badminton Asia Championships. Sho Sasaki ended up as the last man standing against Chinese domination as he grabbed the last spot with a win over Zhou Wenlong. India’s Parupalli Kashyap threatened to deal Bao Chunlai the same lot but came up short in the end.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Suwon. Photos: Badmintonphoto.com (live)

Quarter-finals day started off with a string of one-sided doubles matches. Although Zhang Yawen and Chai Biao retired midway through game 2 of their quarter-final, the 30 minutes that had already expired were longer than either of the Korean pairs took to book their semi-final spots. Olympic champions Lee/Lee made quick work of their younger teammates while Malaysia’s Chan/Goh were almost as lost against home favourite Yoo Yeon Seong and Kim Min Jung, who won 21-13, 21-6 in just 27 minutes. Japan’s Hirata Noriyasu / Maeda Miyuki took a little more time but still defeated China’s Chen/Zhang in two.

China then took over the stage. Chen Long got things started with a convincing 21-8, 21-17 drubbing of Japan's Kozai Kazuteru. Then on the centre TV court, Jang Young Soo went to work to salvage the home honour in the men’s singles against Du Pengyu.

Jang kept things close through most of the first game but had trouble keeping his defensive returns low, inviting several easy kills from Du. Du needed some protection from the chair umpire, who corrected an out call on Du’s smash down the forehand line.

Facing 4 game points, Jang was the one to keep his consistency and some deceptive play plus a couple of errors from Du brought up the crucial 20-all tie. Jang then found the touch to put Du on his backhand, prompting a smashable short lift, then on game point, he kept his smash return low and kept the advantage.

In the second game, Jang tried to move Du around but the Chinese shuttler seemed to glide effortlessly wherever he needed to go and finished the game, largely unchallenged. The third game was more of the same. Despite flashes of brilliance, Jang was outplayed by his younger opponent and Du finished it 21-14, ending the home challenge and ensuring half of a very likely all-Chinese final.

Minutes later, Japan’s Sho Sasaki made sure that at least one of the eight singles semi-finalists would be representing a nation other than China. Sho kept up relentless pressure on Zhou Wenlong for a 21-18, 21-16 victory.

Immediately afterward, at the other end of the hall, Parupalli Kashyap took a shot at going one step further and actually blocking the all-Chinese final. Bao came out firing to an early lead but seemed to get complacent as Kashyap stayed focussed and consistent, making his way to a 15-8 lead before Bao started to reel him in. The Indian upstart never panicked, however, and moved out to 19-14 on a deceptive drop that bounced off the tape and into Bao’s court and the first game was soon history.

Bao played with greater urgency in the second game and stole 9 straight points to take a commanding 19-8 lead that the Indian could not dent before allowing Bao to even the match at one game apiece.

Kashyap stayed in control for the first part of the deciding game, leading 11-8 at the interval, a lead he guarded jealously with some punishing attacks to Bao’s backhand after the Chinese giant tied the game at 11- and then 12-all. Bao finally made a 7-point run from which his opponent never recovered and took the match 15-21, 21-9, 21-16 to keep alive the possibility of an all-Chinese final.

“I still don’t know exactly what happened,” said Kashyap after the match. “I think the feeling of beating him didn’t sink in. When I was leading in the third game, I really just wanted to finish it but then I started playing into his hands. He doesn’t like to move around the court. He just wants to keep taking a step or two and driving it and I started letting him do that.

“I think that my shots were better than his today overall but I wasn’t doing anything special. I was just playing my regular game and it was working,” Kashyap said of his ability to take commanding leads in the first and third games.

There was no hint of vulnerability for China in the women’s singles, meanwhile. Not even Hong Kong’s mainland-born Zhou and Wang could block their ex-compatriots Zhu and Wang from joining Wang Lin and Xie Xingfang in the semi-finals. Spectators were robbed of the chance to see a repeat of last year’s final when Jiang Yanjiao ceded a walkover to 2008 runner-up Wang Lin. Zhu Lin played 3 one-sided games against Zhou Mi, coming from a game down to win it 12-21, 21-13, 21-15.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM EVENT: Danes in Gold, Dutch in Silver

2009-04-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

When Anne Hald closed out her duel against Yik Man Wong on her 4th match point, she knew the Danish team wrote a new chapter in the already prosperous history of the dominant powerhouse. The 3-0 clean sweep against the Netherlands appears to be a comfortable win at first sight, but the youngsters from Denmark had to fight to claim the title in the team event.

By Elm Vandervorst, Badzine correspondent. Photos (archives) : Badmintonphoto
Both Denmark and the Netherlands won their semi final almost effortless, so it was difficult to predict who would be triumphant at the end. Was the strength of the Dutch double teams sufficient? Or would the stronger singles of Denmark give them the advantage?

The mixed doubles was scheduled as the final’s first match and therefore all pressure was on the shoulders of Jacco Arends and Selena Piek. But their opponents, the Danish pair Anne Skelbaek / Mads Pedersen, took the best start and the first set 21-12. The second game was much closer but after some crucial slip-up’s from Pedersen, the Dutch pair evened the score 21-19. In the deciding rubber the Danes got back on track and took an early lead which they held during almost the entire set. However at 19-9, Arends and Piek got back into the match and took seven points in a row. Close, but not close enough and after 44 minutes of top badminton Denmark took the third set 21-18.

Danish youngster Emil Holst and Jordy Hilbink from the Netherlands were the next line in the men’s singles. The Dutchman started off very well and was leading all the way until 20-16. At that time Hilbink committed some unforced errors and after saving five game points, Holst took the first set 25-23. And also the second set was a very close one. Both players went to 20-20, but again it was Holst who kept his nerves and finished the contest with 22-20.

With 2-0 behind, all eyes were on Yik Man Wong to keep the title dreams of her home country alive. In the women’s singles match she had to beat her adversary Anne Hald. And Hald took immediate control and never gave Man Wong a chance 21-15. Luckily for the crowd the Dutch shuttler took herself together and the opportunity to prevail. But just like her compatriots she felt short and a few minutes later it was Hald who could celebrate her success with her teammates.

Further one Germany and former titleholder England made it to the semi final and they were both given the bronze medal. As there were only seven groups and first seed Denmark was bye in the quarter final, the three other teams at the last eight were France, Russia and Ukraine. Some players already showed some great form and seem fully prepared for the individual event which is going on at the moment.

ASIAN CHAMPS PREVIEW - Chinese Assault on Suwon Fortress

2009-04-04T23:22:00.000-07:00

The Happy Suwon Badminton Asia Championships are set to kick off Tuesday with top flight badminton from some of the best the continent has to offer. Most hotly contested will be the women’s singles, where all but one of the 14 Asians in the world’s top 20 - led by All England champion Wang Yihan ave signalled their intention to play for the title in Korea's historic walled city.

By Don Hearn. Photos: Badmintonphoto.com

Spring has taken its time arriving in Korea but it is expected to finally warm up this week, just in time to greet Asia’s top shuttlers with an eruption of cherry blossoms and other flora as they arrive in Suwon for the Badminton Asia Championships.

The men’s events should have been a happy occasion in Happy Suwon for three Koreans trying to defend their Asian titles. However, with Jung Jae Sung and Park Sung Hwan still missing in action following the start of their military duties, their younger teammates will be soldiering on to try to keep a title at home.

Lee Yong Dae and Shin Baek Cheol will attempt to find the magic that helped them win the German Open title but they will face an uphill task with world #1 pair Kido/Setiawan in the race and in their half of the draw. Before a potential semi-final with the top seeds, Lee/Shin will likely face either their German Open final opponents Hayakawa/Kazuno or China’s Chai Biao / Liu Xiaolong.

The bottom half of the draw is very difficult to predict, stacked as it is with dangerous, second-tier pairs such as Kumar/Thomas, Fang/Lee, Ikeda/Sakamoto, and China’s Guo/Xu. Korea has a more than fair chance of producing a finalist there, too, as veterans Han Sang Hoon / Hwang Ji Man are in a separate quarter from Ko Sung Hyun and Yoo Yeon Seong. Ko won the last tournament held in Suwon while Yoo recently signed on with the Suwon City Hall pro team.

The men’s singles draw is seriously under-strength, especially with the recent announcement that Bao Chunlai will miss the event due to knee surgery. Still, China will be well-represented with Chens Jin and Long as well as Lu Yi, Du Pengyu and Qiu Yanbo.

Boonsak Ponsana who has made early exits in all but two tournaments since last year’s championships, is seeded second and will attempt to challenge the Chinese might. Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia will hope to keep his edge over Chen Long in their likely, second-round showdown and Malaysia will have a legion of youthful challengers to complement their crafty veteran.

The best Korean chance, on paper, is 15th seed Hong Ji Hoon. He could take advantage of Bao Chunlai’s withdrawal but first he will have to get past Vietnam’s Nguyen Tien Minh in the round of 16. Osaka finalist Shon Wan Ho will have to show very early that he can play with the big boys as he is set to meet Chen Jin in the second round.

The women’s singles has by far the strongest field. Even the qualifying rounds look more like a Super Series with stalwarts like Zhu Jingjing, Kim Moon Hi, and Kang Hae Won waiting in the wings. Minus the Indonesians, all of Asia’s best are in the draw, including China’s formidable top 7. Two of China’s best, Wang Yihan and Zhu Lin, are crouched to take out Korea’s top two shuttlers – Hwang Hye Youn and Bae Youn Joo respectively - in the first round while Yip Pui Yin and Saina Nehwal are two others with the unenviable tasks of facing the likes of Wang Lin and Jiang Yanjiao in the first round.

If they all make it through their tricky first rounds, Malaysia’s two Wongs will face off against China’s two Wangs and the other major factor is Hong Kong. Wang Chen and Zhou Mi both of whom were semi-finalists in Seoul in January, will be gunning for Wang vs. Wang and Zhou vs. Zhu quarter-final matchups.

Korea’s Lee/Lee have won two Asian women’s doubles titles together and another one each apart. However, they will have to be in top form this week when they face Zhao Tingting / Zhang Yawen in the second round with the winner likely having to go on to face Zhang’s former parter Zhang Dan, now playing with another Zhang under the Macau flag. Zhang/Zhang made their debut together in Suwon two years ago and were embarrassed by a couple of teenagers but they have since been to a Super Series final and are not to be taken lightly. The pair that emerges from that chamber of horrors must face Korea Open champions and top seeds Cheng/Chien of Chinese Taipei.

The bottom half of the draw promises some interesting second round China-Korea matchups, too as India Open champions Ma/Wang take on second-seeded Koreans Ha/Kim and Eom/Jung get a chance at a rematch against former Olympic champions Yang/Zhang, who were given a surprisingly competitive match by the Korean teens in Seoul this winter.

On the face of it, the mixed doubles might seem to be all about the quarter-final between Lee Yong Dae / Lee Hyo Jung and Indonesia’s Flandy Limpele / Vita Marissa in a repeat of the Olympic semi-final.

However, the bottom two quarters may be even more hotly contested, if less likely to produce a title pair. Chinese Taipei's Fang/Cheng, Thailand's Prapakamol/Thoungthongkam, and Korea's (and Suwon's) Yoo Yeon Seong / Kim Min Jung all go at it for one quarter-final spot.

Also, surprise All England finalists Ko Sung Hyun / Ha Jung Eun will get a good chance to show their result in Birmingham was no fluke They are in perhaps the weakest quarter but must take on Hong Kong's fourth-seeded Chau/Wiratama in their quarter-final.

The dark horses in the mixed draw are from China as veteran Zhang Yawen teams up with 19-year-old Chai Biao. Swiss Open champion Ma Jin also has a temporary partner and she may get a chance to see if her winning streak over Olympic Champions Lee/Lee was due to more than just Zheng Bo.

Badzine will be on site in Suwon all week to bring you the action complete with live photos.

OSAKA INT'L - Singles Seeds Stung

2009-04-04T23:18:00.000-07:00

Only two seeded players remain in the singles draws at the 2009 Osaka International Challenge. Korea has swept all four semi-final spots in the men's event while a Korea-Japan final is fixed for the women's singles. Meanwhile, Japan accounts for all but one doubles semi-finalist in all three disciplines.

By Don Hearn. Photos: Don Hearn and Badmintonphoto.com (archives)

20-year-old 8th seed Shon Wan Ho was the only seeded player to make it to the semi-finals in men's singles. He also played the longest of the four matches on Friday as it took him just under an hour to see off Pakkawat Vilailak of Thailand 21-11, 21-23, 21-15. He will face Korean veteran Jang Young Soo, who beat second seed Hsieh Yu Hsin in 3.

Top seed Ai Goto barely made it through to the last four in women's singles, beating Korean veteran Bae Seung Hee 24-22, 18-21, 21-15 in a 74-minute marathon quarter-final. She will face Imai Sachiyo in the semi-finals. The other semi-final will be between Korea's twin towers, Kim Moon Hee and Sung Ji Hyun Kim had worked hard in the second round to eliminate China's only entry, Wang Rong, but had an easy time with Thai teenager Porntip Buranaprasertsuk in the quarter-finals, winning in under half an hour. Sung Ji Hyun, meanwhile, announced her candidacy for this year's junior titles when she beat last year's World Junior Championship runner-up Sayaka Sato 18-21, 21-19, 21-11.

The doubles events all belong to Japan but the quarter-finals were not without drama. Komatsuzaki/Taohata removed the only seed in the men's event, edging Thailand's Chalardchalaem/Thanarkthong in three quick games.

In women's doubles, only the top seeds, Fujii/Kakiiwa, survived as all four quarter-finals were very close. The closest was an unheard-of 72-minute two-game match won by Matsumoto Misaki / Takahashi Ayaka over 4th seeds Naito/Matsuo 21-19, 22-20. The Japanese 18-year-olds had advanced to the quarter-finals with a sweet victory of Korea's Eom/Jung, who had beaten this pair in two junior events last year, including one at home.

Mixed is the only doubles discipline with a non-Japanese pair as top seeds Chien Yu Chin / Hsieh Yu Hsin of Chinese Taipei scraped by Amitrapai/Chalardchalaem of Thailand with a 20-22, 21-12, 21-19 victory.

Kontrak Sponsor Setara Ronaldinho dan Powell

2009-04-02T04:12:00.000-07:00

Prestasi pebulutangkis Indonesia memang sedang meredup di awal tahun 2009, tapi hal ini tak membuat mereka kehilangan daya tarik. Enam pebulutangkis anggota pelatnas PBSI dan pelatih Hendrawan secara resmi bergabung dengan tim Nutrilite Indonesia, yang didukung oleh Nutrilite, produk suplemen dan multivitamin dari Amway. Secara simbolis, bergabungnya Sony Dwi Kuncoro, Simon Santoso, Maria Kristin, Adriyanti Firdasari, Markis Kido, dan Hendra Setiawan dengan tim Nutrilite Indonesia ini dilakukan di Hall Badminton Olimpic, Kelapa Gading, Jakarta, Minggu (29/3).

“Kami tak cuma melihat prestasi mereka di 2009. Indonesia punya sejarah dan tradisi yang bagus di cabang bulu tangkis. Prestasi atletnya kelas dunia. Ini yang menjadi alasan kami memberikan dukungan buat mereka,” jelas Koen Verheyen, Presiden Direktur Amway Indonesia.

Di kancah internasional, Nutrilite telah menggaet atlet kelas dunia macam Ronaldinho (sepak bola) dan Asafa Powell (atletik) untuk menjadi bintang iklan. Kerja sama ini membuat Sony dkk. menjadi model iklan Nutrilite, baik di papan reklame ataupun media cetak.

Menurut Hendrawan, Nutrilite bakal menyuplai suplemen dan vitamin untuk Sony dkk. Jenisnya disesuaikan dengan kebutuhan.

“Ada dua macam suplemen yang dikonsumsi oleh mereka. Selain itu, ada juga suplemen tambahan, tergantung pada permintaan dan kebutuhan. Misalnya untuk mengontrol tekanan darah atau meminimalkan cedera seperti yang dikonsumsi Kido dan Simon,” jelas Hendrawan.

“Yang paling terasa pengaruhnya adalah untuk proses pemulihan kondisi. Hal ini tentu bermanfaat jika sedang latihan berat untuk persiapan sebuah turnamen,” kata Sony.

''Daya tahan dalam latihan jadi lebih lama. Selain itu, saya juga jarang sakit,'' imbuh Firdasari.

Tambah Pemain

Menurut Hendrawan, kerja sama ini diawali dari pemakaian produk Nutrilite oleh beberapa atlet sekitar satu setengah tahun yang lalu. Setelah ada komitmen dan kemauan dari atlet untuk rutin memakai, kerja sama yang lebih serius pun dijalin. Selain memberikan suplemen secara gratis, ada nominal yang juga diterima pemain. Hanya, soal ini Koen tak mau menyebut.

Tak menutup kemungkinan pemain di nomor ganda campuran dan ganda putri bakal menyusul mereka yang sudah lebih dulu masuk tim Nutrilite Indonesia.

“Saat ini kontrak kami dengan pemain untuk jangka waktu satu tahun. Tapi, ada kemungkinan untuk terus berlanjut, kalau bisa sampai Olimpiade 2012,” tutur Koen.

Announced in Milan the 2009 Badminton European Junior Championships

2009-04-02T04:10:00.000-07:00

Announced in Milan the 2009 Badminton European Junior Championships

This morning the 2009 Badminton European Junior Championships, due to take place in the Milan Palabadminton from April 3 to 12 2009, have been presented at the Press Centre of Palazzo Marino.

Not only sports and competition but also different collaterals have been dealt with, with particular focus on the opening ceremony in the Badminton-dedicated structure at the Sports Centre XXV Aprile.

FIBa President Alberto Miglietta, the new Sport City Councillor Alan Rizzi, the President of CONI Lombardia Pino Zoppini, the President of the Organising Committee of Milan, European Capital of Sport 2009 Filippo Grassia and the Italian Junior team coach Fabio Morino attended the conference.

The host Alan Rizzi: opened the press meeting. “This sport was born in England, my second country since I was born in London. That’s why I’m even more proud to participate in this sports major event which will contribute making Milan becoming the European Capital of Sport and the restructured fixture of the Sport Centre XXV Aprile will be the pride of our city”.

Pino Zoppini: took then the floor “These championships are not only an elite competition but they are also the occasion for the opening of a federation centre which was unthinkable some years ago.”.

Filippo Grassia echoed these words and declared “sports and political will can make good things in short time . Palabadminton has been strongly wanted not only by the Federation but also by the Olympic Committee and the Institutions and actually it was renovated in only three months

FIBa President Alberto Miglietta took then the flloor: “I would say that we could call these championships the “first time championships’. It is the first time that our sport organises European championships in Italy: It is the first time that the 10 days formula is adopted for competitions.. It is the first time that FIBa feels it has a home, a federal centre in which next August the project London 2012 with the six best athletes living in Milan will start. It is the first time that I, coming from Milan, will organise a badminton event in my city. It has been quite a challenge –Miglietta proudly continues – and we won. Our federation is not very well known but it is very active and I am quite happy to underline that the three millions euro we required have been really well earned’.

After a short video showing badminton and the National Junior team the Italian coach Fabio Morino revealed some curiosity on this sport: “The team is in good shape and our boys and girls are pretty excited. We will be especially watching Giovanni Greco, our top athlete already included in the London 2012 Olympic programme. Our sport is very dynamic and spectacular and some of you may not know that the shuttle, made of 16 goose feathers with a cork basis may overcome 320Km/h speed, about 6/7 time more than a tennis ball! So I invite all of you to come and see what it is about”..

Next randezvous will be Thursday April 2 at 6.30 p.m. for the inaugural ceremony of the Palabadminton and the official opening the Championships with Antonio Rossi and Agnese Allegrini.

Competitions will start on Friday 3 with the qualifying matches of the Team events.

EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS: Team event preview

2009-04-02T04:01:00.000-07:00

Two years ago at the European Junior Championships held in the German town of Saarbrucken, the English squad was on top of the world after claiming the team event title. But this year at the Palabadminton in Milan all of the 29 participating countries have a chance to dethrone England. From big favorites as Denmark and the Netherlands up to complete outsiders like Iceland or Hungary.

By Elm Vandervorst, Badzine correspondent. Photos : Badmintonphoto (archives)

Divided into seven groups, all involved nations will try to qualify for the next round. Each group contains one seeded country and three other contestants, except for group 1 with five competitors. Based on their previous results, among others their victory at the last U17 Championship, Denmark is the top seed and one of the favorites. The Northern European powerhouse has a very balanced squad, but claiming another title will be easier said than done. The Danish boys and girls will have to deal with “neighbors” Finland and Norway. Greece and Bulgaria are the two remaining participants of this pentad.

In group 2, the Dutch squad is clear favorite. After their silver medal at the previous edition, they’ll only settle for a golden one this year. The Netherlands can count on their “experienced” female twosome Selena Piek and Iris Tabeling, who made it all to the final of the latest German Junior. But also the rest of the team will be hard to beat. Their first opponent Portugal has with Pedro Martins one of the most gifted youngster around, but they’ll probably battle for the second spot together with Lithuania and Hungary.

Reigning champion England will have a difficult task to extend their title, but surviving the group phase is an absolute must. They have some very talented youngsters, demonstrated by the several quarter finals at both the Dutch and German Junior some months ago. Romania, Spain and Austria are England’s adversaries in group 3.

In the 4th Group, Russia is considered a main contender for the championship. An extremely strong female delegation certainly will get them past the first round. Natalie Perminova en Romina Gabdullina already won gold and silver at the Dutch Junior in February and also their female double teams proof to be tough to overcome. But will the Russian boys be able to compete at the same level? Host Italy, Wales and Switzerland will combat for the remaining spots.

Group 5 is on paper the most difficult to predict. Ukraine is classified as the fifth seed but the Scottish squad includes a very gifted generation, with for example their mixed pair Van Rietvelde-Sloan. Even Sweden and Turkey aren’t prospectless to prevail.

France is without a doubt the top favorite in group 6. One of the upcoming stars of French badminton is Alexandre Francoise who was successful at both the Belgian as Polish Junior in the beginning of 2009. Nevertheless the French have to get rid of Slovenia, Belgium and the Czech Republic. Three countries who should be able to steal some gained points from the French force.

In the last cluster, seventh seed Germany booked some great results in their home country at the German Open. Especially their women’s duo Nelte – Burkert impressed. Poland will be their biggest competitor for a spot in the next round. For both Estonia and Iceland, the group phase will likely be their last stop

INDIA OPEN - Taufik & Pi Crowned India Open Champions

2009-03-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

It was back to winning ways for Badminton’s Prodigal Son as Taufik Hidayat was crowned the “Nizam” of the India Open 2009 at Hyderabad today. Taufik last topped a podium at the last Grand Prix Gold event in Macau. Pi Hongyan, on the other hand, scooped her first title in nearly three years while youngsters Ma Jin and Wang Xiaoli took their first title since their junior days.

By Gaurav Gupta, Badzine Correspondent live in Hyderabad.
Photos: Gaurav Gupta (live) and Badmintonphoto.com (archives)There could be no better treat for the fans gathered at the Gachi Bowli stadium than to witness Hidayat’s win against Md Hafiz Hashim of Malaysia in the men’s singles final. There were flashes of his brilliance today but first gear was all that Taufik needed to capture his first title of 2009.

The 21-18, 21-19 score line would suggest a close game but the Indonesian master never allowed Hafiz any whiff of a possibility. The Malaysian was unable to build on a 14-7 lead in the first game. A playing style that saw him matching Taufik at the net was not sufficient to compensate for his inability to come up with answers against Taufik’s brilliant outright winners.

A quick exchange of points at the start of the second left Taufik trailing 2-4 but that was all the impetus Taufik needed. 10-11 was the point score at the towel-down and both players traded some delightful strokes as Hafiz displayed when he came up with a backhand smash of a similar quality of Taufik’s much to the delight of the small Malaysian fan gathering, but it was clearly evident that Taufik was the player in charge. Stringing together a series of 4 points he leapt to a 19-17 lead from which Hafiz could never recover.

“I’m surprised by the support I got in this tournament and thank you to all the fans. I had a great time at the tournament,” commented Taufik, thereby winning himself a very special place among the Hyderabadis.

Pi Hongyan’s brilliance in making the requisite tactical changes at the right moment was critical in quelling the challenge of a spirited Julia Wong as she claimed her first major title win since the 2006 Singapore Open.

The Chinese-born French girl had to overcome frustration as she was unable to come to grips with the drift and kept serving long and hitting her lifts way past the baseline in an error-ridden first game. Taking advantage of an unsettled Pi, the Malaysian girl opened a 3-point margin from 15 all to 18-15 eventually winning the game 21-17.

Realizing that her rally style of play was not best suited to the court conditions, Pi made the critical shift in tactics and steamrolled to an 8-5 lead crafting 5 points in a row only to be chased back by Julia as they went into the mid game break with Pi trailing 10-11. Keeping the shuttle down and attacking into Julia’s body was the masterstroke the French star employed as she strung together another series of 5 straight points to claw back to a 16-12 lead and close the game 21-15 to level the match.

The setback of the second game did not seem to weigh heavily on Julia as she built a 7-4 advantage early in the third game. But it was Pi who had made the quick change necessary to adapt to the drift. Another series of 5 points for Pi saw her take control as she went up 13-9 and there was no looking back from then on. By the time Pi put together another 4 points in a row to go up 19-12, Julia had no chance of coming back. Pi claimed her Indian Open crown winning the third game 21-14.

“I realized there was a problem and told myself – it is you who has to find a solution,” Pi said later. That solution was the key to the title treasure chest for a very delighted Pi as she carried her signature happy smile all the way to the podium to collect her prize cheque.

The veteran duo of Choong Tan Fook / Lee Wan Wah quickly wiped away the disappointment of the Malaysian losses in the men’s and women’s singles finals in their “demolition derby” against the hapless Singaporean pair of Hendri Saputra / Hendra Wijaya.

It seemed like the Malaysians were hell-bent on breaking their record of the fastest finish to the first game (they had taken only 4 minutes in their 1st semi-final game against Wijaya/Riyadi) and were just prevented from doing so as Saputra/Wijaya stretched them to 6 minutes before Choong/Lee won 21-9.

Serve, Return and Attacking Smash Winner – was the formula used by the experienced Malaysians as they continued their destructive ways into the second half of the match. It was only a matter of time before the relentless attack of the wily veterans saw a meek surrender by the Singaporeans, who never looked like they’d got into the match.

17 minutes was all the time the former Asian Badminton champs needed to claim a title that seemed rightfully theirs from the outset, as they won the second game 21-11.

Hyderabad saw three repeat finalists from the last Grand Prix Gold event. In addition to Taufik and Julia, unseeded combination of Ma Jin / Wang Xiaoli came to the court looking for a golden title. The 2006 World Junior Champions took their first ever senior title, bringing the Chinese their only gold medal from this Indian outing. Faster court coverage and clean hitting from Wang Xiaoli gave the Chinese duo the upper hand right from the start.

Taking advantage of a jittery Vita Marissa, the Chinese duo directed their attack towards the more experienced of the Indonesian pair whose error-prone game was exploited.

Strings of points at key times characterized the entire match with Ma/Wang winning 5 on the trot in each game. The 21-14, 21-13 win ended in just under the half-hour mark and was testimony to the clinical finishing which has trademarked the Chinese performance throughout this tournament week.

The experienced pairing of Flandy Limpele and Vita Marissa made it a second Indonesian gold on finals day, capturing the mixed doubles title at their first tournament together since Beijing.

Putting pressure on Jwala Gutta’s heavy court movements and with the Indians forgetting that the weak link was Marissa and not Flandy, the Indonesians outplayed the home pair in the first game 21-14. Limpele/Marissa were put under pressure by the Indians in the second. The boisterous gathering helped the home pair to surge to a 17-13 lead.

But “the drift”, a major factor influencing matches in the venue, sent two drive returns from Diju sailing out. That was the only opening that the Indonesians needed to conjure up eight straight points and claim the XD title finishing off the match 21-17 in the second.

WILSON SWISS OPEN – Clark and Kellogg - Experience over Youth

2009-03-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

In the morning session on day 1 of the Swiss Open Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg sent out a stark reminder to the rest of the English squad that they mean business in Basel this week. The world number 4 pair took just 23 minutes to send their English understudies Adcock and White home with their tails between their legs.
By Mark Phelan. Photos: badmintonphoto.com ( Live in Basel)

The English number ones might feel they have something to prove this week in Switzerland after what must been seen as a poor week for English badminton at the All England’s last week in Birmingham.
In what was being billed as a ‘Battle of Britain’ in today first round turned out to be nothing more than ‘walk in the park’ for the experienced duo as they powered home to a 21-7 21-5 win. In the first set the English Veterans cruised to a virtually unchallenged victory and the second set was more or a warm down that a competitive game as, after the game was tied at 4-4, the younger English duo only managed one further point in the entire game.
World number 1 pairing Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir continued to struggle on European soil this spring as they took three sets to see of the Challenge of David Lindley and Suzanne Rayappan. The Indonesians will be hoping to bounce back this week after their early defeat in Birmingham last week.
Limpele and Russkikh had to bow out in the first round after their heroics in reaching the semi final of the All England’s last week. A disappointing 21-17 21-13 defeat to Malaysia’s Tazari and Wong will leave the new global pairing with much to ponder ahead of their summer’s Super Series trip to Asia.
Elsewhere in the mixed doubles first round Olympic champions got off to a shaky first set start with a 22-20 win over German duo Overzier and Schoettler. The Beijing gold medallists composed themselves and pull away in the second for a 21-8 win and a second round berth. There was delight for the home Swiss crowd as Agung and Tuwankotta left their higher ranked French opponents reeling with a three set win. The Swiss took the opener but Careme and Choinet hit back with a tight 27-25 win after the Swiss squandered match point at 25-24. The Swiss duo held their nerve in the final set and after falling behind 11-5 bounced back to stun their French opponents to take the set 21-18.
Blair and Bankier blew a 13-11 lead in the final set of their first round match and their challenge appeared to instantly dissolve as their Chinese Taipei opponents won the next 10 points to dump the number 6 seeds out at first round stage.

YONEX ALL ENGLAND – Wang victorious in Chinese Clean Sweep

2009-03-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

Wang Yihan, the 22 year old Chinese world number 8 claimed her maiden All England title at only her second attempt after beating defending champion Tine Rasmussen in three sets 21-19 21-23 21-11. China completed an historic clean sweep as Cai and Fu delivered a fifth gold medal and leaves the world in no doubt that the Asian nation continue to be the benchmark in professional badminton

By Mark Phelan (Live) photo: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Birmingham)

It was China’s day on day 6 of the All England Championships as they swept to an unprecedented clean sweep of all five titles at the most prestigious of all individual tournaments. After taking the mixed doubles, men’s singles and women’s doubles early in the final session, with a mixture of youth and experience lifted the women’s singles and men’s doubles to finish the All England whitewash.

Wang Yihan one of the more emotionally expressive Chinese players on court, defeated Tine Rasmussen in three sets as Rasmussen ran out of steam in the final set and had no answers to the Chinese onslaught.

In the first Rasmussen settled quickest and established an early lead at 9-5 but Wang Yihan stormed back to level at the mid game interval. It was then the Chinese players turn to take the advantage as she led 14-11 but just as Wang Yihan had done earlier in the set Tine bounced back to level 19-19. An unforced error from The Dane down the tramline handed the opening set to Wang Yihan and Rasmussen was once again faced with the unenviable task of making a comeback if she was to retain her title.

The second set was a game of ‘cat and mouse’ as both players returned shuttles that appeared to be clear winners to any mere mortal watching on. During the set there was never more than three points between the players as they fought out an intense battle of long energy sapping rallies throughout. Wang Yihan had match point at 21-10 but a chance of tactic from Rasmussen was to bare fruit as she appeared to purpously shorten the rallies and attacked at every opportunity not allowing her Chinese opponent time to set up a winner. Rasmussen won three straight points to take the set to the delight of the NIA crowd and force the game into a deciding rubber.

In the third it was clear that exploits of Rasmussen’s comeback in her semi final and the intensity of the previous set was taking its toll as she struggled to match the pace of her younger opponent. Wang Yihan took an instant lead that Rasmussen would never recover from and the Chinese youngster ran out a comfortable 21-11 winner in the third to claim the All England title.

The young Chinese player immediately went to celebrate with her coach and current Olympic Champion Zhang Ning and was obviously overcome with joy at her All England win. “That’s how I am. I express myself on court as I am a rather joyful person. I had beaten her twice before but this time feels especially good as it’s only my second time playing here and I had lost to my compatriot Lu Lan then. I believe that I’ve played some of my best badminton this week and I’m thrilled,”

Tine however was visibly frustrated“I wasn’t even sure of making the semi-finals coming here and I was actually very close to losing at that stage so I shouldn’t complain. Of course I am disappointed but I took my chances and I believe we played well. I won my points but I also made to many errors and she scored on those errors. I was very tired today and it showed it think in some of the errors I made.” said Tine, who confirmed she would skip the Wilson Swiss Open to rest and prepare for the Sudirman Cup.

In the final game on court there was further joy for China as their experienced men’s doubles pair of Cai and Fu completed the clean sweep for China as they comfortably beat newly created Korean pair Han Sang Hoon and Hwang Ji Man in two straight sets 21-17 21-15.
After the game head coach Li Yongbo accompanied his experienced war horses to the press conference and was obviously all smiles as he spoke about his countries clean sweep of all five titles.

“We didn’t think of getting all medals and I wanted my shuttlers to focus on their own games and not worry about their compatriots nor the fact that we could make the clean sweep. This clean sweep was never in my mind however, I am very proud of my players today. It is a team spirit that won here,” said Li Yongbo

YONEX ALL ENGLAND – Lin Dan Claims 4th All England Title

2009-03-09T04:56:00.000-07:00

Lin Dan today claimed his fourth All England in impressive fashion as he reaffirmed his position as the greatest men’s singles player on the planet in beating world number 1 Lee Chong Wei in a repeat of the 2008 Beijing Olympic final.

By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos: Badmintonphoto.com (Live in Birmingham)

The crowd went wild as both Lin Dan and Lee Chong Wei entered the stadium this afternoon in Birmingham, England. There was not a vacant seat in the house as all assembled were transfixed as they eagerly awaited the repeat of the Olympic final from Beijing last August. The boisterous fans were not to be disappointed as both players dished out a master class in professional badminton in what was a perfect advertisement for the sport in general.

The first set was a very competitive affair as it was clear from the off that both players were up for the challenge. Early on it was the Chinese Olympic Champion that set the pace as he eased into a 8-2 lead aided by amazing net play and pin point smashing. Lee Chong Wei fought back to the delight of the vast hoards of Malaysian fans in the arena and at the mid game interval only trailed by 2 points. Both players continued to amaze the crowd with rallies of exquisite badminton but it was Lin Dan who had the upper hand and at 16-12 looked to have the set in the bag.

Lee Chong Wei then hit the Olympic Champion with a counter punch and won 3 points to close to within 1 and after Lin Dan stopped the rot with a smash down the line, Lee Chong Wei once again pressed the accelerator to win 4 unanswered points to take the lead in the first set for the first time 19-17.

As if not to be outdone, it was now Lin Dan’s time to counter and from a seemingly hopeless position he went to win four straight points to clinch the opener 21-19 to the rapturous applause of the appreciative Birmingham crowd. It was clear to all assembled that winning here was vitally important to Lin Dan as he clinched his fist after winning the opening set.

“In the first set there were a few occasions where I let him (Lee Chong Wei) back into the set but I stayed calm and worked to my plan. It was a close game and it could have gone either way but I managed to stay focused and win,” commented Lin Dan on his opening set win.

In the second set, the Malaysian started off in positive form, and with a little help from a few unforced net errors by Lin Dan, eked out a slender 6-5 lead. Lin Dan then won the next four points to take a 9-6 advantage and had Lee Chong Wei hanging onto his coat tails at 14-12 where the destiny of the match still hung in the balance. It was at this point that the Olympic Champion proved to everyone assembled why he is the best in the world and went on a point-winning spree to take 7 points in a row to claim yet another All England title. As the match point shuttle dropped aimlessly over the end line, from a Lee Chong Wei lift, the Chinese star clenched his fists with joy and saluted the packed arena.

“I think we both played very well today and really the winner today was the game of badminton. I think we gave the spectators what they wanted and Lee Chong Wei was as much a part of that as I was. I have won everything there is to win in badminton now but I still have motivation to be the best ambassador for the sport I can. Without doubt this is a huge motivation for me,” said Lin Dan after his historic win.

In the first match on court the Chinese number 3 seeds He Hanbin and Yu Yang stumbled in losing the opening set to brand-new Korean pair Ko Sung Hyun and Ha Jung Eun. The Chinese pair hit back in the second to level the match at one set each and in the third just cruised away from the Koreans to take the 3rd 21-9 and with it the title of All England Champions 2009.

“The first game we were not good today but we corrected our approach for the second and managed to get ourselves back into the match at 1 set each. In the third we played very well and played to our strengths and we are obviously delighted to win the All England title. This is a great boast in confidence for us as we are only a new pair and we look forward now to going on and improving more and winning many more tournaments,” said He Hanbin after the Chinese mixed doubles win.

China claimed its third title on finals day as number 7 seeds Zhang Yawen and Zhao Tingting beat compatriots Cheng/Zhao in two sets 21-13, 21-15.

YONEX ALL ENGLAND – Taufik Avenges French Final Defeat

2009-03-06T17:28:00.000-08:00

Taufik Hidayat beat Peter Gade today in two sets to avenge his defeat in the French Super Series final last Novemeber and did it on the 10th Anniversary of the their famous 1999 final where Gade won his one and only All England title.

By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Birmingham)

Taufik Hidayat today booked his All England semi final berth as he controlled his way to a two set win over Peter Gade and takes one step closer to realising his dream of winning the All England, the one major tournament that has eluded him.
Both players started the match cautiously and their mutual respect was evident as they each tried to find a way to break the others resolve. The control of first set drifted back and forth between the two giants of world badminton and it was Taufik who made the decisive move as while Gade held a slender lead of a single point at 16-15. With some delicate lifts and drops the Indonesian moved Gade around the court and won 4 points without reply to take a 19-16 lead. Taufik continued to drive home is end of set dominance and secured the final two points to take the opening set 21-17 and leave Gade with an uphill battle if he was to take as step in securing his second All England title.
In the second set the tide continued to swap both sides of the net in much the same way as the first. The game was clearly a tactical battle between two amazing exponents of the game as long rallies were the order of that day as both attempted to find an opening to smash home a winner. Gade led at 14-12 and appeared to have found his tactical feet but Taufik then stepped up a gear and won five points to leave Gade battling just to survive. The Indonesian maintained his advantage for the remainder of the set and took the set 21-18 to advance to tomorrow’s semi final where he will now play world number 1 Lee Choong Wei.

“It is hard to believe that that it is 10 years since I played Peter here in the final on this very court. Things are much different now we are different players and both of us are a lot older. Today was a tactical game, not much power but a lot of head play. I’m more motivated now and the power to win comes from inside. Tomorrow will be a different game but I’m fitter now and my form is better.” Said a delighted Taufik after his quarter final victory.

In the women’s singles Nanna Brosolat Jensen continued her fairy tale All England journey as she displayed a new found maturity to defeat yet another higher ranked player in Julia Pei Xian Wong of Malaysia. The qualifier from Denmark has blossomed in this tournament and was tactically aware on court today to leave her opponent with no answers as she ran out a rather comfortably 21-16 21-16 winner.

“I knew I had a chance today as I have been playing well. I believe more now that I can win but like yesterday I tried not to put to much pressure on myself. I tried my best to stay calm and im aware that I have now played 5 matches since Tuesday. I actually feel fine physically but mentally I’m beginning to feel the strain.” Said Brosolat after her win

In the men’s doubles Cai and Fu from China sent out clear warning signals to all their competitors in beating 2003 World Champions Passke and Rasmussen from Denmark. The Danes, who have been together since 2001, had few answers to the power of the Chinese and were always playing catch up as the Chinese revelled in their new found enthusiasm after their post Olympic break. In the first the Chinese powered their way to a 21-17 win and they followed that up with a thoroughly convincing 21-16 win in the second. On the evidence of this display it would be a fool that would dare bet against the Chinese from adding another All England to the title they last won in 2005.

“We have been together for 7 years so we don’t need much practise to get back to our best. Right now I think we are at about 80% of our best. This is a really good venue and we feel relaxed here as we have been coming here for many years. The break did us good and we are back now together and are very enthusiastic.
I don’t think the Danes played especially well today as they made a lot of errors but the standard here in the men’s doubles is very high so the tournament does not suffer at all with the loss of Kido and Setiawan.” Said a confident Cai (photo right) after there comfortable win over the Danes.

Elsewhere English dreams and aspirations were ended rather prematurely as both Wallwork/White and Clark/Kellogg exited the All England stage on TV day number 1. Chen Jin was made work hard for a quarter final victory as he was stretched to three sets against Sho Sasaki from the Japan. It took a match point net foul from the Japanese shuttler to see the reigning champion over the line and he will count himself fortunate to be lining out in tomorrows semi final.

YONEX ALL ENGLAND – Zhou Mi out but hardly an upset!!

2009-03-05T16:46:00.000-08:00

World number 2 and number 2 seed Zhou Mi had to succumb to the talents of Chinese shuttler and recent German Open winner Wang Yihan in what, on paper, appears an upset but in reality is just another day at the office for the Chinese wonder kid.

By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Birmingham)

In day of a few surprises in the women’s singles it was Wang Yihan’s turn to dump a seed out of the tournament. The Chinese shuttler dented Zhou Mi’s aspirations of All England glory in the longest game of the day which extended to 6 minutes over an hour in a titanic three set battle.
Wang Yihan took the opening set after both players struggled to find any consistent rhythm as they shared the lead back and forth to level at 19-19. Just when it looked like the set might extend beyond 21 the world number 17 found the inspiration to take the next two points to deal the first blow in this badminton marathon.
In the second set the momentum once again ebbed back and forth but this time at 18-18 it was Zhou Mi who found the touch to take the three points she needed to level that match up at one set a piece.
In the third the world number 2 took a seemingly unassailable lead at 13-5 and looked to be heading to the quarter final but Yihan found the resolve and determination to fight back and level the match at 18-18 and even went on to lead at 19-18. Both players were level again at 21-21 and with match point to Yihan at 22-21 Zhou Mi drove into the net to give the Chinese shuttler the win and in doing so put the 4th Chinese shuttler into tomorrow’s quarter final.

In the mixed doubles it was a bad day for Denmark as all three of their remaining pairs were shown the door at the second round stage. Earlier in the day the combinations of Bonde/Neilsen and Delbo Larsen/Schjoett Kristensen fell at the hands of Asian opponents and late in to the evenings play world number 5 pair of Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl were beaten in three sets 16-21 21-12 21-18 by Chinese pair Zheng Bo and Ma Jin.

Cai and Fu continued to impress on their return as a pair with a 25 minute win in 2 sets over Korean pair Kwon and Yoo while number 2 seeds from Denmark Rasmussen and Passke were clearly refreshed after been rested for the European Team Championships two weeks ago as they took only half an hour to defeat Ikeda and Sakamoto from Japan.

As the evening drew to a close Denmark’s men’s and women’s singles players continued to fly the flag for the European powerhouse as Peter Gade and Tine Rasmussen followed Persson and Brosolat Jensen in making it through to tomorrows quarter final. Boe and Mogensen continued that winning trend for Denmark with a convincing win over Fuchs and Kindervarter from Germany 21-18 21-11.

In the battle of Britain in the mixed doubles it was a case of experience emerging victorious over youth. Number 4 seeds Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg in their first appearance at this years All England’s were composed is ending the dream of Gabby White and Chris Adcock 21-14 21-16.

YONEX ALL ENGLAND – Lin Dan back with a BANG!!

2009-03-05T16:43:00.000-08:00

The most anticipated match of the day in Birmingham saw the return to action of Olympic Champion, Lin Dan, who entered the arena to rapturous applause. The charismatic world number 2 is a clear crowd favourite here in Birmingham and to all a clear favourite for the men’s singles title, which to some commentators he handed on a plate to his compatriot Chen Jin this time last year to help his fellow countryman’s efforts for Olympic qualification.

By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Birmingham)

Lin Dan took to court today and in typical Lin Dan fashion gave his fans plenty of highs and lows as he moved effortlessly into tomorrow's second round with a 2 set win over world number 50 Anup Sridhar from India.

The Indian shuttler took the very first point of set one but that was to be the only time he headed ‘Super Dan’ in the opening set. As if to tease his opponent the Olympic Champion always seemed to dangle the temptation of an upset by keeping a safe but catchable distance ahead of his opponent but eventually took the opener 21-13 to leave Sridhar the almost impossible task of needing to take the next two sets to advance.

The second set was altogether much closer as for the majority of the game and both players had the crowd on the edge of their seats as they traded blows and points and were all square at 14-14. Lin Dan at this point seemed to push the overdrive button as if to show the crowd that he was always in control and instantly won the remaining 7 points needed to take the set and the win and doing so sets up the tie of the second round against recent German Open winner Bao Chunlai of China.

Defending women’s champion Tine Rasmussen entered the tournament with a potentially tricky tie against Xing Aiying of Singapore. Rasmussen is attempting to retain her title that she claimed last year which is a feat that has not been achieved by a Danish women’s singles player since Lene Koppen achieved back to back wins in 1979 and 1980.

Rasmussen, sporting her new Babolat attire, was made fight hard against her world number 29 opponent. Aiying took a commanding lead in the first and at 17-14 up looked to be on the way to causing an upset. Rasmussen re grouped and was clearly not in the mood for a three sett battle this early in the tournament and took the next 7 points to take the opening set 21-17.

In the second set the world number one was never led as she controlled the set with power and craft. Aiying was still in the game at 10-9 but then Rasmussen took firm control and compiled two runs of 3 points without reply and eventually ran out a comfortable winner 21-15 in a match that lasted just under a half hour on court number 2.

Other winners in the late evening session were number 5 mixed doubles pair from Denmark Laybourn and Rytter Juhl as they overcame Korean pair Han Sang Hoon and Kim Min Jung in two tough sets 21-17, 21-19.

In the final match of the day, English hopes were dealt a further blow as Sarah Bok was forced to withdraw from the mixed doubles due to illness having played earlier in the day in the women’s doubles. This was a blow for the young English pair as they had come through qualification to reach the first round and must have fancied their chances to cause a further upset and make a second round appearance, but it was just not to be.

YONEX ALL ENGLAND – Russian/Indonesian Combination Blooms

2009-03-05T16:41:00.000-08:00

Anastasia Russkikh (Russia) and Flandy Limpele (Indonesia) caused a ripple in the Chinese sea today as they beat Xie Zhongbo and Zhang Yawen in three sets. The Chinese were obviously strong favourites for the match but the experience of Russkikh and Limpele paid dividends and today’s result, in combination with their semi-final appearance in Germany last week, has gone a long way to establish the pair as a major force in international mixed doubles badminton.

By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Birmingham)

Limpele and Russkikh who were brought together by GPS (www.globalplayerservices.net) at a meeting at the French Open in 2008, were today victorious over established Chinese pair Xie Zhongbo / Zhang Yawen Not many expected the European/Indonesian pair to win but they have come together this season with a goal and purpose to display to the world that they have what it takes to take on the top pairings in mixed doubles badminton.

The first set ebbed and flowed back and forth as both pairings found their All England feet. It was Russkikh/Limpele who eked out a mid-game lead at 11-7 but the Chinese bounced right back to take the next 5 points to level the game at 11-11. The score board continued to fluctuate in increments of one as both teams played struggled to find the kinks in their opponents' armour. The Chinese had a slender lead at 17-16 and once they had their nose in front they did not need another invitation as they rattled off the next four points to take the opening game 21-16.

In the second set, the first six points where traded before Limpele and Russkikh applied the gas and put some daylight between themselves and their opponents at 9-6. The Chinese sensed the game was slipping away and rallied to close the gap and level at 9-9. At this point, with Russkikh playing with renewed vigour at the net, the Russian/Indonesian combination slowly but surely started to pull away and at 18-12 had the set in their hands. Xie and Zhang pressurised their opponents at this point and clawed their way back into the set to get within 2 points of Russkikh/Limpele but the experience of Limpele was crucial as he steadied the ship to eventually take the set 21-18.

The final set went very much the way of Limpele/Russkikh as the Chinese had no real reply to the power of Russkikh at the net. Once Russkikh/Limpele got their noses in front they seized the opportunity and the Chinese had no plan B and ultimately no answer of consequence to bring to the table. Russkikh and Limpele wrapped up the set 21-17 after blowing three match points to book their second round ticket where they will meet the winners of the battle of Britain between Bankier/Blair and Lindley and Rayappan.

“Today we just went out to enjoy ourselves as we have only had one week's practise ahead of this tournament. We did well last week at the German Open so we knew we had a good game coming into this tournament but we still have a lot of improving to do. It will be at least a year before you see the best of us as it takes that long to get used to a new partner,” said Limpele after his first round win.

Elsewhere in the mixed doubles, Denmark can be happy this evening as both Nielsen/Bonde and Schjoett Kristensen/Delbo Larsen advanced to the second round.

Nathan Robertson was forced to retire earlier to day due to a bout of the flu, which means English number 1 pairing of Clark and Kellogg advance without having to make an appearance, much to the chagrin of the large home crowd that obviously turned up to see the ‘All England’ match at the All England.

YONEX ALL ENGLAND Day 2 – Brosolat dashes Scottish Hopes.

2009-03-05T16:39:00.000-08:00

As the first round proper kicked off this morning in Birmingham it was Nanna Brosolat Jensen (WR 46)who had most reason to celebrate after beating Susan Hughes 99 (WR 27) from Scotland. The Dane showed no signs of a qualification hangover as she beat Hughes in three sets in one of the early matches on court. Meanwhile Marc Zwiebler, smarting a heavily bandaged thumb, showed that injury is no deterrent as he sent Boosak Ponsana home in three sets.
By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos. Badmintonphoto.com (Live in Birmingham)
Nanna Brosolat Jensentransferred her qualification form into main draw heroics as she came back from a set down to beat Susan Hughes in today’s morning session at The All England’s. Brosolat Jensen, who was a part of the Danish team who won the recent European team Championships, started slowly as she lost the opening set as Hughes dominated. Hughes was never headed in that opening salvo to take a one set lead 21-13.
Words of wisdom, after the first set, from Danish coach Lars Uhre obviously spurred Brosolat Jensen to lift her game as she took to the court for the second set. The game was finely balanced at 13-12 to the Dane but a run of 6 points without reply saw Brosolat Jensen storm into a commanding 19-21 lead and she maintained her composure to take the set 21-16.

The third set, and to coin a cliché, was literally a game of two halves. Hughes took the early initiative with some precise but aggressive play and headed her opponent 10-16. At this point the game turned on its head as Brosolat Jensen appeared to find an extra level and go on a run of 7 points without reply to leave Hughes shell-shocked. Brosolat Jensen managed to maintain her advantage, and although Hughes never gave in, the Dane managed to maintain her composure to take the set 21-17 and with it her place in tomorrow’s second round.

Meanwhile Marc Zwieblerentered the tournament with little expectations after being forced to pull out of his home Grand Prix last week with an injured thumb. The first set was a cautious affair and it was not until Ponsana (WR 12) went on a 7 point winning streak when leading 13-12 that the game opened up. Ponsana finished off the job efficiently to take the opening set 21-14.
In the second set both players once again exchanged blows early on in an effort to seize on any available weakness in their opponent. Ponsana appeared to be heading to victory when he opened out an 11-8 lead but Zwiebler immediately pounced back to win the next 7 points and before Ponsana had time to recover the German applied more pressure to take the set 21-15.
In the third set it was the German’s turn to take the upper hand in the early exchanges and worked his way tirelessly to a 15-10 lead. Ponsana, seeing his chance slipping away, regrouped to level the game at 15-15 and as bot (pjhoth players exchanged consecutive points. At this point it was anyone’s match as the large first round crowd watched intensively. Ponsana looked to have the match wrapped up at 21-19 but Zwiebler went on to win the next three points to take the match and set 22-20.
“After injuring my thumb I came her not expecting much so there was little or no pressure on me. In the first game I didn’t play well at all due to lack of practise but I sensed that he (Ponsana) was not playing that particularly well either. I had to adjust my game and be more patient which is hard for me as I’m a more of an attacking player and this worked as it helped me win that second set. In the third I still played a patient game and took my opportunities when they came my way. I am obviously delighted with this win as I really didn’t expect it. Tomorrow I will more than likely play Lee Choong Wei and once again I will go into that game with no pressure.” Said a delighted Zwiebler after his victory.
Elsewhere, in the morning session, two of the title favourites in the men’s singles had to take 3 sets to book their second round spots. Both Taufiq Hidayat and Chen Jin went to deciding rubbers in their first round games against Yu Hsin Hsieh and Kenichi Tago respectively. Part timer Jill Pittard of England was beaten in her first round singles match and there was delight when Jenny Wallwork and Gabby White finally put some smiles on the faces of the home crowds as they beat Malaysian pair Goh Liu Ying and Ng Hui Lin 22-20 in the deciding rubber.

YONEX ALL ENGLAND Qualif – Tough battles already

2009-03-04T04:16:00.000-08:00

The much anticipated greatest badminton show on earth kicked off this morning in Birmingham, England as the majority of the worlds best shuttlers descended on England’s second city with just one thing on their minds, to be crowned the All England Champion and in doing so write their name into the badminton history books. England got off to the worst possible start as they lost both their fancied men’s singles qualification hopefuls in Rajiv Ouseph and Carl Baxter but Jill Pittard gave the home crowd something to cheer about as she came through women’s singles qualification to join Elizabeth Cann in the main draw tomorrow.

By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Birmingham)

Recently crowned English national champion, Rajiv Ouseph was the first major casualty on qualification day at the All England’s as he went down in three sets to Ireland’s Scott Evans. Evans, spurred on by a vocal Irish contingent in the crowd, played some very controlled and mature badminton to beat Ouseph in what was revenge for his defeat in the Irish International Final back in December 2008. Evans was unable to build on that win as he subsequently fell at the hands of India’s Anand Pawar in three sets. Pawar advances to the main draw where he will face off against Sony Dwi Kuncora of Indonesia tomorrow.

India had double reason to celebrate when Anup Sridhar completed the difficult task of beating two Malaysians to secure his first round ticket. France’s Brice Leverdez (photo) also had reason to joyful on his maiden trip to the All England’s. The French number one encounter traffic in the shape of Kestitus Navickas as the promising Lithuanian took the opening set to 18 but Leverdez fought back to take the match with a 21-17 21-17 in the second and third.
In the bottom half of qualification, China’s Gong Weijie overcame stiff opposition to claim a first round spot in a day that saw 10 of the 12 men’s singles matches go to three sets.

In the women’s singles four different nationalities qualified for tomorrow’s main draw with Europe claiming 3 of the four spots. Linda Zechiri of Bulgaria will take her spot as qualifier number 1 after two tough three set battles against England’s Nicola Cerfontyne and Hsiao Huan Chen of Taipai. The relief for the Bulgarian was audible as she screamed with joy on taking match point on court number four.
Nanna Brosolat Jensen of Denmark was rarely forced to shift out of second gear in qualification section number four as she swiftly ended the hopes of American Lauren Todt and English hope Rachel Howard both in straight sets. Jensen will now face Scotland’s Susan Hughes in tomorrow’s first round proper.

Jill Pittard (photo) was one of only a few rays of light on qualification day for England as the Land Rover engineer claimed her first round berth in easy fashion sending Anu Nieminen and Diana Dimova on early flights home. The fourth qualifier from the women’s singles was Korean shuttler Soo Young Jang. After beating Shao Chieh Cheng in the first round her qualification efforts were halved as fellow Korean Youn Joo Bae was forced to retire so was unable to take her place in the final of section three of qualification.

In the men’s doubles there was further disappointment for the home nation as none of the English pairs managed to light up the arena. It was China’a day in this discipline as the combinations of He Hanbin/Sun Junjie and Guo Zhendong/Xu Chen were effortless in their relentless march to the main draw. Joining them in tomorrow’s draw will be Japanese duo of Hayakawa/Kazuno after they beat Malaysian pair Abdul Latif/Chan in three sets 19-21 23-21 21-17. The final match on qualifying day witnessed Danish success as Mikkel Delbo Larsen and Rasmus Bonde dealt another blow to British hopes as they sent Andrew Bowman and Martyn Lewis packing in three.

Andrew Ellis and Sarah Bok (main article photo) finally gave the English fans something to get vocal about as, after being promoted from the reserves, they fought bravely to take a deserved place in the first round proper of the mixed doubles tomorrow. The combination of Overzier/Schoettler were intent on making life hard for themselves as they lost the first set to 8 against Maz Agathangelou and Robin Midleton. In typical German style they fought back and managed to close out the game in three as they took the second and third sets 22-20 24-22 in a match that had the majority of the crowd transfixed and sometimes bemused.

The women’s doubles qualification saw all 4 remaining pairs promoted to the main draw which means for the first time in recent super series history there will be a full complement of 32 pairs taking to the courts in the first round which is sure to please the organisers. Cast your mind back to the China open where this particular competition had pairs get free rides right through to the quarter finals.

Fancied pair Koo-Tan can’t afford to rest on their laurels

2009-03-04T04:12:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: One of the early men’s doubles favourites Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong cannot afford to take forty winks in the All-England even in the absence of two key pairs.

A number of scratch combinations and rising young pairs will be lurking dangerously to scalp them in Birmingham.

On Monday, the organisers confirmed the withdrawal of the Olympic and world champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia due to the former’s knee injury.

The Indonesian top seeds have been replaced by qualifiers Kasper Faust Henriksen-Christian John Skovgaard in the main draw.

The men’s doubles event had also lost some of its glitter earlier when South Koreans Lee Yong-dae-Jung Jae-sung announced that they will not defend the title because of the latter’s obligation to serve under the country’s military programme.

In their absence, 2007 champions Kien Keat-Boon Heong and 2005 winners Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China will start as favourites.

Denmark will have two strong pairs — second seeds Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen and Mathias Boe-Carsten Morgensen — in the pack to challenge for the title.

The others expected to give a good account of themselves are Malaysia’s Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif and England’s Anthony Clark-Nathan Robertson.

But one cannot underestimate the scratch partnerships of Yong-dae-Shin Baek-cheol and Indonesians Candra Wijaya-Joko Riyadi.

Yong-dae-Baek-cheol in winning the German Open last Sunday showed that they have the ability to spike the early favourites.

Candra-Joko are playing in their first international tournament and Indonesia can count on the experience of the former to make the pair strong challengers.

In the Malaysian Open in January, Candra teamed up with Luluk Hadiyanto for the first time and they reached the quarter-finals.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong are expected to meet Candra-Joko in the second round.

Said Kien Keat: “It will not be easy to play against a pair we have not played against before. But we are well prepared and it is our hope to do well in our third outing in the All-England.”

Indonesia will also be banking on two younger pairs — Mohd Ahsan-Bona Septano and Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki-Rian Sukmawan — to ruffle some feathers.

The Koreans, in a bid to add more depth to the men’s doubles, have in the competition three other upcoming pairs — Han Sang-hoon-Hwang Ji-man, Cho Gun-woo-Ko Sung-hyun and Kwon Yi-goo-Yoo Yeon-seong.

Maria to skip All England due to injury

2009-02-26T02:18:00.001-08:00

Following the withdrawal of men's doubles pair Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan, women's singles shuttler Maria Kristin Yulianti has also decided to skip the All England Super Series due to injury.

"Maria will not go to this year's event. Her *right* knee injury has prevented her from playing," team manager Lilik Sudarwati said Wednesday on the sideline of the national squad's farewell ceremony at the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) training camp in Cipayung, East Jakarta.

The squad will depart for Birmingham on Friday. The All England, the world's oldest badminton tournament, will take place from March 3 to 8.

Maria, the 2008 Olympics bronze medallist, complained of a nagging pain in her right knee during training on Feb. 19. The pain subsided after intensive medical observation, but returned on Wednesday.

Earlier, Kido and Hendra, the 2008 Olympics gold medallists and world No. 2, pulled out of the tournament after Kido suffered a left knee injury.

With three of its top shuttlers out, Indonesia still has three men's doubles pairs (Yonatan Suryatama Dasuki/Rian Sukmana, Bona Septano/Mohammad Ahsan and Joko Riyadi/Candra Wijaya) and two women's singles players (Pia Zebadiah Bernadet and Adrianti Firdasari) for the tournament.

PBSI chairman Djoko Santoso expressed hope the national squad would perform its best.

"Just stay focused and play. I will be responsibility to the government and the public should we lose. But if we win, it will be the result of everyone's hard work," he said.

He added he had high hopes in the country's mixed doubles pair, world No. 1 and 2008 Olympics silver medallists Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir, saying, "I also hope we reach the final in the men's singles and women's doubles."

Two-time world champion Lilyana said she would not let the high expectations pressure her.

"I will let the game flow and stay focused in each match. It's what we always do at every tournament, especially in a major like the All England," she said.

During their career, Lilyana and Nova have reached two semifinals and one final at the 110-year-old All England.

In the men's singles, Indonesia will rely on world No. 5 Sony Dwi Kuncoro, world No. 7 Taufik Hidayat, world No. 10 Simon Santoso and unseeded Tommy Sugiarto. It will be the first campaign for Taufik, the 2004 Olympic champion, after he resigned from the national training camp last month.

World No. 8 women's doubles pair Shendy Puspa Irawati/Meiliana Jauhari and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari/Greysia Polii will also be competing at the tournament.

Clark & Kellogg to face Robertson & Wallwork in Yonex All England draw

2009-02-26T02:07:00.000-08:00

THE luck of the draw deserted England’s two big hopes for the Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham from February March 3-8.
THE luck of the draw deserted England’s two big hopes for the Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham from February March 3-8.

Just two days after helping Team England win the silver medal at the European Team Championship at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England’s European champions and fourth seeds Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg, the 2007 runners-up, were drawn against their team-mates, 2005 champion Nathan Robertson and new partner Jenny Wallwork, in the first round of the mixed doubles.

And the winners could face another England pair in teenage stars Chris Adcock and Gabby White in the second round.

On top of that Anglo-Scottish pair Robert Blair and Imogen Bankier, who are the seventh seeds, must take on England’s world No 16 pair David Lindley and Suzanne Rayappan in the first round.

But it wasn’t only England who were out of luck. Three-times champion Lin Dan is on course to meet his team-mate Bao Chunlai in the second round of the men’s singles if the world and Olympic champion overcomes a qualifier and Bao beats Dutchman Eric Pang in the opening round of the men’s singles. China’s third seed Chen Jin, who beat Lin Dan in last year’s final, starts his title defence against Japan’s Kenichi Tago.

Andrew Smith, the hero of England’s valiant bid to beat Denmark on Sunday with his win over world No. 6 Joachim Persson, is the only home player in the main draw of the men’s singles and he faces India’s Chetan Anand in the first round.

Two-time English National champion Rajiv Ouseph and runner-up Carl Baxter both have to qualify. Ouseph faces Ireland’s Scott Evans while Baxter meets India’s Anand Pawar, who beat him in the Bank of Scotland quarter-finals in Novermber before Ouseph defeated the Indian player in the final.

In the women’s singles Jersey’s Elizabeth Cann is the only English player in the main draw and she faces a tough opener against seventh seed Wang Lin of China. Scotland’s Commonwealth bronze medallist Susan Hughes will face a qualifier. English National champion Jill Pittard meets Finland’s third qualifying seed Anu Nieminen in the first round of qualifying.

In the men’s doubles Clark and Robertson are seeded eighth and face a tricky opener against Korea’s Han Sang Hoon and Hwang Ji Man. England have three other pairs in the main draw with Chris Adcock and Robert Blair in the same quarter as Clark and Robertson. Adock and Blair face Simon Mollyhus and Anders Kristiansen of Denmark in their opening match.

Lindley and Chris Langridge will fancy their chances against Dutch pair Jorrit De Ruiter and Jurgen Wouters but Andrew Eidestedt and Andrew Ellis face a tough time against Malaysian third seeds Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong, the 2007 champions.

In the women’s doubles Wallwork and Gabby White face Malaysians Goh Liu Ying and Ng Hui Lin while England also have a second pair through to the main draw in Heather Olver and Samantha Ward, who take on Japan’s Fujii Mizuki and Reika Kakiiwa.

The entry for the 99th Yonex All England Open championship is one of the strongest on record and tournament director Darren Parks is urging fans to book early. “We have a terrific entry,” he said. “It is like a Who’s Who of current world stars.”

Tickets are available from www.theticketfactory.com or call 0844 444 9994. Don’t forget tickets are available for the qualifying rounds on Tuesday March 3 as well as the main draw.

(Source: Badmintonengland.co.uk)

YONEX ALL ENGLAND Preview - All the Best to Birmingham

2009-02-26T01:43:00.001-08:00

The world of badminton is in the midst of the perennial big awards season where winners’ names become etched in hallowed history and the memories of winning are more special than anywhere else for competitor and spectator. For music, it was the Grammies 10 days ago; for the movies, it's the Oscars this weekend; and in badminton, it is the 2009 Yonex All England Badminton Championships, which begin on March 3 in Birmingham.

By Aaron Wong, Badzine Correspondent. Photos: Badmintonphoto (archives)
First Impressions

The draw is overflowing, unlike the most recent Super Series in Korea. There will be several high profile casualties in the opening rounds: namely Peter Gade or Simon Santoso, Lin Dan or Bao Chunlai, and Saina Nehwal or Pi Hongyan.

The red army is back! Their racquets will have something to say about a new world order in which exists a Danish world #1 in women’s singles, and Taiwanese as women’s doubles world #1. And, Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng are reunited in men’s doubles after successfully playing in new partnerships at their last Super Series outings.

China's women’s singles line up demonstrates that their regeneration of players program in this category is a success as all their youngsters are in the main draw and dark horses no less. The large cast from each badminton powerhouse nation shows their succession plans are underway too.

India, a second-tier badminton nation, have begun to focus their energies in recent months and, thus, produced players that appear in the main draw in all except men’s doubles in the very year that they will host the World Championships in Hyderabad. It is an achievement worth mentioning. It is worrying that their top singles talents Chetan Anand, for men's, and Saina Nehwal, for women's, will arrive at the All England having pulled out of their national championships owing to injury.

Men’s Singles: Not Unable to Fulfill Vow

Fresh lofty vows need to be proclaimed now that the Olympics are spoken for. In badminton, two vows which grow more famous as they do longstanding: Peter Gade wants to be World Champion; and Taufik Hidayat's untiring desire for an All England crown, the solitary major title missing on his shelf.

"This year, I plan to play in at least eight of the 10 Super Series events. Winning the All England and Swiss Super Series will definitely be my short-term goals," the Indonesian told the Jakarta Post last month.

So can Hidayat do it this time? The men’s singles draw is the toughest so far this year. The three Indonesians are in the same half of the draw along with Peter Gade and world #1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia. The three top Chinese (all former world #1’s) feature in the bottom half and will cancel one another out as early as the second round and ultimately by the semi-finals, which are odds on to be Lin Dan, Olympic champion, versus Chen Jin, the defending champion and 3rd seed.

Desire is what humans need to achieve great things. Never mind so much that Hidayat arrives with this as his first tournament for 2009, having had 2 months to mend an injured wrist, and once again after recently going independent from his National Federation PBSI. The answer is that, given his quality in the last year, he is not unable to reach the final. The bigger question is would a Taufik Hidayat final be third time lucky? A decade of experience chalked up since his first All England final and his pent-up desire ought to make a difference.

Women’s Singles - When the Unstoppable Spear Meets the Unbreakable Shield

Should Tine Rasmussen, the defending champion and world #1, retain her title it would be 3 Super Series victories in row in 2009. In fact, three former queens of the All England court will do battle including Zhou Mi (photo, right) of Hong Kong, and three-time champion Xie Xingfang leads 5 comrades into battle.

What happens when an Asian Champion meets (Jiang Yanjiao) a World Champion (Zhu Lin) in the first round? Every one of the Chinese ladies is highly decorated in her own right and, therefore, a big occasion player. Any one of them is capable of toppling her teammate. In the aftermath of the Olympics, China has pitted its entire premier team in the same event to assess current potential. In light of this, the ladies are aware that this is a fresh test to prove their worth and previous accolades or legacy do not count. All six of them walking away without the prize would definitely be something for the rest of us to talk about.

It is tough to pick a race winner this early because we have not seen these Chinese players in action for months. Based on the draw, Xie has a better than even chance but she is prone to not finding her rhythm in the middle of a competition. Look out for the young, vibrant and tall Wang Lin as the real threat to Rasmussen in the top quarter of the draw.

Men’s Doubles: Mix and Match

It is a pity that the current world #1’s Jung Jae Sung / Lee Yong Dae have no opportunity to consolidate their ranking or defend their title as Jung has compulsory military service. The men’s doubles has been won by a different pair every other year this decade and so it will be once more. The seeded players are set to make the greatest impact. The exciting pair on the rise are Korea Open winners Mathias Boe / Carsten Mogensen as well as the rejuvenated Koo Kien Keat / Tan Boon Heong combination from Malaysia.

Lee Yong Dae will partner Shin Baek Cheol in a partnership of World Junior Champions from 2006 and 2007 that will appear as the 6th seeds. The trend of not having your usual partner continues with Tony Gunawan and Howard Bach, former World Champions, reteaming. Gunawan's best friend Candra Wijaya teams with Joko Riyadi. Logic prevails and the All England is to be commended for its sensible seeding policy. It wasn't that many years ago when top ten players who were split into new pairings and left unseeded still made it to the semis and finals.

Women’s Doubles: Rematch?

The most celebrated figure this century at the All England is missing. Gao Ling, the 6-time women’s doubles champion and 4-time mixed doubles champion, is currently an independent player and the national team takes priority at major tournaments. Most of us would trade her recent Malaysia and Korea SS appearances for an All England one.

The women’s doubles final could be a rematch of last year's All England (or the Olympic Final) as Lee Kyung Won / Lee Hyo Jung and Du Jing / Yu Yang are in either half of the draw. Both pairs are well rehearsed for long enough and are the outstanding ones still playing together at this level. The top Malaysians Chin Eei Hui / Wong Pei Tty , who held the world #1 spot briefly at the beginning of the year, are sobre in their self assessment.

"We are still not the top pair, as Du Jing / Yu Yang and other Chinese pairs haven't been regularly playing on the international circuit," Eei Hui told the New Straits Times. "Our aim is to do better when the top pairs from China are playing as this is where our ability will be gauged."

Mixed Doubles: The New Frontier

In mixed doubles, 5 local pairs meet early on and Donna Kellogg/Anthony Clark should be one of the pairs to emerge from the second round scrum. Kamilla Rytter Juhl / Thomas Laybourn are on the ascent in terms of confidence and will be looking to translate the feeling into their first Super Series tournament in a while after clinching the Super Series finals.

Malaysian level doubles specialists have earmarked mixed doubles as an untapped market for their talents. Three pairs are in qualification including Wong Pei Tty / Mohd Fairuzizuan, whilst Ng Hui Lin / Koo Kien Keat start in the main field. It will be interesting to see where this initiative leads. The surprise is seeing former men’s doubles All England winner Halim Haryanto popping up in a different event after years away from major tournaments, and now representing the USA instead of Indonesia.

Notable Absences

Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae, MD world #1, Korea.
Wang Chen, WS, world #4, Hong Kong.
Vita Marissa, WD world#5 & MX. Indonesia.
Park Sung Hwan, MS world #8. Korea.
Wong Mew Choo, WS world #12. Malaysia.
Nguyen Tien Minh, MS world #15. Vietnam.
Peter Mikkelsen, MS. Denmark. Recent nationals finalist
Wang Chen, WS. Hong Kong. Recent SS Masters finalist.

The All England Attraction

The break from the Chinese players and their imminent return helps the rest of the field appreciate the space in the sport filled by them. This is looking at the players purely as talented individuals or names that we miss rather than as China. The thing about competition is you want to be competitive. Professional sportspeople embrace competition and variety, and opponents who bring out the best in them. It benefits all concerned that all the top players can participate.

The All England is the brightest (Super Series) spot on the badminton calendar and it is excellent there has been unanimous agreement by way of turn out.

EUROPEANS – Demark Champions but only just!!

2009-02-16T04:32:00.000-08:00

Denmark retained their European crown at the Echo Arena in Liverpool this evening but only after been taken right to the wire by a determined English team. In a surprise turn of events Denmark lost both the mixed doubles and men’s singles to trail the English by two matches only to turn it around by winning the remaining three matches to claim the title by 3 matches to two

By Mark Phelan. Photos: badmintonphoto.com (live in Liverpool)

Denmark entered the arena today as strong favourites to retain the title they won in Herning last year and it was a foolish man that would have bet against them. In fact one eminent commentator said it was theirs to loose and in some respects they did there best to do just that early on.

Denmark fielded the world number six pair of Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christina Pedersen in the first mixed doubles match after using Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl in yesterday’s semi final. The Danes were up against top English pair and veterans of the Super Series tour, Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg. The English pair stormed into an early lead as they left the Danes in their dust as they sprinted to a 21-10 win in the opening set. In the second set the Danes seemed to find their rhythm as they never let the English out of their sights as both sides traded point for point for the bulk of the set. At 21-20 to the Danes it appeared that they might have the edge to take the game to a deciding rubber but the English had other ideas and rattled off 3 points without reply to take the set and the match 2-0.

Next up was the men’s singles and many felt that world number 6 Joachim Persson had the game to leave Andrew Smith (photo up) in his wake. Smith obviously thriving on the atmosphere in the stadium controlled the opening set to win 21-16 in a game that he was never headed. In the second set Persson had his chances and at 18-15 looked like taking the English number one to a third set. Smith then won the next five points to set up match point at 20-18 and even though Persson managed one more point Smith wrapped up the match to send the crowd wild and to give the home nation an unexpected 2-0 lead in this best of 5 final.

Tine Rasmussen then appeared on court and as Denmark’s banker it was clear she was in no mood to let her lower ranked opponent get into the match and get the crowd on her side. In a match that lasted only 25 minutes Rasmussen eased to a 21-14 21-10. Only once did the great Dane ever surrender the lead in this match and that was when Cann went 1-0 up at the beginning of the second set. What a player to have on your team and with her win brought her Denmark team back into the overall match at 2-1 to England.

In the men’s doubles the Danes fielded the in form pairing of Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen They were up against the English might of Clark and Robertson and one felt that this match was to be the key if either side were going to claim victory. This was an excellent match that had it all, drama, excitement and some tremendous badminton from some of the world’s best exponents. The Danes took the opening set 21-17 but the wily English battled back to level with a 21-16 win in the second. In the deciding rubber it was the Danes who held their nerve to keep the English in their rear view mirror for the entire set as they took the game 21-15 and in doing so levelled the overall match score 2-2 to send the match down to the wire.

The final match of this European championships would be fought out between Jenny Wallwork and Donna Kellogg for England and Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Marie Ropke for Denmark. In the first set the Danes seized the initiative when going to a 6 point winning streak to take a 18-11 lead and from that there was no recovery for the English. The second set continued in much the same mould as the previous with the Danes etching out a slender 6-3 lead early on. The Danes were now growing in confidence and both Ropke and Rytter Juhl’s calm demeanour on court was never going to be threatened by the partisan crowd. The Danes continued to press home their advantage and bit by bit frustrated the English pair to the point at 18-11 no one could envisage any way back for the new English pairing. The Danes wrapped up the game with a 21-15 win and with it the title as European Champions yet again.

“I'm so disappointed because we’d been 2-0 up in the match but just couldn’t finish them off.We hadn't played the Danish girls before but we knew it was going to be tough.“Kamilla Juhl is number one in the world at mixed and the plan was to try and play on the younger girl (Marie Roepke) but they were too strong. It's been a hard week, especially for Donna who has had to play two events on the same day. Personally, I’ve been pleased as myself and Nathan Robertson have started to gel as a pair and we had a good victory over the Ukrainians so there’s plenty to be positive about going into the All England Championships in Birmingham next month.” Wallwork told the Bolton News after her heartbreaking defeat

In what was an amazing tournament played at an amazing venue it is truly fitting that best team throughout the week should claim the ultimate prize. That prize as gold in the European Championships will be taken back to Denmark yet again as once again the Danish set the benchmark for everyone else to follow. England too can be proud of their achievements as they continue to develop ahead of the 2012 Olympics and congratulations to Poland and Russia who claimed historic bronze medals for their nations.

EUROPEAN TEAM SF – If anyone CANN, England CANN

2009-02-16T04:23:00.000-08:00

In an epic semi-final played in the afternoon session England beat Poland in the final set of the final match to set up the mouth-watering tie everyone wants to see with reigning champions Denmark in tomorrow’s final. Elizabeth Cann turned the tide in England’s favour as she fought back from a set down to beat Kamila Augustyn which acted as a catalyst for team England as they went on to win the tie 3-2.

By Mark Phelan. Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Liverpool)

England certainly knew they were in a battle today as they took to the court against a Polish team who had reached this semi final stage without causing a fuss. From the outset this turned out to be a battle royal. In the opening mixed doubles the experience of world number three pairing of Clark and Kellogg had too much in their locker for Logosz and Pocztowiak in two straight sets.

Przemyslaw Wacha restored parity as he overcame the stubborn challenge of Andrew Smith. Wacha took the opening set with apparent ease 21-11 but had to call on all his experience to finally kill of the match with a 22-20 win in the second to level the match at 1 match apiece.

Eliabeth Cann was next up for England and needed to improve on the form that had seen her lose her previous two women’s singles matches in these championships. Cann was certainly under pressure to deliver today and in true Elizabeth Cann fashion she did just that. Things started terribly for the English number 1 as she lost the first set 21-11. In the second set she bounced back to level the match with a sublime display of controlled badminton to allow her opponent only 4 points in the entire game. Cann finished the job in the third, to rapturous home support, as she destroyed Kamila Augustyn 21-9. England now had a slender lead and were in no mood to surrender it lightly.

England were confident that they could wrap up the match in the men’s doubles but Clark and Robertson failed to sparkle to allow Logosz and Mateusiak cruise to an easy two set win 21-18 21-12 to take the match into the deciding game.

Who would win? Who would have the mental reserve and determination to take their team through to the final? The answers to these questions lay in the hands and hearts of the final two pairings Donna Kellogg and Jenny Wallwork of England and Kamila Augustyn and Malgorzata Kurdelska of Poland. It was the English who set the pace in the match by taking the opening set 21-12 but the Polish pair came right back in the second set to win 21-17 to take the tie and match into the final set of the final game. At 5-5 the home support were on the edge of their sets but Kellogg and Wallwork seemed to find an additional gear and pulled clear to eventually take the set 21-12 and with it a place in the final against Denmark.

Tomorrow’s final takes place at 2pm local time and while Denmark are clear favourites the English team are sure to have an extra man on their team in the form of the home support.

EUROPEAN Semi Finals – Rasmussen Unleashed

2009-02-16T04:19:00.000-08:00

Denmark flexed their European muscles today at the European Championships as they destroyed Russia 3-0 to book their spot in tomorrows final. For the first time this week Tine Rasmussen was introduced in the women’s singles and after a slow start against Ella Diehl the world number one kicked into overdrive to signal that the sharp end of the tournament has well and truly begun.

By Mark Phelan. Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Liverpool)

As if we were in any doubt that the team to beat this week are Denmark, in today’s semi final the Danes fielded an awesome team which had people talking and discussing for hours before play even commenced as to how Russia would ever break them down. All the talk and all the discussion proved pointless as Denmark coasted to an easy semi final win over a shell-shocked Russia.
Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl made their first appearance as a pair in this years event and the world number 5 pairing expended little energy in handing Denmark a 1-0 lead as they happily disposed of Vitaly Durkin and Nina Vislova 21-13 21-16. All this achieved with Joachim Fischer Neilsen and Christinna Pedersen watching from the sidelines. What a luxury to have the world number 6 pair in reserve if needed.
Joachim Persson made his first appearance since his shock defeat to Pablo Abian in the first qualifying match and this time the Dane was in no mood for extended three set battles. Persson took just 25 minutes to quell the advances of Ivan Sozonov 21-14 21-12 to give coach Kenneth Jonassen a massive headache as to whom he selects for the final tomorrow. Jan O Jorgensen has, without doubt, done his part for the Danish cause this week and is sure to be in Jonassens mind. Will Gade appear for the final? Who knows, but one thing is for sure whoever plays will more than likely start as favourite.
In the women’s singles today Denmark unleashed the force that is Tine Rasmussen on the Echo Arena. The world number 1 looked a bit rusty to start with and at 11-4 down in the opener the crowd sensed a shock on the cards. Even a 7 point lead is obviously not enough against a player who is at the summit of the world game as Rasmussen clawed her way back into the opening set to tie the game at 16-16. At this point her opponent Ella Diehl appeared to admit defeat as Rasmussen just coasted over the line to take the opening set 21-18. The second set was over in a blink of an eye as Rasmussen went on a 10 point winning streak to take a 15-3 lead. There was never going to be anyway back for Diehl at that point and Rasmussen just went into freewheel mode as she took the game 21-7 and with it a place in tomorrows final for her and her Danish team mates.

“Our team is feeling very good and we were ready for today’s game. We knew we had a better team than Russia but we were aware that they had some very good players and we needed to get the job done. Kamilla and Thomas were excellent in the mixed and Joachim Persson played vey well today in the men’s singles to give us a good lead. Tine needed a set to settle but after that she played to her best” said Marie Ropke after her team’s semi final win today

The Russians celebrated at the end as a bronze medal for them is a first in this European badminton team event. The Danes progress to the final, as was expected, and have clearly only one thing on their minds…. GOLD!!!

EUROPEANS – Germany and Russia go the distance!!

2009-02-16T03:12:00.000-08:00

Quarter finals day at the Echo Arena in Liverpool and all eyes were on court 1 as the home English team attempted to book their place in tomorrow’s semi finals. Meanwhile at the opposite end of the arena Germany and Russia played out the match of the day which went right down to the wire.
By Mark Phelan. Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Liverpool)

All the talk around the fantastic Echo Arena on quarter finals day was centred on England and their attempt to take another step in their efforts to make Sunday’s final at the European Team Championships. However, the most open match of the day was always going to be Germany V Russia and as predicted it lived up to its billing as Russia came through in the final women’s doubles match to win 3-2.
The match turned out to be a doubles versus singles game as Germany’s superior singles capabilities were always going to be to strong for Russia. The opening match went the way of the Russians as Valeria Sorokina and Alexander Nikolaenko took little time in beating Birgit Overzier and Johannes Schoettler 21-11, 21-13. The Germans then bounced back to take both the men’s and women’s singles as the cow bells rang around the stadium from the boisterous German support. Marc Zwiebler was first to level the overall match as he beat Vladimir Malkov 21-9 21-13 and Juliane Schenk followed with a 21-14 21-19 win over Ella Diehl to give the Germans a 2-1 match lead. Alexander Nikolaenko and Vitaly Durkin levelled the match in a tight men’s doubles game as they beat Ingo Kindervater and Michael Fuchs 21-17 21-19. Russia completed the 3-2 win when experienced women’s doubles pair of Valeria Sorokina and Nina Vislova beat the crack pairing of Xu Huaiwen and Birgit Overzier to book their place in tomorrows semi final.

The Russian will now meet Denmark in the semi final as the tournament favourites were taken to the fourth game before finally seeing off a very young French team. Jan O Jorgensen started well for Denmark by beating Brice Leverdez 21-13 21-14. France bounced back in the women’s singles as world number 5 Pi Hongyan defeated Nanna Brosolat Jensen 21-9 21-9. Brosolat Jensen appeared disappointed after the game but her epic wins earlier in the week have helped the Danish team reach this stage and she can, without doubt, be proud of her weeks work to date. Denmark finished off a professional days work with wins in the men’s and women’s doubles as Boe and Mogensen beat Careme and Labar 21-16, 21-11 and Ropke and Rasmussen defeated Choinet and Rahmawati 21-12 21-13.

England defeated Ukraine on the TV court 3-1 with wins in the men’s doubles, men’s singles (Andrew Smith, pictured here had to go all the way to three games) and mixed doubles. Andrew Smith was taken to three sets in his singles match to give England a valuable 2-0 lead before Larissa Griga consigned Liz Cann to her second defeat in two days in straight sets 21-15 21-19. England wrapped up the match with a win in the men’s doubles with an easy 21-14 21-12 win.
Poland continued their march to a medal with a 3-1 win over The Netherlands. Wacha struggled in three sets against Eric Pang which proved to be the turning point in an eventful match. Polands lack of competitiveness is sure to be their Achilles heel if they are to secure a medal as yet again they failed to deliver in the women’s individual event.

EUROPEANS – Quarter finals line up decided

2009-02-13T16:15:00.000-08:00

Marc Zwiebler, Germany

Elizabeth Cann

The evening session on the final day of the round robin stages of this years European Team Championships drew few surprises as all 8 seeds booked their place in tomorrow’s quarter finals. Denmark were first to show their true colours as they whitewashed a young Irish team 5-0 to top group 1. England and Germany duly followed with Susan Hughes supplying the only ray of light in the battle of Britain in beating Elizabeth Cann in three sets.

By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Liverpool)
Denmark took to the court this evening fielding almost a full strength team against Ireland and in doing so dented some Irish pride as the Danes sailed into the quarter final with a somewhat easy 5-0 win. Joachim Persson refuelled his confidence tank after his defeat yesterday with a 21-13 21-18 win over Scott Evans. Nanna Brosolat Jensen, playing her 3rd match in two days, saw off a resurgent Chloe Magee but had to fight hard in her 24-22 21-15 victory over the Irish number 1. Boe and Mogensen came together for the first time this tournament and cruised to a 2 set win over Irish national champions Gleave and Magee in the men’s doubles. Roepke and Pedersen followed their team mates and in just 16 minutes claimed a 21-8 21-8 win over Sinead Chambers and Donna Scott. Denmark completed the rout as the experienced duo of Laybourn and Rytter Juhl defeated a visibly jaded Evans and Magee 21-11 21-19 after the Irish pair had given all for their country this week.
“In the first set I was in control at 15-4 but relaxed to much and mentally was not there so I became angry instead of enjoying the game. I just injected a little bit more speed into my game then and I managed to win. I was really great for me to win the three games I played in this week” Brosolat Jensen commented after her win over Magee.

Poland never looked in trouble against Bulgaria in the top of the table group 6 match as they cruised to a 4-1 win but are sure to be worried about their continued lack of prowess in the women’s singles department. Once again the Poles lost the discipline as Linda Zechiri beat Anna Narel in two sets. Poland now play number 5 seeds The Netherlands in tomorrows quarter final. Germany coasted to a 5-0 win over former champions Sweden but were pushed the distance in both the Men’s singles and the women’s doubles. In the quarter final the Germans will play Russia who beat Belarus earlier in the day to top group 4.

The anticipated final between Denmark and England is still on course as the English beat near neighbours Scotland 4-1 in an entertaining match on court 2. The English didn’t have it all their own way as Susan Hughes kept the Scots in the game with a 3 set win over Elizabeth Cann in the 3rd match on court. Clark and Robertson took three sets to finally see off the challenge of Briggs and Bowman before Donna Kellogg and Jenny Wallwork beat Jillie Cooper and Imogen Bankier in two sets.
“It was great to get this win today and was made all the more sweet given the fact it was against England” said Susan Hughes after her win
Elsewhere Spain Beat Slovenia to take third spot in group 1 and Czech Republic defeated Wales in the bottom of the table clash in group 8.

All Results can be found HERE.

EUROPEANS – Ireland and Spain steal the show.

2009-02-12T15:30:00.000-08:00

In this mornings session Russia defeated Belarus to claim the top spot in group 4 and advance to the quarter final where they will meet the winners of the Germany V Sweden in Group 3. Ukraine topped group 7 to set up a potential ¼ final against England and Denmark stamped their authority on group 1 with an easy win over Slovenia while in the same group Ireland and Spain fought out a titanic battle in a match that lasted 3 hours 35 minutes on court number 5.

By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Liverpool)

Russia are the first team to progress to the quarter finals as they defeated their nearest rivals in group 4 Belarus 5-0. After stuttering in the opening set of the opening match Ekaterina Aninina and Ivan Sozonov composed their nerves to take the remaining sets and the game to give Russia a 1-0 lead. The rest of the Russian team capitalized on the good work of their opening mixed doubles as Russia won the remaining 4 matches without dropping a set to move untroubled into the quarter final.

Ukraine were hot on the heels of the Russians as they booked their quarter final spot with a 4-1 win over Iceland. After beating Italy and Hungary 5-0 it was not until the very last match that Ukraine dropped their very first point of the tournament as they failed in their effort to capture a three in a row 5-0 whitewash.

Denmark continued on their merry way with a 5-0 win over group 1 outsiders Slovenia. In the process the Danes blooded Jan O Jorgensen (photo top left) in the men’s singles and introduced world number 1 Tine Rasmussen albeit in the unfamiliar position as partner to Marie Ropke in the women’s doubles. Jorgensen captured the first men’s singles point for Denmark after the defeat of Joachim Persson yesterday. The Danish world number 34 beat Luka Petric 21-13 21-11 in the opening match. Nanna Brosolat Jensen won her second match in two days but had to fight hard against Slovenia premier women’s singles player Maja Tvrdy.

“I felt really good on court and I really like this hall as in some ways it is great preparation for the upcoming All England’s. I probably need to get on track again after my poor performance at the nationals so this win has been important to me for that reason. We are playing well as a team and we are motivated to win this tournament as anything less would be a disaster” commented Jorgensen after his debut win

Without doubt the game of the session was Ireland and Spain as their marathon match went right down to the wire as all but 1 game went to three sets. Pablo Abian and Scott Evans served up a badminton delight that lasted an hour. Evans took the first set 21-15 but Abian, spurred on by his victory over Joachim Persson yesterday, fought back to take the second and third 21-19 21-19 to give Spain a slender lead. Anything Abian could do Chloe Magee could do as she also fought back from a set down to take the women’s singles in the deciding set. In the men’s doubles Evans and Sam Magee teamed up to blast past Pablo Abian and Carlos Longo in two 21-8 21-17 and Spain immediately bounced back to take the women’s doubles again in another three set battle. The tie now hung in the balance with only the mixed doubles up for grabs. With all other matches over on the 5 adjoining courts the brother sister duo of Sam and Chloe Magee (photo right) pitted their skills against Spanish pair Carlos Longo and Haidee Ojeda. The Spanish took the opening set 21-16 but the Irish battled back into the game with a 21-12 win in the second. The final set was a cliff-hanger as both pairs battled with their countries pride on there sleeves and with the attention of the whole stadium firmly fixed on the final few points it was the Irish, at 20-20, who seized the initiative and took the next two points to claim an historic victory for the small Island nation.

“This is amazing for Ireland and amazing for our young team. We have such a great team spirit going and to win that third set in that final match was as about as good as I have ever felt on a badminton court. There is such an amazing buzz within this squad and now we can go and enjoy the game against Denmark later and who knows what might happen” said an elated Chloe Magee after her epic doubles win in this mornings match

Results Day 2 European Mixed Team Championships ’09 Pablo Abian Makes A History

2009-02-12T03:48:00.000-08:00

24 years old player from Spain, Pablo Abian succeed to make a history and the biggest upset of yesterday’s match. Against Denmark #2, Joachim Persson, Pablo played tactics and effectively before winning rubber set match, 21-19, 19-21, 21-18 for more than two hours. Eight country who will booking tickets to quarterfinal also could be predictable now.

Group 2 :

France vs Cyprus 5-0
MS : Matthieu Lo Ying Ping beat Charis Charalambous 21-8, 21-8.
WS : Barbara Mathias beat Dometia Ioannou 21-7, 21-14.
MD : Sylvain Grosjean/Laurent Constantin beat Charis Charalambous/Vasilis Vasou 21-11, 21-15.
WD : Weny Rahmawati/Pi Hongyan beat Maria Ioannau/Dometia Ioannau 21-12, 21-13.
XD : Baptiste Carame/Laura Choinet beat Vasilis Vasou/Maria Ioannau 21-19, 21-14.

France playing clever strategy when put Pi Hongyan in Women’s Doubles. Pi replacing Elodie Eymard and partnering with Weny. Most of France players are ‘new comer’ and need more experience.

Switzerland vs Portugal 3-2
XD : Anthony Dumartheray/Sabrina Jaquet lost from Alexandro Paixao/Telma Santos 21-14, 17-21, 18-21.
MS : Christian Bosiger lost from Pedro Martins 17-21, 20-22.
WS : Jeanine Cicognini beat Telma Santos 21-13, 16-21, 21-9.
MD : Christian Bosinger/Anthony Dumartheray beat Alexandre Paixao/Gil Marthins 17-21, 21-17, 21-12.
WD : Jeanine Cicognini/Sabrina Jaquet beat Helena Pestana/Ana Reis 21-14, 21-14.

What a great comeback from Switzerland after went down 0-2 from Portugal. Thanks to Jeanine whose not effected by previous results and played very well in her singles and doubles matches. Bosi finally gave 1 point to Switzerland when partnering with Anthony in doubles sector.

Switzerland vs Cyprus 5-0
XD : Anthony Dumartheray/Sabrina Jaquet beat Vasou/Maria Ioannau 21-13, 21-9.
MS : Livio Dorizzi beat Charis Charalambous 21-15, 21-12.
WS : Monika Fischer beat Dometia Ioannau 21-18, 22-20.
MD : Christian Bosinger/Anthony Dumartheray beat Charis Charalambous/Vasilis Vasou 21-16, 21-16.
WD : Jeanine Cicognini/Sabrina Jaquet beat Dometia Ioannau/Maria Ioannau 21-15, 21-8.

Switzerland finallay swept away 5 points in their 2nd match yesterday against Cyprus. Jeanine and Bosi take a rest from their singles and let their younger palyers, Livio and Monika gets more experiences.

France vs Portugal 4-1
XD : Baptiste Careme/Laura Choinet beat Alexandre Paixao/Telma Santos 21-14, 21-17
MS : Brice Laverdez lost from Pedro Martins 19-21, 21-11, 13-21
WS : Pi Hongyan beat Telma Santos 21-13, 21-7
MD : Baptiste Careme/Sylvain Grosjean beat Alexandro Paixao/Gil Martins 21-13, 21-16
WD : Laura Choinet/Weny Rahmawati beat Helena Pestana/Ana Reis 21-7, 21-7

In the afternoon session, Pi just play once in singles and lets Laura Choinet replaced her job in doubles. Brice seems little bit tired when he has to play 3rd set and gave his point to Pedro Martins

Group 6 :

Bulgaria vs Lithuania 4-1
MS : Blagovest Kisyov lost from Kestutis Navickas 21-10, 21-10
WS : Petya Nedelcheva beat Akville Stapusaityte 21-11, 21-8
MD : Julian Hristov/Krasimir Yankov beat Klaudijus Kasinskis/Kestusis Navickas 21-11, 21-14
WD : Petya Nedelcheva/Dimtria Popstoykova beat Kristina Dovydaityte/Akvile Stapusaityte 20-22, 21-12, 21-12
XD : Stiliyan Makarsi/Diana Dimova beat Ramunas Stapusaitis/Ligita Zukauskaite 21-12, 21-17

The semiquarterfinalist, Kestusis Navickas showed off his talent when he successfully stole 1 point from Bulgaria. But two Bulgarian whose has more experience, Petya and Diana secured other 3 points and wrapped up quarterfinal ticket.

Poland vs Finland 4-1
XD : Robert Mateusiak/Kamilla Augustyn beat Tuomas Nuorteva/Noora Virta 21-18, 21-6
MS : Przemyslaw Wacha beat Ville Lang 21-7, 25-23
WS : Natalia Pocztowiak lost from Anu Nieminen 21-17, 21-19
MD : Michal Logosz/Robert Mateusiak beat Mikko Vikman/Tuomas Nuorteva 21-10, 21-9
WD : Kamilla Augustyn/Malgorzata Kurdelska beat Noora Virta/Sanni Rautala 21-11, 21-12

The 32 round Olympic player, Anu Nieminen succeed give 1 point to her country. But Wacha seems too strong for another Olympic player from Finland, Ville Lang although he can forced Wacha with 3 match point in set 2.

Group 1 :

Denmark vs Spain 4-1
MS : Joachim Persson lost from Pablo Abian 19-21, 21-19, 18-21
WS : Nanna Brosolat Jensen beat Beatriz Corrales 21-13, 21-13
MD : Thomas Laybourn/Carsten Mogensen beat Carlos Longo/Eliecer Ojeda 21-7, 21-11
WD : Kamilla Rytter Juhl/Marie Roepke beat Carolina Marin/Ana Ma Martin 21-15, 21-14
XD : Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Christinna Pedersen beat Haidee Ojeda/Elecer Ojeda 21-9, 21-10

Pablo succeed to make his history when he beats Denmark # 2 MS, Joachim Persson. After suffereing for 2 hours tight match, Pablo celebrate his winning which is the only point for Spain. Nuller whose usual partnering with Boe now having another edge with Thomas when Kamilla stopped playing for a while with Lena Frier whose gets injury and try to play with another doubles player, Marie Roepke.

Ireland vs Slovenia 3-2
XD : Sam Magee/Chloe Magee beat Luka Petric/Spela Silvester 21-18, 17-21, 21-15
MS : Scott Evans beat Iztok Utrosa 21-12, 21-8
WS : Chloe Magee lost from Maja Tvrdy 15-21, 17-21
MD : Scott Evans/Sam Magee beat Iztok Utrosa/Luka Petric 21-12, 21-19
WD : Sinead Chambers/Dona Scott lost from Spella Silvester/Maja Tvrdy 18-21, 11-21

The 32 round Olimpyc player, Maja Tvrdy had great performance yesterday and stoles 2 points for Slovenia. But in the men side, two Ireland Scott Evans and Sam Magee are too strong for Slovenian. Those two finally won 3 points which put their victory over Slovenia.

Group 4 :

Russian vs Norway 5-0
XD : Vitaly Durkin/Nina Vislova beat Matz Menkin/Mari Helena 21-6, 21-8
MS : Vladimir Malkov beat Jonas Christensen 21-7, 21-8
WS : Ella Diehl beat Sara Kverno 21-10, 21-12
MD : Vladimir Ivanov/Ivan Sozonov beat Jonas Christensen/Maz Menkin 21-6, 21-14
WD : Nina Vislova/Valeri Sorokina beat Mari Helena/Ingrid Teistung 21-10, 21-3

Another big victory for Russian to take huge step for quarterfinal. Not with their full team appearance but they’re still the best in their group.

Belarus vs Latvia 5-0
XD : Aliaksei Konakh/Vlada Cherniavskaya beat Eduards Loze/Kristine Safere 22-20, 21-17
MS : Yauheni Yakauchuk beat Raimonds Cipe 21-17, 21-14
WS : Alesia Zaitsava beat Kristine Sefere 21-12,2 1-12
MD : Yauheni Yakauchuk/Aliaksei Konakh beat Karlis Vidass/Guntis Lavrinovics 24-22, 21-10
WD : Alesia Zaitsava/Vlada Cherniavskaya beat Madara Pukite/Alesia Hodokovska 21-5, 21-3

Within 2 days, Belarus successful swept away 10 points from their opponents. Tomorrow should be their biggest match against Russia to book quarterfinal ticket at Friday match.

Group 3 :

Germany vs Estonia 5-0
XD : Michael Fuchs/Annekatrin Lillie beat Ants Mangel/Koroline Hoim 21-13, 21-10
MS : Dieter Domke beat Raul Must 21-17, 21-19
WS : Xu Huaiwen beat Kati Tolmoff 21-11, 21-16
MD : Michael Fuchs/Ingo Kindervater beat Ants Mangel/Raul Kasner 21-8, 21-6
WD : Sandra Marinello/Annekatrin Lillie beat Laura Vana/Karoliine Hoim 21-15, 24-22

Although adding 2 younger players, Deieter Domke and Annekatrin Lillie from their 1st match, German still keep their record with 5 points swept away. No wonder dan they’ll be the favourite’s one to book quarterfinal ticket.

Sweden vs Slovakia 5-0
XD : Joel Johansson/Emma Wengberg beat Jarolim Vicen/Gabriela Zabavnikova 21-16, 21-13
MS : Kristian Karttunen beat Michal Matejka 21-14, 21-7
WS : Sophia Hansson beat Zuzana Orlovska 21-5, 21-8
MD : Joel Johansson/Johan Kasperi beat Jarolim Vicen/Michal Matejka 21-13, 21-13
WD : Emma Wengberg/Elin Bergblom beat Zuzana Orlovska/Gabriela Zabavnikova 21-14, 21-7

After won tight match 3-2 two days ago over Estonia, Sweden finally easily grab out 5 points from Slovakia. All the games in straight set less than 2,5 hours.

Group 7 :

Iceland vs Italy 3-2
XD : Helgi Johannesson/Tinna Helgadottir beat Rosario Maddaloni/Federica Panini 21-7, 21-15
MS : Magnus Ingi Helgason beat Giovanni Greco 21-16, 21-16
WS : Tinna Helgadottir lost from Agnese Allegrini 18-21, 18-21
MD : Magnus Ingi Helgasson/Helgi Johannesson beat Pierluigi Musiari/Giovanni Traina 21-12, 21-12
WD : Karitas Osk/Snjolaug Johannsdottir lost from Agnese Allegrini/Federica Panini 14-21, 9-21

Magnus and Helgi still on their best form but lack of skill in the women side. The Olympic 2008 qualification player, Agnese Allegrini took 2 points from Sweden for her country.

Ukraine vs Hungary 5-0
MS : Vitaly Konov beat Henrik Toth 21-16, 21-18
WS : Elena Prus beat Sarolta Varga 21-15, 21-14
MD : Valeriy Atrashchenkov /Dmytro Zavadskyy beat David Sarosi/Andras Nemeth 21-10, 21-14
WD : Mariya Dibtan/Anna Kobceva beat Sarolta Varga/Orsolyna Varga 21-9, 21-8
XD : Vladislav Druzchenko/Larisa Griga beat Henrik Toth/Krisztina Adam 21-14, 21-13

Ukraine defeinetely booked their ticket to quarterfinal after taking 10 points from their 2 matches. Really an uniqe way when they change singles players into doubles. Elena Prus replacing Larisa Griga in singles when Larissa played with Vladislav in Mixed Doubles.

Group 8 :

Scotland vs Czech Republic 4-1
XD : Watson Briggs/Imogen Bankier beat Petr Koukal/Martina Benesova 21-20, 24-22
MS : Kieran Merrilees lost from Jan Vondra 21-15, 13-21, 16-21
WS : Susan Hughes beat Kristina Ludikova 21-16, 21-12
MD : Andrew Bowman/Watson Briggs beat Jan Vondra/Pavel Florian 21-10, 22-20
WD : Imogen Bankier/Jillie Cooper beat Kristina Lduikova/Martinea Bensova 21-14, 21-16

MS seems the weakest sector of Scotland. Kieran have to get more experience if he wants to be equal as Imogen or Susan. Bad performance of Petr Koukal from previous match should be the reason he wasn’t played yesterday.

England vs Wales 5-0
MS : Andrew Smith beat Irwansyah 21-8, 21-10
WS : Helen Davies beat Harriet Johnson 21-13, 21-17
MD : Anthony Clark/Nathan Robertson beat Martyn Lewis/Matthew Huges 21-12, 21-5
WD : Jenny Wallwork/Maria Agathagelou beat Carissa Turner/Caroline Harvey 21-12, 21-16
XD : Christoper Adcock/Gabrielle White beat Jonathan Morgan/Kerry Ann Sheppard 21-5, 21-13

Domination of home’s players still continued last night. Ex-Indonesian player, Irwansyah has no chance to repeat his victory on his first match when he has to face England #1 MS, Andrew Smith. Gabby also shows her performance very well when she duet with Chris in XD.

Group 5 :

Belgium vs Austria 4-1
XD : Wauter Claes/Nathalie Descamps beat Roman Zinwald/Elisabeth Baldauf 21-12, 21-15
MS : Yuhan Tan beat Michael Lahnsteiner 21-18, 21-14
WS : Nathalie Descamps beat Claudia Meyer 21-19, 21-10
MD : Wauter Claes/Frederic Mawet lost from Peter Zauner/Michael Lahnsteiner 23-25, 20-22
WD : Steffi Annys/Severina Corvilain beat Belinda Heber/Elisabeth Baldauf 21-14, 21-14

Peter Zauner for the 2nd time proves that he still at his best form. But unfortunately it’s not enough to hold Belgium when they have Yuhan Tan and Nathalie Descamps. Today will be the final moment for Belgium when they meet Netherlands if they really want through quarterfinal round.

Netherlands vs Israel 4-1
MS : Dicky Palyama beat Shai Geffen 21-12, 21-13
WS : Patty Stolzenbach beat Mor Bitterman 21-3, 21-1
MD : Jurgen Wouters/Koen Ridder beat Anton Kracheny/Ilia Konyak 21-8, 21-8
WD : Yao Jie/Pauline Van Dooremalen beat Mor Bitterman/Alina Pugach 21-8, 21-10
XD : Joritt De Ruiter/Ilse Vaessen lost from Misha Zilberman/Svetlana Zilberman 21-11, 16-21, 19-21

The new comer, Israel needs more practice and experience as they’re not being the good one. Lost so easy from Belgium and Netherland they have no chance going through quarterfinal round this year. But participating in this badminton event which is the 1st time for them should be adding valuable experiences to their players.

Results Day 1 European Mixed Team Championships ’09

2009-02-12T03:24:00.000-08:00

Results Day 1 European Mixed Team Championships ’09
An Easy Way For Seeded Country
Oleh admin
Rabu, 11-Februari-2009, 12:46:30
Unfortunately Nadiezda Kostyuczyk can’t join with Poland team this year. So Kamilla Augustyn will replace her at Mixed Doubles partnering with Robert Mateusiak. And this has side effect which Kamilla couldn’t play for Women’s Singles and lost point from this sector. Michal and Robert also separate themselves in Men’s Doubles. But I think that’s not a big deal because their younger player, Wojciech Sudlarczyk need more experiences.
Kontributor: Ferry Irawan

Group 6 :

Poland vs Lithuania 4-1
MS : Przaemslaw Wacha beat Kestusis Navickas 21-18, 21-14.
WS : Anna Narel lost from Akvile Stapusaityte 19-21, 18-21.
MD : Michal Logosz/Wojciech Skudlarczyk beat Klaudijus Kasnkis/Kestusis Navickas 21-8, 21-13.
WD : Agniezska Wojtkowska/Malgorzata Kurdelska beat Akville Stapusaityte/Ligita Zukauskaite 21-11, 21-11.
XD : Robert Mateusiak/Kamilla Augustyn beat Ramunas Stapusaityte/Kristina Dovydaityte 21-7, 21-11.

Unfortunately Nadiezda Kostyuczyk can’t join with Poland team this year. So Kamilla Augustyn will replace her at Mixed Doubles partnering with Robert Mateusiak. And this has side effect which Kamilla couldn’t play for Women’s Singles and lost point from this sector. Michal and Robert also separate themselves in Men’s Doubles. But I think that’s not a big deal because their younger player, Wojciech Sudlarczyk need more experiences.

Bulgaria beat Finlad 4-1
XD : Stilian Makarski/Diana Dimova beat Tuomas Nuorteva/Sanni Rautala 21-13, 21-18.
MS : Blagovest Kisyov lost from Ville Lang 20-22, 18-21.
WS : Petya Nedelcheva beat Anu Nieminen 21-11, 21-9.
MD : Krasimir Yankov/Vladimir Metodiev beat Tuomas Nuorteva/Mikko Vikman 21-13, 21-7.
WD : Petya Nedelcheva/Dimitria Poptoykova beat NooraVirta/Sanni Rautala 21-13, 21-13.

As the backbone of Bulgaria , Petya Nedelcheva and Diana Dimova did their jobs very well. They played not only in their main sector, Women’s Singles. Olympic 2008 quarterfinalist, Ville Lang must work hard in 30 minutes tight match before gives 1 point to his country.

Group 5 :

Netherlands beat Austria 5-0
XD : Joritt De Ruiter/Ilse Vaessen beat Roman Zinwald/Elisabeth Baldauf 21-11, 21-17.
MS : Eric Pang beat David Obernosterer 21-12, 21-16.
WS : Judith Meulendijks beat Miriam Gruber 21-6, 21-8.
MD : Jurgen Wouters/Koen Ridder beat Peter Zauner/Michael Lahnsteiner 21-17, 28-26.
WD : Yao Jie/Pauline Van Dooremalen beat Belinda Heber/Elisabeth Baldauf 21-12, 21-9.

With most of their experience players like Yao Jie, Judith Meulendijks, Eric Pang and Pauline Van Dooremalen no worries for Netherland to sweep away 5 points. Yao Jie, Judith and Pauline also play very good in doubles. Otherwise, Austrian player, Juergen Koch can’t join his team this year so Peter Zauner should be ‘the only’ main player for Asutria.

Belgium beat Israel 5-0
MS : Yuhan Tan beat Misha Zilberman 21-13, 21-11.
WS : Lianne Tan beat Alina Pugach 21-14, 21-15.
MD : Wouter Claes/Frederic Mawet beat Shai Geffen/Ilia Konyak 21-6, 21-12.
WD : Steffi Annys/Severina Corvilain beat Alina Pugach/Mor Bitterman 21-15, 21-12.
XD : Wauter Claes/Nathalie Descamps beat Misha Zilberman/Svetlana Zilberman 21-12, 21-19.

With their ‘naturalization’ players, Yuhan and Lianne Belgium picked their 1st winning over ‘new comer’, Israel .

Group 3 :

Germany beat Slovakia 5-0
XD : Johannes Schoettler/Birgit Overzier beat Jarolim Vichen/Gabrielle Zabavnikova 26-24, 21-15.
MS : Marc Zwibler beat Michal Matejka 21-10, 21-14.
WS : Xu Huaiwen beat Zuzana Orlovska 21-7, 21-9.
MD : Michal Fuchs/Tim Dettmann beat Michal Matejka/Jarolim Vichen 21-4, 21-8.
WD : Julianne Schenk/Sandra Marinello beat Zuzana Orlovska/ Gabrielle Zabavnikova 21-13, 21-9.

An easy task for Germany to dust off Slovakia with their full team. As Xu Huaiwen, Juliane Schenk, and Birgit Overzier in the women’s team and Marc Zwibler, Johannes Schoettler, Michal Fuchs, and Ingo Kindervater at the men’s side no wonder that they’ll through to quarterfinal later. Not an interesting match because these 2 teams has different level of players. Unfortunately two Olympic players from Slovenia , Maja Tvrdy and Eva Sadekova can’t join with their team.

Sweden beat Estonia 3-2
XD : Joel Johansson/Emma Wengberg beat Ants Mangel/Karoliine Hoim 21-15, 21-18.
MS : Henry Hurskainen lost from Raul Must 10-21, 21-16, 15-21.
WS : Sophia Hannson lost from Kati Tolmoff 8-21, 12-21.
MD : Joel Johansson/Johan Kasperi beat Ants Mangel/Raul Kasner 19-21, 21-18, 21-11.
WD : Emma Wengberg/Elin Bergblom beat Kati Tolmoff/Karoliine Hoim 20-22, 21-16, 21-17.

Two Olympic qualifaction players from Estonia , Raul Must and Kati Tolmoff shows their level to pick 2 points from Sweden . But lack of experience doubles players when Sweden has Emma Wengberg dan Joel Johansson should be the major cause of their lost.

Group 8 :

Scotland beat Wales 4-1
XD : Watson Briggs/Imogen Bankier beat Martyn Lewis/Caroline Harvey 21-9, 25-23.
MS : Kieran Merrilees lost from Irwansyah 19-21, 19-21.
WS : Susan Hughes beat Caroline Harvey 21-10, 21-5.
MD : Andrew Bowman/Watson Briggs beat Martyn Lewis/Mathew Hughes 21-19, 21-19.
WD : Imogen Bankier/Jillie Cooper beat Harriet Johnson/Kerry Ann Sheppard 21-11, 21-10.

Naturalization player from Indonesia , Irwansyah, stole 1 point from Scotland to his country. But most experience players such as Imogen Bankier, Susan Hughes, and Andrew Bowman helps Scotland to win their 1st match.

England beat Czech Republic 5-0
XD : Anthony Clark/Donna Kellogg beat Pavel Flarian/Martina Benesova 21-9, 21-8.
MS : Rajiv Ouseph beat Petr Koukal 21-17, 21-10.
WS : Elizabeth Cann beat Kristina Ludikova 21-17, 21-19.
MD : Robert Blair/Christoper Adcock beat Jan Vondra/Pavel Florian 21-13, 21-8.
WD : Jenny Wallwork/Gabrielle White beat Kristina Lduikova/Martinea Bensova 21-18, 18-21, 21-14.

No wonder that England will take this match since they have great doubles players but so bad that Petr and Kristina whose have enough experience couldn’t play at their best performance and shows their true skills.

Group 4 :

Belarus beat Norway 5-0
XD : Aliaksei Konakh/Vlada Cherniavskaya beat Jonas Christensen/Mari Helena Boe 21-16, 21-16.
MS : Yauheni Yakauchuk beat Maurius Fartum 21-14, 21-17.
WS : Alesia Zaitsava beat Sara Kverno 21-14, 21-17.
MD : Yauheni Yakauchuk/Aliaksei Konakh beat Jonas Christensen/Matz Menkin21-8, 21-12.
WD : Alesia Zaitsava/Vlada Cherniavskaya beat Sara Kverno/Mari Helena Boe 21-11, 21-11.

Although without Olympic 2008 quarterfinalist. Olga Konon whose beaten Singapore main player, Xing Aiying in first round, and come to Liverpool with ‘small team’ consist of 5 players, Belarus shows their level last night. Less than 2 hours they swept away 5 points from Norway.

Russia beat Latvia 5-0
XD : Alexander Nikoleanko/Valeria Sorokino beat Kristine Safere/Eduards Loze 21-3, 21-7.
MS : Ivan Sozonov beat Raimonds Cipe 21-10, 21-9.
WS : Ella Diehl beat Kristine Safere 21-3, 21-8.
MD : Alexander Nikolaneko/Vitaly Durkin beat Karlis Vidaas/Guntis Lavrinovics 21-13, 21-6.
WD : Nina Vislova/Valeria Sorokina beat Madara Pukite/Zane Metra 21-3, 21-8.

What a match! Russia proves their plan seriously when said they want Olympic medals from Badminton for 2016. Now they’re develop so fast and last night they did very well.

Group 7 :

Ukraine beat Italy 5-0
XD : Dmytro Zavadskyy/Mariya Diptan beat Giovanni Traina/Federica Panini 21-11, 21-10.
MS : Valeriy Atrashchenkov beat Rosario Maddaloni 21-11, 21-18.
WS : Larisa Griga beat Agnese Allegrini 21-11, 21-12.
MD : Vladislav Druzchenko/Vitaly Konov beat Pierluigi Musiari/Giovanni Greco 21-19, 21-14.
WD : Anna Kobceva/Elena Prus beat Elena Chepurnova/ Federica Panini 21-12, 21-16.

The 32 round Olympic player, Larisa Griga succeed to bring her team as the leader of group 7.

Iceland beat Hungary 3-2
MS : Magnus Ingi Helgason lost from Henrik Toth 22-20, 19-21, 17-21.
WS : Tinna Helgadottir beat Orsolya Varga 21-13, 21-14.
MD : Magnus Ingi Helgasson/Helgi Johannesson beat David Sarosi/Andras Nemeth 21-12, 21-14.
WD : Karitas Osk/Snjolaug Johannsdottir lost from Sarolta Varga/Orsolyna Varga 10-21, 21-13, 16-21.
XD : Helgi Johannesson/Tinna Helgadottir beat Henrik Toth/Krisztina Adam 21-15, 21-13.

Magnus, Tinna and Helgi at their top performance last night. Although going with small team, Iceland players has been prepared very well to play not only in one sector.

EUROPEANS – Scotland beat Wales in Battle of Britain Part 1

2009-02-11T02:10:00.000-08:00

This evening in Liverpool Scotland beat Wales 4-1 in the first round of the battle of Britain. Meanwhile England took little time is disposing of the threat of Czech Republic to solidify their position as number 2 seeds for the tournament. Elsewhere the Ukraine showed why they are a force to be reckoned with as they brushed aside Italy
By Mark Phelan (Live) Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Liverpool)
While all the attention was justifiably centred on England (Blair and Adcock photo left) making their debut on home soil there was plenty of quality badminton on show this evening on all courts in the Echo Arena. Scotland got off to the perfect start as they left Wales with an uphill climb if they are now to proceed from group 8. Scotland took control of the tie with the score level at 1-1 in matches as Susan Hughes (photo right) crushed Caroline Harvey 21-10 21-5. Scotland went on to win the final two matches to take the match 4-1 to set up and eagerly awaited tie with England on Thursday which might ultimately decide the group winners.
England meanwhile, play on the adjoining court, had the experienced combination of Clark and Kellogg up first and they duly provided a performance that justifies there status as world number 4. Their 21-9 21-8 demolition of Pavel Florian and Martina Besesova set England on their way to a 5-0 win. England did not have it all their own way however as Elizabeth Cann had to dig deep into her reserves to see of Christina Ludikova 21-17 21-19 and the women’s doubles at the tail end of the match went to three sets.
The Ukraine had a sweeping 5-0 victory over Italy in a match that saw world number 22 Larisa Griga show all the qualities that has elevated her to one of Europe’s top female singles players.

“I felt very comfortable today on court. I am in good form and I think we have a really balanced team this year. We really want to win this group and go on and maybe play England on their home soil in the next round. Personally I feel I am still improving and hopefully there is more to come from me in the coming years as I want to push on into the worlds top 16 which I am close to achieving.”
said Griga after her impressive singles win today
The match between Iceland and Hungary was always going to be a tight affair on paper and as expected it went down to the final match. Iceland managed to steal the victory which is sure to bolster their spirits ahead of their next match against Italy which if they can win will leave them with a realistic chance of advancing beyond the group stages.
In group 4 Russia (with Sorokina and Vislova, pictured left) cruised by Latvia as none of their games extended beyond 20 mins. In the same group Belarus, minus the influential Olga Konon, also completed a 5-0 whitewash to keep the Russians looking over their shoulders.
Tomorrow sees the awaited introduction of championship favourites Denmark in group 1 as they take to the courts at 10am against Spain. France, the number 7 seeds, open their campaign against European minnows Cyprus on the adjoining court.
For all results go HERE

EUROPEAN CHAMPS Day 1 – Favourites Open In Style

2009-02-11T02:06:00.001-08:00

As the European Team Championships kicks off in the impressive Echo Arena, Liverpool today both Germany and The Netherlands sent out a clear signal to all their major rivals that they are here, ready, willing and able and in the form to figure in the final shake up come Sunday.

By: Mark Phelan. Photos: badmintonphoto.com (Live in Liverpool)

As play commenced in the newly constructed Echo Arena all eyes were firmly transfixed on both The Netherlands and Germany as they opened their group campaigns.

The Netherlands took to court 3 of the six court arena and faced a potential tricky tie against a determined and youthful Austrian team. The Dutch immediately stamped their mark on the game as they raced into a 2-0 lead courtesy of Eric Pang (photo right) and when Judith Meulendijks brushed aside the challenge of Miriam Gruber 21-6 21-8 the direction of the tie was no longer in doubt. Koen Ridder and Jurgen Wouthers were forced to work hard against Peter Zauner and Michael Lahnsteiner before prevailing in two 21-17 28-26 before Paulien Van Dooremalen and Yao Jie wrapped (photo top left) up the tie 21-12 21-9 to record an emphatic 5-0 victory

“It feels good to win the first match. Everyone on the team played really well today. There is some drift in the hall and the lights are not the best but it’s the same for everyone so we have to just get on with the job. We are really looking forward to the rest of the competition now as we have no individual competition to worry about after the team event so everyone has the chance to play and not be worried about injuries ahead of any individual event.” Said Van Dooremalen after winning her women’s doubles with partner Yao Jie.

Meanwhile Germany announced their arrival in Liverpool with a equally professional 5-0 win over Slovakia. The Germans stuttered to a start as the mixed pairing of Birgit Overzier and Johannes Schoettler struggled to win the opening set of the opening game 26-24 against Jarolim Vicen and Gabriela Zabavnikova but they soon regained their composure to take the second set 21-15 and give the Germans, sporting their fog horns and cow bells, the lead they needed. Easy wins for Marc Zwiebler and Xu Huaiwen in the men’s and women’s singles eased the Germans into a 3-0 win before their mens doubles of Michael Fuchs/Tim Dettman and women’s doubles Juliane Schenk /Sandra Marinello (photo bottom left) sealed the victory with ease.

Number 4 seeds for the tournament, Poland had to endure a loss in the women’s singles before overcoming the threat posed by Lithuania 4-1. World number 9 Przemyslaw Wacha lead the way with a 2-0 win over Kestutis Navickas before Poland sealed the win with a 2-0 win in the mixed doubles.

Other winners in the morning session of day one were Bulgaria as they destroyed Finland 4-1. Bulgaria with world number 13 Petya Nedelcheva firing on all cylinders are sure to offer stiff competition to the Poles in their quest to top the standings of group 6.

In the closest match of the day Sweden had to fight hard to overcome a stubborn Estonian team as the match went to the final set of the final match. Estonia managed to win both the men’s singles and women’s singles through Raul Must and Kati Tolmoff while Estonia levelled up the match by winning the mixed and Men’s doubles. In the final match the Swedish women’s doubles pair of Emma Wengberg and Elin Bergblom had to fight back from a set down to finally clinch the match for Sweden by 2-1 and with it the overall match 3-2

All results can be found HERE

EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS - Denmark or Not Denmark ?

2009-02-11T01:44:00.000-08:00

The european team championships kicks off in Liverpool today, with high expectations from the local English team, as Denmark has not sent its full squad.

Raphael Sachetat, photos (archives) : Badmintonphoto.com

Peter Gade, and the Pair of Ramsussen/Paaske are not in Liverpool. The rest of the Danish squad (photo) however, supposed to be landing in Liverpool today, is likely to still take the crown for the fifth consecutive time. Joachim Persson, Tine Rasmussen, Boe/Mogensen, Laybourn/Rytter-Juhl should provide their team mates with enough experience to bag the title they had once again clinched at home in Herning, last year.

But England, the second seeds, will have in mind to shine at home with players just as experienced and the home advantage. And end the 25 years title drought - they had won last in Preston, in 1984. The English, however, have a tricky first half of the week as their group matches will see them face their daily training partners as they face Scotland and Wales on top of the Czech Republic.

If England and Denmark are set to meet in the final, no less than 36 countries will fight during the first three days to top their groups and enter the quarter final stage on Friday.

Germany, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Russia, France and Poland are the other seeds and should make it to that stage, with expected confrontations between France and Denmark, Poland and Netherlands, Enland Vs Ukraine and Germany Vs Russia.

It is the first time that the team event has been split from the individual event which will be held in 2010 in Manchester. The Asian Badminton Championships will be held in Suwon, Korea, next April.

For live results, click HERE

INDONESIA - Olympic champion slams the door

2009-02-07T06:37:00.000-08:00

According to Kompas, the daily newspaper from Indonesia, Markis Kido slammed the door of his National Federation PBSI this Friday after a meeting didn't turn out the way he wanted.

The relationship between some players and the National Federation PBSI has been degrading for the past few months, and after the official announcement from Taufik that he would turn professional, it is now another Olympic champion which turns his back on his Federation.

His partner Hendra Setiawan is said to have stayed in PBSI for now, but Kido could be partnering his younger brother Bona Septano - also a top Indonesian shuttler - and possibly his sister Pia Zebadiah Bernadet in the mixed double. Other players are also in the wait for the outcome of this political battle between some players and the new PBSI elected staff while others have already planned to go abroad to seek opportunities

INDONESIA – Taufik Turns Professional

2009-01-31T23:56:00.000-08:00

Taufik Hidayat gave a press conference in Jakarta on Friday to claim his new independance from his National Federation, PB PBSI. The Indonesian shuttler had left PB PBSI once before when he fled to Singapore before returning to his homeland under the tutelage of his coach Mulyo Handoyo. The latter’s turned down the offer of renewal in 2009 by PB PBSI. In a statement that he gave during the press conference in Jakarta, Taufik explained it was a hard decision for him to leave PB PBSI and turn professional, but his reasons are to make way for the younger generation. Taufik hinted that he would continue his career as an independent and professional player and expressed his gratitude to his former employers.
Here is the statement from Taufik :
Jakarta, 30 January 2009

"For the past 12 years i have practiced and played badminton while living at the National Badminton Training Headquarters (Pelatnas) in Cipayung. And during that time PB PBSI (The Indonesian Badminton Association) has provided me with the chance to share happiness and sadness, to experience the exhilaration of winning and the downside of losing. PB PBSI as the highest badminton organization in Indonesia has teach me about many things in life; on solidarity, independence, on what is right and what is wrong, as well as teaching me on having the highest sense of pride as i look up and were able to watch our flag on the highest platform possible many times before, that Winning is an Attitude.

The solidarity and bond that is shared between me and the community in Pelatnas remained the strongest. We have experienced various happy and sad events that people can only possibly dreamed of. That is why, after a long 12 years in Pelatnas, the bond that we share is deeper than that of a working relationship, because we are a part of a dedicated and commited family.

In order to leave the family that i have in Cipayung, is not something that i take lightly, but i’ve reminded myself many times before, that in order a proper regeneration of PB PBSI atheletes would be able to happen smoothly, that is why i have reached one of the most difficult decisions of my life, that is to be apart from the management of PB PBSI, and being a professional badminton player. I’ve reached this decision in hopes that it would be able to push as well as accelerate my juniors progress on court. For they also deserve to be recognized by PB PBSI and to be shown faith of their abilities, like many has shown faith and hope in my abilities. I do hope, that with this huge burden , they would be motivate to be the very best.

If we were to look at my age and the achievements that i have painstakingly achieved, this period could very well be the perfect opportunity for me to further build my career outside Pelatnas. A plan that have been a long time in the making, could finally be realized at the point where my badminton career credibility could only be seen as positive. For we all know and have learned from past experience of our seniors, many were conditioned to resigned as their achievement dwindle little by little, or because of a continued injury. This is why i forced myself to think practically and effective, in order to ensure that the future of my career and also, my family would not be at risk.

But, i do acknowleged the important fact that I’ve come to be what I am now, is owed largely to PB PBSI’s support through out the years. I am sure the gratitude that i speak of for PB PBSI, as they took me under their wings all those years ago, would not be able to fully express the extend of my respect for them. They have been one of the biggest part of my journey through life.

Wherever i may be, i would continue my efforts to fight through badminton for our country, because I Believe, that it is not important “Where” do i fight, but for “Whom” i would always be fighting for, which is the same as PB PBSI’s mission, that is for the good of Indonesia.

For you Indonesia,

EUROPEAN CHAMPS – Denmark sends younger team

2009-01-31T23:49:00.000-08:00

EUROPEAN CHAMPS – Denmark sends younger team

Denmark will be favourite to win the team European Championships, but it will be without veterans Peter Gade and the duo of Paaske/Ramsussen. The Danes will bank on their new talents to keep the Gold medal they have won 12 times already. All teams line-ups have just been unveiled by organizers.

Raphael Sachetat, Photos : Badmintonphoto.com (archives)

Denmark will be favourite for the Team European Championships, to be held in Liverpool next month. But there will be a chance for other teams to beat the great Danes, as three key figures will be missing from the squad : Peter Gade, Jonas Rasmussen and Lars Paaske. If the latter will see no objection to this decision as he is due to be a father fairly soon, Peter Gade on his side may have wanted to go and see the city of his favourite football team. “In a way, I am disappointed not to go, but I understand perfectly the coaches’ decision. Actually, had I been a coach, I would have probably made the same decision because it’s important that the younger players learn to cope with a bit more pressure on their shoulders. And I think I have given my share to the team already.” said Gade in a telephone interview.

The confusion over Gade’s participation – he was announced by the Organizers to be participating in the event – was probably due to the fact that Denmark is anticipating possible injuries – especially with the Denmark National Championships this week-end and hence, sending the biggest possible list. “This is probably why my name was on the list, but I will not be going to Liverpool unless something happens to one of our men’s singles” confirmed Gade (photo right).

Denmark will surely miss his number one, who has proven his great form by scooping the Korea Open recently, but the younger generation has proven its worth recently : Joachim Persson (photo up) and Jan Jorgensen have both performed very well lately, the former entering the top 10 and qualifying for the Super Series final while Jorgensen recently clinched the Swedish International, where most of the other top European players were featured. For the doubles, Boe and Mogensen (pictured in rotator spot) will take over the spot left empty by Paaske and Rasmussen, but once again, their recent win in Korea – beating no less that Lee/Jung in the final, at home – will probably see them filled with confidence to lead the team for the first time. And if this wasn’t enough, Tine Rasmussen, on her side, will make the trip to Liverpool to ensure some important points in the singles. The mixed team sent to England is the strongest possible with both Laybourn/Juhl and Fischer-Nieslen/Pedersen , while two key figures of the Women’s double will stay home : Helle Nielsen and Lena Frier, the latter being also European Champion.

Other teams send full line up.

If Denmark looks as the favourites on paper, other teams have sent their strongest line ups, as expected and the fact that 5 key figures of the Danish team are missing will probably give the others some hopes. Second seeds and hosts England will bank on their full “post Emms” squad with three key players – Nathan Robertson, Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg (photo) , who have more than 250 International Caps all together. Germany and Poland, seeded 3rd and 4th respectively will also be eying for Denmark’s false move, even if Poland will have to play without Nadiezda Kostiuczyk, who has undergone a hip surgery and is out for several months. Germany are set to play with their full squad, led by Xu Huaiwen. Same goes for the Dutch – who will have an homogeneous team with most of their players able to be featured both in singles and doubles. France with its 7th seed spot is sending its youngest team ever – apart from Pi Hongyan who turned 30 this past Sunday. The French men squad’s average age is 20.

Badzine will be covering the European Championships live from Liverpool

Official Website here

SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL - Jorgensen Does Double Dutch

2009-01-25T23:26:00.000-08:00

SWEDISH INTERNATIONAL - Jorgensen Does Double Dutch

Jan O Jorgensen was today crowned Swedish International Champion and in doing so has laid down a clear marker to the rest of the badminton world. His three set win over Dicky Palyama (photo left) in today’s final is the icing on the cake for the young Dane as earlier in the week he beat Palyama’s compatriot and current world number 23 Eric Pang.

By Mark Phelan. Photos: badmintonphoto.com (archive)

Jorgensen’s last appearance on the International scene was back in September 2008 at the China Masters. The following week Jorgensen (photo right) sustained a back injury which, at the time, was a huge blow to the young Dane as it kept him out of his home Super Series event in October and the French Super Series later that month.
Sweden has been a happy hunting ground for Jorgensen as last year he reached the final but to win this year was certainly more than he could have wished for given his 4 month lay off.
Jorgensen had to recover from loosing the opening set to Palyama 16-21 before eventually taking the match with a 22-20 21-17 win in the second and third sets in a game that lasted 6 minutes short of an hour.

“I was very nervous at the beginning of the match. Dicky was playing pretty well and he got a comfortable lead. It was the end of the first set before I managed to settle and play some good rallies but it was to late. In the second set I tried to move Dicky around a bit and it was a close game. I was 18-16 up and made a few errors to leaving Dicky with 2 match points. I managed to steal the second set 22-20 with a run of four points. The third set I felt very good and purposely played long rallies and I took the third set and the match. Im so glad to be back now and winning my first tournament in a long time is a huge boost for me. I cant wait now for at our nationals, the German Open and of course the All England’s and Swiss Super Series” commented Jorgensen after his win

In the women’s singles Japans Yu Hirayama (photo) had little difficulty in seeing of the challenge of Malaysia’s Anita Raj Kaur in two sets. In a match that lasted only 33 minutes the Japanese shuttler ran out a 21-15 21-14 winner to lift the title.

England’s hope of success were dashed when Chris Landridge and David Lindley were beaten in a very competitive men’s doubles final by Shoji Sato and Naoki Kawamae in three sets 15-21 21-14 21-17. The win handed Japan its second gold on finals day after the success of Hirayama in the women’s singles. There was a double blow for the English as Robert Adcock and Heather Olver were convincingly beaten by Ukrainian pair Atrashchenkov and Prus in two sets in a match that extended to just 27 minutes.

In the final match of the day the combination of Pauline Van Dooremalen and Rachel Van Custen restored some Dutch pride as they emerged victorious in a dramatic three set battle by beating local favourites Emelie Lennartsson and Emma Wengberg in the closest match of the day. The Swedish pair took the opener 22-20 and appeared to be heading to victory in front of their home supporters but the gutsy Dutch girls battled back to take the second set 19-21 and the final rubber 22-20

For all results click HERE

SWEDISH INTER'L - Jorgensen back

2009-01-21T15:49:00.001-08:00

Jan Jorgensen has completed his recovery from his back injury and will be back to perform in the neighbouring Swedish Internationals this week end, part of the EBU circuit. The young Dane, who has entered history for being the first Dane in 10 years to beat his compatriot Peter Gade - had suffered a set back when he was told to stay out of practise for a while. "At first, the doctors thought something was wrong with my discus, but it turned out to be that my lower back muscles where just too tense. Then, the best way to get rid of it was to work had in the fitness center" said Jorgensen. "Now, I have started training again since the beggining of december, so I am aiming for a strong comeback for the next months" added the Dane.

Seeded 5th, he will be playing Yuhan Tan of Belgium in the first round, with Ville Lang and top seed Eric Pang as probable opponents to come, in Sweden. The Danes have sent a strong contingent in Stockholm with no less than 5 shuttlers involved in the men's single event.

NO ALL ENGLAND AND WORLDS For Hafiz

2009-01-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

According to the Malaysia's STAR, Hafiz Hashim has been dropped from the squad participating in the Yonex All England next march. The world rank 33 would then be missing the World Championships. Misbun Sidek has let him know he was willing Hafiz to work on a training program instead of sending him out to compete in International tournaments.

DENMARK - Home celebration for in-form girls

2009-01-21T15:37:00.000-08:00

DENMARK - Home celebration for in-form girls

The evening session for the Denmark Interclub between Lillerod and Vaerlose - two of the leading teams in the Danish Elite division - was marked by a ceremony to welcome back two special shuttlers from Vaerløse - Tine Rasmussen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl (pictured here with Jesper Bach, the Mayor of Furesø)

Photo live by Harald Saether

The two girls have been shining on International stage, with Kamilla Rytter-Juhl as winner of the Super Series finals in Kota Kinabalu while Tine Rasmussen won back to back the Malaysia and Korea Open this sunday. "It's great because our club always celebrates us when we have good victories outside Denmark. We get flowers and good wine" said Rytter-Juhl. Rasmussen on her side didn't suffer the jetlag after her trip back from Korea and won in straight games against China's Rong Bo to confort her team mates victory 4/2.

It will be difficult however for Vaerlose to match the top two teams, Jonassen's Greve and the team led by Peter Gade, Tony Gunawan and Nathan Robertson - Team Skælskør Slagelse (TSS) who are probably going to end up as the best two teams after the regular season. Apart from the win of Vaerløse, the other ceremenoy which took place was the 17th award of the most promising player of Sjaelland, given by Poul Eric Hoyer Larsen to Maria Helsbøl. Tine Rasmussen, Martin Lundgaard and Kasper Ipsen, all present the same evening, had gotten the same award few years earlier.

KOREA OPEN Finals – Super Series gets 2 New Champions!

2009-01-21T15:36:00.000-08:00

KOREA OPEN Finals – Super Series gets 2 New Champions!

Lee Hyo Jung and Lee Yong Dae went on an attacking rampage to blaze to the mixed doubles gold at the 2009 Korea Open. They did not fare so well apart, however, as Denmark’s Mathias Boe / Carsten Mogensen (pictured) and Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Wen Hsing / Chien Yu Chin each won their first ever Super Series title.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Korea: 2, Thailand: 0, Crowd: thousands

It was the biggest crowd for the Korea Open this decade. They had all gathered to see Korea’s doubles pairs trounce their opponents and Korea’s best had all obliged by making the finals. No spectacle was more eagerly awaited than the Olympic champions themselves, and Lee Yong Dae / Lee Hyo Jung did not disappoint.

The mixed doubles final belonged to the home pair from start to finish. The Thai pair just could not seem to grab the attack and they did not lead even once in the 23 minutes it took Lee/Lee to romp to a 21-8, 21-7 victory.

“I was a little nervous at first, but it was better once we got into the game," said Lee Yong Dae at the post-match press conference. "I think with the confidence we've gained from winning the Olympics, we are making fewer mistakes and not giving away one or two points just on errors. I think that's why we've had good results at the China Open and here. Hyo Jung is still the leader out there. She is the one with the most match experience and I feel comfortable looking to her.

"I didn't want to play this match with the thoughts of the men's doubles final in the background so I tried to play as if the mixed doubles final were the only match I was playing today."

Unfortunately for both Lees, the confidence from winning the mixed doubles was not enough to carry them to the two other titles that they and the home fans were hoping for.

Cheng/Chien win Rematch to Take First Super Series Title

Lee Hyo Jung, who put in a flawless performance in the mixed doubles, seemed to return to her error-prone ways in the women's doubles final. Lee Kyung Won, too, seemed to lack that extra spring in her step that had carried the pair to a second consecutive win over Yang/Zhang the day before.

The Korean ladies looked very strong to begin with. They opened up a 16-10 lead in the first game but Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Wen Hsing and Chien Yu Chin (pictured) soon erased the gamp to tie it at 17-all. Lee/Lee then surged ahead to 19-17 but the Taiwan pair reeled them in once again, scoring four straight points to finish the game 21-19.

Two of the last three times that Cheng/Chien had played in the Korea Open, they lost to the eventual winners by falling apart in the last game and the same thing happened last week when they lost to the Koreans in the Malaysia Open semi-finals. They made no mistake this time, though, and ran away with the second game to win their third title in the past year. This was only the third time the world #3 pair - who have been in the world’s top 5 for much of this decade - had won a major title outside of Taiwan.

“The best thing that could happen”

Next up was Lee Yong Dae and Jung Jae Sung, who were looking for their fourth Super Series title in two months and who looked unbeatable in the early rounds as all of their opponents had struggled just to get into double figures and no match had lasted more than half an hour. Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen of Denmark dominated the first game, however, and no matter how loudly the crowd cheered, the Koreans just could not get on the attack. Every shot the Danes sent over seemed to drop between the net and the front service line and forced the Jung and Lee to raise the shuttle and give the Danes back the attack. Boe/Mogensen led from start to finish and closed out the first game 21-12.

The Danish pair continued to find success with this style and opened up a 12-8 lead in the second game but pushed a few shuttles into the net to bring up a 12-all. Some net mastery by Lee finally gave the Koreans a 14-13 lead but then the Koreans again gave the Danes the attack and the latter wore down their opponents’ defense to tie it up again. The game continued in this vein with the Koreans finally getting on the attack on a few occasions but mostly they were compelled to play more and more spectacular defense.

Jung/Lee (pictured) made a late rally and pulled a 3-point run to give them the game point that all expected would lead to a third and deciding game. Boe/Mogensen kep the pressure on, however, and the game went to extra points. Boe disputed a line call when one of his drives was called out at 21-all but heeded the umpire’s warnings to be silent and the Danes saved another game point to tie it back up. Two errors by the Koreans then gave the Danes the match and their first ever .

“I am just so thrilled," said Boe after the match. " This morning, I didn’t expect to win because it’s incredibly difficult to beat the Koreans here on home soil. They have the line judges with them and of course they’re the best pair in the world at the moment. To beat the Koreans on home soil: that’s the best thing that could happen.

“I think it’s because we play a little bit like them,” Boe said when asked how they were able to succeed, where so many fail, in troubling the Korean pair. “It’s very physical. We have a very good offense and they don’t have it so easy on defense. We don’t make so many mistakes and we can kill it. Some of the other Asians don’t hit as hard as we do.

Boe did not think any change of style was behind the Koreans’ recent success. “No. Lee Yong Dae has improved so much the last couple of years and that’s why their level is so much higher now. They play very like Koreans. They play powerful and that’s why they’re so good. They’re stronger than everybody else - maybe except us when we have a good day. I don’t feel they’ve changed so much. They’re just a few percent better all over the line.

“Our strategy was to get the best out of the first four and then get the attack and then work as hard as we possibly could because we knew we could not beat them if we stayed on defense too long. Of course we had to give them the offense sometimes but mainly we had to be strict and then focus on our attack.

“I think the conditions here have improved a lot. The stadium is almost full today. It’s very nice to play a full house. Even though we some line calls against us, I think the umpires and the line judges have been a lot more fair this year than last year. Of course, they still had about 3 calls that were clearly out on our side or in on their side but that’s just how it is in Korea.

“After the Olympics, where we had a big disappointment, we looked at each other and said that we wanted to prove to the old national coach that he was wrong and that we could achieve great things and we did that, winning the Chinese Taipei Open just after the Olympics and then two smaller tournaments in Europe and then runner-up in China and then the victory here. I think we have proven ourselves.”

Boe, who is now 28, says that he intends to play in the London Olympics, not just to watch it and that he will definitely be in the game in 2012, barring any serious injury. He says that he and Mogensen are very professional about considering their condition when choosing which tournaments to attend and that is why they skipped the Malaysia Open last week. Like all of today’s champions, the next goal for the Danes is the All England and they will decide, based on their performance there, whether to play the Swiss Open. For now, the Danes can travel back home to relish their new status as Super Series title-holders.

For complete results from the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series finals, please CLICK HERE

Taiwan duo take women's badminton title

2009-01-18T18:12:00.000-08:00

SEOUL -- Top seeds Cheng Wen-hsing and Chien Yu-chin from Taiwan defeated South Korea's Lee Hyojung and Lee Kungwon Sunday to win the women's doubles title at the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series held in Seoul.

Cheng and Chien stopped their second-seeded South Korean opponents in straight sets, 21-19, 21-8.

The Taiwanese women got off to a rocky start in the first set, falling behind 11-5, but seemed more comfortable together after taking a break. The fought back to tie the set at 19-19 before closing it out by taking the final two points.

Riding the momentum of their first set comeback, the Taiwanese duo coasted past the South Koreans in the second set to clinch the title.

Cheng and Chien won US$27,000 for their efforts at the US$300,000 tournament, which featured a total of 175 men and women from 21 countries.

The team from Denmark was the biggest winner in the competition, walking away with three of the tournament's five titles — in the men's singles, women's singles and men's doubles.

The host team of South Korea only managed to win the mixed doubles event

KOREA OPEN Finals – Singles Double for Denmark

2009-01-18T17:47:00.000-08:00

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

KOREA OPEN SF - Ha-PI Days are Here Again!

2009-01-18T17:45:00.000-08:00

KOREA OPEN SF - Ha-PI Days are Here Again!

For Pi Hongyan (pictured) of France, 2009 has started in the best way as the world #7 followed up her semi-final appearance in Malaysia by making her first final in over a year. Her less fortunate opponent, Zhou Mi, is one of four players who had won a Korea Open title while playing for China’s national squad but who came up short today.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Pi Hongyan was on fire today in her semi-final against Zhou Mi. Pi was a two-time semi-finalist at the Korea Open while Zhou Mi is a two-time champion but today it definitely seemed that the tables had turned. The French player seemed so light on her feet as she glided about the court and executed her shots with precision.

“I knew how I had to play,” explained Pi after the match. “We reviewed last week’s match when we arrived here and I knew I had to be patient, use the whole court, and not leave myself open to her attacks. That worked well today. I played at my rhythm, I dictated the match and I felt good on my feet. Fatigue definitely worked in my favour because she seemed tired while I was still fresh, on account of the easier matches that I’d had earlier in the week.”

Pi made a crucial comeback in the first game, where she was trailing 13-18 but dug deep and pulled the game out 23-21. Zhou led throughout the second game but Pi was the one who still had some left in the third and she came away the 23-21, 19-21, 21-12 winner.

Pi’s opponent will be last week’s winner, Tine Rasmussen (pictured) of Denmark, who had a comparatively easy 21-10, 21-11 win over Hong Kong’s Wang Chen that took only 19 minutes.

“I feel so happy to be in the final again after going all the way last week,” said Tine. “I feel like I am at my old level again. It’s been a hard season but I think I’ve done the right preparation. There have been some small injuries but nothing to worry about. I think it’s a good sign that I can win one tournament and then go on to do well in the next one."

Gade vs. Lee : Round 4

The women’s singles provided more thrills, certainly, than the men’s event. Simon Santoso fell ill on Friday night and announced his withdrawal from the semi-finals on Saturday, giving Peter Gade a free pass to the final. There, he will face Malaysia’s formidable Lee Chong Wei, who had little trouble beating the Dane in their two matches in last month’s Super Series Masters Finals in Kota Kinabalu, though things were closer last week in Kuala Lumpur. This time, however, neither player will have home court advantage but Gade might just feel a little more at home. The three-time Korea Open champion has for some time been one of the few non-Korean household names among badminton enthusiasts here.

Denmark has a chance at 3 golds on Sunday, in fact, as Boe/Mogensen dominated their semi-final against Chinese Taipei's Fang/Lee. The Danish pair will attempt to prevent Korea's Jung/Lee from taking their fifth title in 2 months. In fact, it was a win over Boe/Mogensen that gave the Koreans the first of those five.

More Former Champions Bow Out

Two-time champions Yang Wei / Zhang Jiewen came up short for the second consecutive week as Lee Hyo Jung / Lee Kyung Won (pictured) looked stronger than ever. Lee Hyo Jung seemed to be using her height and strength to advantage more than in the past and rained down smashes on the former Olympic Champions.

“I thought if I didn’t attack, we wouldn’t be able to win so I resolved to keep pounding away until the rallies ended,” said Lee Hyo Jung after the match.

This strategy along with the Korean pair’s overall consistency worked wonderfully in the first game but they found themselves trailing in the second as the Chinese led throughout. Lee/Lee had a perfect chance to tie the second game when, at 11-12, Lee Hyo Jung had a perfect kill opportunity but swung too early and mishit the shuttle, giving the advantage to the Chinese, who took the attack and sent each of the Korean ladies sprawling to the floor in succession. This set off a 7-point run by the Chinese from which the Koreans never recovered and they ceded the second game 18-21.

The third game belonged to the home pair and they qualified for their second straight final with a 21-16, 18-21, 21-10 victory.

“Before we played in Malaysia, we were a little nervous with Lee Kyung Won coming back from injury,” Lee Hyo Jung explained. “I told her to take it easy, that we needed to make sure she didn’t get injured again.” Hyo Jung explained that she hopes to continue to partner Lee Kyung Won until the London Olympics.

Asked whether it would be possible to keep playing until 2012, Lee replied with a twinkle in her eye “Shouldn’t it be possible?”

Still, the task at hand is on Sunday afternoon, when the Koreans will be going after their second Korea Open title but, ironically, playing in their first final together. The last time they won their home event, in 2005, they had a walkover in the final when Emms/Kellog were force to withdraw.

Gao Ling, herself a 3-time winner in Korea, was beaten by the top seeds in what paradoxically seemed like an upset. Chinese Taipei’s Cheng Wen Hsing / Chien Yu Chin (pictured above) won in two games over Gao/Wei 21-15, 21-17.

Thais to Mix it up with Olympic Champions

Songphon Anugritayawon / Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (pictured) of Thailand have made great strides this year and finally have ended up in their first ever final in any major tournament. They enjoyed the narrowest of two-game victories when they beat India’s Diju V / Jwala Gutta 21-19, 22-20. The Thais saved two game points in the second game before jumping ahead to secure the win.

The Thais have the unenviable task of taking on the Olympic champions Lee Yong Dae / Lee Hyo Jung in the final. Hong Kong’s Chau/Wiratama stayed closed throughout most of the first game but finally Lee/Lee pulled ahead and never looked back in the second as they roared to a 21-16, 21-11 win.

They’ll have more than just the prowess of the world’s #2 pair to contend with. Lee/Lee’s professional team, Samsung, typically brings in busloads of boisterous supporters to augment a cheering section that, this year, will no doubt be dominated by legions of young girls swooning over Lee Yong Dae.

Lee Hyo Jung said after her semi-final that Olympic success has made life significantly different. Though she hopes that the attention now focussed on Lee Yong Dae will turn into interest in all of the players and in the sport of badminton itself, she is clearly already sharing that limelight to some extent.

“These days, even when I go to a public bathhouse, people recognize me and suddenly people will buy me soft drinks,” Lee admitted. The No. 2 Olympic Gymnasium has been patrolled this weekend by giant likenesses of both the Beijing gold medallists and the two original icons will no doubt be doing their best in the final to justify the attention.

For complete semi-final results from the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series, please CLICK HERE

KOREA OPEN SF – Payback for Lee and Jung!

2009-01-17T01:06:00.000-08:00

KOREA OPEN SF – Payback for Lee and Jung!

Jung Jae Sung and Lee Yong Dae left no doubt about their status as the world’s top pair as they rid their closet of the Danish monster, beating an under-the-weather Paaske/ Rasmussen in two quick games.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Any who were hoping for a competitive match were disappointed with the way the first match transpired on semi-finals day at the 2009 Yonex Korea Open. However, this is not what the majority of the spectators at Seoul’s No. 2 Olympic Gymnasium were hoping for. No, for them, the thrill of seeing Lee Yong Dae and Jung Jae Sung run roughshod over an opposing pair of any description was enough.

Jung Jae Sung, who will begin his military service on February 2nd, was elated after the win over the team that had nipped the Korean duo’s Olympic campaign in the bud.

“We were very nervous about playing them again in front of a home crowd in Korea,” said Jung after the match, “but since we were able to get the upper hand early in the match, our nerves settled in and we started to play with confidence.

“I think if we had been in a fast driving game, we would have been in trouble in this match. We experimented with a side-by-side position more instead of front and back and that seemed to give us an extra edge.”

Jonas Rasmussen offered a clear explanation of what went wrong for the visiting team today. “Lars has been sick all week,” Jonas revealed. “He was shivering during the warm-up and I brought nothing to the match. You just can’t beat this team if you don’t bring you’re A-game.

“We are happy with the result in this tournament. We did well in the first round against the other young Korean pair and we thought we might have a shot if Lars could get fresh but unfortunately it went the other way. And this is a whole different level of pair from those we were playing the rest of the week.”

Jung/Lee go on to play the winner of Boe/Mogensen of Denmark and Fang/Lee of Chinese Taipei. Lee Yong Dae will, of course, feature in the second last match of the day with Lee Hyo Jung against Chau/Wiratama of Hong Kong.

For live semi-final results from the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series, please CLICK HERE

Comments

KOREA OPEN QF – Danes Win Big in Korean Quarters

2009-01-17T01:05:00.000-08:00

KOREA OPEN QF – Danes Win Big in Korean Quarters

Tine Rasmussen and Peter Gade (pictured) both fought through three-game matches to book their places in the semi-finals while an all-Danish final beckons in men’s doubles as both Boe/Mogensen and Paaske/Rasmussen made it to the final four for the second consecutive year. However, Jung Jae Sung / Lee Yong Dae have their sights set on breaking up the party now that they have booked their rematch with their Olympic nemeses.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Lightning Won’t Strike Twice for Shon as All Singles Favourites Win

After the early loss in mixed doubles, Denmark’s fortunes started to change as three-time champion Peter Gade took on Korean youngster Shon Wan Ho in the men’s singles. Gade was never really threatened in the first game and won it 21-13 but Shon ran away with the second game, taking it 21-7.

“My coach Morten Frost watched the whole [Persson vs. Shon] match yesterday and we discussed it. I knew I had to be patient because he is very defensive and a very good fighter and I knew he was going to throw everything back,” Gade said afterward. “The other side of the court was a little more difficult to play on and when he started to get ahead I let go, rather than worry about trying to close it to 21-16 or something because I wanted to be sure I had enough energy in the third game.” In that third game, Gade dominated, leading start to finish and winning 21-17.

“I knew I had to take my breaks and be patient because his offence is not that good. That is the case with a lot of young players, especially for Shon because he was comfortable playing at home with a lot of support. I think he will have trouble winning in different conditions, though, because his attack is not so strong.

“My opponent in the first round [Park Wan Ho] seemed to be more talented, actually. I mean, for the future, he could be the next Lee Hyun Il,” Gade offered.

Gade goes on to face Simon Santoso, runaway winner over compatriot Andre Kurniawan Tedjono.

“My goal in these two tournaments was to reach two semi-finals,” Gade revealed. “There have just been too many tournaments and too much travelling so I thought if I can make two semi-finals, and keep my ranking in the top five, I will be very pleased. But physically, things are good and I’m very optimistic about the future.

“Still, I have won here 3 times so that would be nice to win again. I will have to be fired up to beat Simon. He is a good counterattack player.”

In the last singles match of the day, Tine Rasmussen completed the set of favourites advancing to the semi-finals. Tine came back from one game down to beat Indonesia’s Adriyanti Firdasari in a match of 3 one-sided games. Firdasari’s departure leaves Simon Santoso and Lee Chong Wei as the only representatives of Indonesia and Malaysia respectively.

Denmark continued to march on as Boe/Mogensen (pictured) met the challenge of the last remaining pair in a strong Indonesian doubles contingent. It was a thrilling match of spectacular attacking play and even more spectacular defense by both sides. The crowd was roaring in amazement as all four players repeatedly returned seemingly unreturnable smashes. The Danes missed out on one match point opportunity in the second game but made sure in the third and advanced to the semi-finals with a 21-17, 22-24, 21-14 win.

Boe/Mogensen will meet Chinese Taipei’s Fang/Lee who pulled off another upset, this time in two games over Malaysia’s Choong Tan Fook / Lee Wan Wah.

Jung/Lee set for Revenge at Home

Both Jung Jae Sung / Lee Yong Dae (pictured) and Lars Paaske / Jonas Rasmussen executed their latest straight game victory to set up a meeting in the semi-finals, their first since the Danes rained on the Koreans’ parade in the first round of the Olympic Games. Jung Jae Sung is soon to start his two years of military service, something from which an Olympic medal could have exempted him.

This will be the two pairs’ first meeting with either of them having home court advantage and the rise in ticket prices for the admission to the No. 2 Gymnasium at Seoul’s Olympic Park is unlikely to keep the weekend fans away. The crowds always grow considerably in Seoul once the work week ends and as the cold snap breaks and the outdoor temperatures go up another 4 degrees, the cheering for the fans’ darling Lee Yong Dae could well reach a fever pitch. The only question is who will handle the pressure better.

For complete quarter-final results from the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series, please CLICK HERE

KOREA OPEN QF – No one can Keep up with the Lees

2009-01-17T01:03:00.000-08:00

KOREA OPEN QF – No one can Keep up with the Lees

Four Lees – one Malaysian and 3 Korean – booked their spots in the semi-finals in Seoul on Friday at the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series. Lee Hyo Jung and Lee Yong Dae both did doubles duty by qualifying in both mixed and their other doubles disciplines. Lee Chong Wei (pictured), meanwhile, won his rematch with Park Sung Hwan, affirming his dominance over the Korean star.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Europeans Shut out of Mixed

While the afternoon started off with Losses for both of Indonesia’s mixed doubles pairs, they were shortly to be joined on the sidelines by the remainder of the European mixed contingent. Shendy Puspa Irawati / Fran Kurniawan were the first victims of the day as Korea’s Lee/Lee put on a show for a crowd that had clearly gathered just to see them. It was all over in 23 minutes but the spectators had ample opportunity to cheer their darlings during the 21-11, 21-11 romp.

Not far away, Meiliana Jauhari / Rendra Wijaya were playing like seeds for two games before the poise and precision of the Indian pair finally allowed them to take control in the decider and Diju V / Jwala Gutta finished it off 21-17, 16-21, 21-9.

After trailing throughout their first game against Denmark’s Fischer Nielsen / Pedersen, Songphon Anugritayawon / Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (pictured) struggled to maintain the lead they had achieved in the second. As the Danes closed the gap late to 18-all, it looked as if the Thais might let it slip away but they finished it 21-18 and in the decider, they were the ones who effected the late comeback and it was enough to give them the 17-21, 21-19, 21-18 victory and there will be a Thai pair in the semi-finals for the second consecutive weekend.

Shortly thereafter, it was Blair/Bankier’s turn to make promising but fruitless comebacks. In their first game against Chau/Wiratama of Hong Kong, the two Scots evened the score again and again but came up short in the end. In the second game, they were down 5-14 at one point but rallied to make it 17-all before giving up the ghost and allowing the Hong Kong pair to win it 24-22, 21-18.

Another Lee, Another Week, Another Win

On the centre court, Lee Chong Wei (pictured) continued his run of good form. He hasn’t lost to Park Sung Hwan in nearly five years and neither the skiff of snow that carpeted Seoul on Friday, nor the home court advantage, nor the line judges could end the streak.

Park started very strong with the crowd, excited and captivated after the win by the Olympic champions, fully behind him. He maintained a comfortable margin throughout the opening game. He did get a little help when, at 19-16, Park smashed down the sideline on Lee’s forehand side. Lee protested in vain when the shot was called in and the small Malaysian cheering section joined in as the jumbo TV screen behind the chair umpire appeared to show Park’s smash landing a good 10cm wide.

A hush seemed to come over the crowd when Lee blasted out to a commanding 11-3 lead in the second game, taking control at the net. Park lost two hairpin net duels in particular when Lee made the decisive tumble that Park could only return into the tape.

Park took a 3-2 lead early in the third when another line call went in his favour. Lee stared in disapproval at the same line judge who called in Park’s favour in all 3 games despite the change of ends and Lee seemed visibly discouraged after that as Park continued on a 5-point run. The Malaysian soon pulled it together, however, and started to move Park to all four corners of the court, mixing smashes and drops with punch clears and surging back to a 10-8 lead. The last half of the game was all Chong Wei, though, as the Malaysian ran away with it and won 18-21, 21-7, 21-16. The world #1 goes on to face Poland’s Przemslaw Wacha, who won handily over Hong Kong’s Chan Yan Kit.

Nothing but Doubles for the Home Team

Korea's Hwang Hye Youn (pictured), too, started strong in her women's singles quarter-final but was unable to finish. She held a commanding lead in her first game with Hong Kong’s Wang Chen. The lanky veteran seemed to be very limited in her movement after seeking medical attention for her left knee just before the interval. Hwang took advantage and launched out to a 20-11 lead but Wang clawed back seven points to almost level before the Korean finally capped it off 21-18. The second game was neck-and-neck with Wang showing the better consistency and She kept the momentum to lead the entire third game and come away with the 18-21, 21-19, 21-16 victory.

“I was very nervous today because she is such a strong player,” Hwang said after the match, “and it has been so long since the one time that I beat her. It’s just happened that on the days that I’ve beaten the top women, everything just seemed to come together. I was injury-free, I’d been doing well in training at the time and I was able to go into the matches with a positive attitude.

“Even this month, I injured my lower back slightly in Malaysia and it seemed to clear up after a while but then it came back and when it’s bothering me, I find it difficult to relax and play with confidence.”

Hwang admitted that she envied her teammates Lee Hyo Jung and Lee Yong Dae for their new-found fame as well as their gold medal and continued tournament successes. “I’d like to be famous, too,” she grinned. “When you’re famous, you have a lot of fans and you get presents.”

Zhou Mi and Pi Hongyan both won their matches handily and will meet in the semi-finals for the second straight week. Zhou holds a slight advantage in the head-to-head record between the two and Saturday is the 10th anniversary of Zhou’s first Korea Open title.

Chinese Women Weather the Storm from Korean Youths

Korea is down to one women’s doubles pair – two more Lees, of course – as both veteran Chinese pairs won their encounters with up-and-coming Koreans. Gao Ling and Wei Yili (pictured) seemed to be absolutely on the ropes as Ha Jung Eun / Kim Min Jung beat them 21-13 in the first game and led 18-13 in the second. However, the Chinese pair exhibited some spectacular defense and the young Koreans were visibly frustrated at being unable to end the rallies. Gao/Wei’s patience paid off and they came away the winners by 13-21, 22-20, 21-18.

Yang Wei / Zhang Jiewen looked similarly threatened by the much younger but perhaps more crafty Eom/Jung. The Chinese pulled off their comeback earlier than had their compatriots, however, and bounced back from 13-18 down in the first to win 21-19. They then dominated the dejected Koreans and won 21-16 in the second game to set up a repeat of last week’s final against Lee/Lee.

For Eom Hye Won, a tiny 17-year-old who hails from the same hometown as Hwang Hye Youn and Jun Jae Youn, this was, no doubt, invaluable experience as she is expected to tear up the junior circuit this year.

For now, though, the Koreans will have to look again for medals to Jung Jae Sung and the trio of Lees while the singles belong to another Lee and a handful of challengers.

For complete quarter-final results from the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series, please CLICK HERE

KOREA OPEN Day 3 – The Shon Also Rises

2009-01-17T00:59:00.000-08:00

KOREA OPEN Day 3 – The Shon Also Rises

Joachim Persson of Denmark became the first singles seed to fall in the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series. Shon Wan Ho (pictured with Persson) dumped the world #6 player in 2 easy games to set up a quarter-final against Peter Gade, who advanced along with all the other seeds. The big story in doubles was the losses of both of Indonesia’s World Champion pairs, even if the Seoul crowd seemed to have eyes only for Lee Yong Dae and Lee Hyo Jung.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Nova and Lilyana Stuck in Second

For the third year running, Indonesia’s Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir have failed to make it past the second round of the Korea Opens. Just like in 2007, the last time the 2006 champions came here as top seeds, they lost a tight third game to mark their exit from the one of the pro circuit’s most lucrative event. The upset perpetrators, India’s Diju V / Jwala Gutta, unlike their counterparts from two years ago, will not have to face the likes of Gao Ling in the quarter-finals, however. Instead, they will take on 8th seeds Jauhari/Wijaya, one of two Indonesian pairs still alive in the draw.

The other Indonesian pair, Kurniawan/Irawati, has the unenviable task of taking on the favourites, defending champions Lee Yong Dae / Lee Hyo Jung. The Koreans were obviously the main attraction for the crowd, which was double the size of the previous day, many having heard that the Olympic champions would be in action. Lee/Lee had a rousing reception and ran roughshod over Denmark’s Larsen/Schjoett-Kristensen, winning in just 23 minutes. All three of Korea’s new pairs fell by the wayside in the second round, however. Han Sang Hoon / Ha Jung Eun put up the biggest fight but couldn’t pull off another upset as Kurniawan/Irawati took care of them in 3 games 21-16, 7-21, 21-19.

Elsewhere, Robert Blair came dangerously close but refused to bow to Chinese Taipei’s Fang Chieh Min on consecutive days. Blair and Imogen Bankier (pictured) edged Fang/Cheng 21-18, 15-21, 21-18.

Miryang’s Secret Shon Shines

As Athens silver medallist Shon Seung Mo is living out his retirement as a Junior National Team coach, another of the same name and provenance has taken his turn in the limelight. Shon Wan Ho also hails from Miryang, the small southern city that gave the recent, award-winning film Secret Sunshine its title. Shon, too, has been a well-kept secret. Just 20 years old, he has been one of the best singles players of his age group but has been left at home in recent years as others in his age group, like Hong Ji Hoon, have gotten plenty of international exposure. On Thursday, though, Shon made the most of his chance and gave Joachim Persson no quarter, beating him 21-14, 21-13.

“This was the first time I’d played Joachim Persson. In fact I had never played any Danish player,” Shon explained after the match. “I found that he has a very strong attack and his strokes are very precise. Still, he seemed to be prone to errors today and I think I kept my errors down and this helped me.

“I studied a video of his first-round match and went over it with Coaches Ahn Jae Chang and Li Mao. This is what we’ll be doing tonight to prepare for the match against Peter Gade, too, because, of course, I’ve never played him before either.”

All other favoured players came through their matches in straight games except for Poland’s Przemslaw Wacha, who came back from a one-sided defeat in his first game against India’s Arvind Bhat to win it 11-21, 21-14, 23-21. Wacha was clearly on edge in the final minutes of the match when he let a few shuttles drop in. He earned himself a yellow card when he threw his racquet at the equipment box in a rather unothordox victory celebration.

Japan’s Sho Sasaki may have beaten Park Sung Hwan of Korea 3 times last year but that seemed like ancient history on Thursday as Park dominated their match, winning 21-12, 21-4 in just 22 minutes. His real test comes with his quarter-final rematch against Lee Chong Wei, who in turn dominated Park in last week’s Malaysia Open final.

Pi and Zhou School Local Challengers

In the women’s singles, two local players who have only recently returned to the national team – one as the oldest player and the other as the youngest – took to the courts to take on two of the strongest players in the game today. Top seed Zhou Mi was threatened in her first game against Bae Seung Hee, who tied it at 18-all before losing her nerve and letting Zhou finish it. Zhou went on to take the second game with ease and the match ended 21-18, 21-10 in favour of the top seed.

Pi Hongyan had the opposite experience with 17-year-old Sung Ji Hyun, nearly blanking the Korean teen in the first game but letting her stay close in the second. Pi still won comfortably 21-1, 21-17 as Sung went for treatment for a painful cramp in her thigh.

Another favourite, Wang Chen, let her challenger take one game before she finally slammed the door in the deciding game. Wang sent Malaysia’s Julia Wong (pictured above) packing 21-14, 15-21, 21-5. She goes on to face Korea’s Hwang Hye Youn for the first time since Hwang beat her in the 2007 Swiss Open.

Both of the 2008 World Junior Championship finalists exited the Korea Open in the 2nd round. Sayaka Sato of Japan was dealt with summarily by Bulgaria’s Petya Nedelcheva while Saina Nehwal (pictured) lost to Indonesia’s Adriyanti Firdasari in 3.

The women’s doubles was similarly upset free. Local teenagers Eom Hye Won / Jung Kyung Eun advanced over the 8th seeds with a walkover and will be the first opponents of 2004 Olympic Champions Yang Wei / Zhang Jiewen of China, in the quarter-finals. Gao Ling / Wei Yili, will also be facing a local pair as Ha Jung Eun / Kim Min Jung, will have their first match of the tournament against the Chinese veterans.

Double Doubles Disappointment for Indonesia

While many expected a semi-final like last week’s Malaysia Open, both Kido/Setiawan and Yulianto/Gunawan failed to produce. On adjacent courts, the two Indonesian pairs lost to Chinese Taipei’s Fang/Lee and Malaysia’s Choong/Lee respectively, both in thrilling matches.

Fang/Lee (pictured) made the quarter-finals here last year, where they lost narrowly to the Danes but they hope to do one better in 2009 and reach their first Super Series semi-final in over a year.

To reach the final, however, the Taiwan pair must get past Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah, who ended the campaign of last week’s runners-up in three games. Although the Malaysian veterans led throughout the deciding game, they nearly let it slip away when they watched their 7-point lead dwindle to one but they hung on and won 11-21, 21-16, 21-19. Bona Septano / Muhammad Ahsan are now the only Indonesians left in the draw and they will meet one of two remaining Danish pairs.

Korea has two pairs left in the quarter-finals but they are up against each other. Han Sang Hoon and Shin Baek Cheol (pictured below) showed nerves of steel in the last match of the day as they came back from 17-19 down in the third game to edge out 6th-seeded Malaysians Chan/Chew 21-16, 13-21, 22-20.

“Because I’ve been concentrating on mixed doubles the last year, not much is expected of me so I came into today’s match without any pressure to perform,” said Han after the match. “I played Chan right here two years ago when we both had different partners and we won so I had some idea what to expect. I knew that his defense was excellent so Baek Cheol and I determined be patient, knowing that we might have to smash five or six times before we’d get a return short enough to end the rally.

“Tomorrow against Yong Dae and Jae Sung, I’m just going to concentrate on enjoying the game. There is no pressure on us so we’re just going to try to play some happy badminton.”

Indeed, Han is facing the mighty Jung/Lee for the second week in a row and with a less experienced partner than last week. The winner will take on the victor between Paaske/Rasmussen and Logosz/Mateusiak, two pairs with winning records against the Asian Champions.

For complete 2nd round results from the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series, please CLICK HERE

KOREA OPEN Day 2 – Kim’s Canadians Take on Korea

2009-01-15T04:33:00.000-08:00

KOREA OPEN Day 2 – Kim’s Canadians Take on Korea

William Milroy and Fiona Mckee (pictured) of Canada benefitted from the tutelage of new coach Kim Dong Moon to advance to the second round in mixed doubles action at the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series. Other visiting pairs, including Flandy Limpele / Anastasia Russkikh, were not so lucky.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Two players for whom the chilly temperatures in Seoul were no problem were Canada’s William Milroy and Fiona Mckee. They started off their 2009 Korea Open campaign with a convincing win over young Koreans Lee Haeng Ham / Ko Hyun Jung. The Canadians were never really in trouble and only ceded the lead once in the two games.

For Milroy and Mckee, it was an exhilarating win. Both had only recently moved from the Glencoe Club in Calgary to Kim’s new academy at Calgary’s Winter Club.

“I basically realized that I’m a men's and mixed doubles player and that the most successful person in these disciplines is just across the road,” explained Milroy of his decision to move. “It was a natural decision to make.”

“The biggest differences that training with Kim has made to my game has been in my footwork and my timing,” Fiona Mckee said after the match. “Now, when I’m playing, I'm watching more than ever. I feel like I’m aware of the whole court: of what both my opponents are doing and also of my partner.

“We were able to spend the past week training with the Korean players in their national training centre so that was a great experience. But these days we even get experience playing at that pace when we’re training in Canada because Kim is young and fit and is able to train with us at a pace that in the past we could only get when we travelled to international tournaments.

“This is a new phase in my career that is something I’ve never experienced before,” Fiona continued. “Last year, Charmaine Reid and I were very close to making the Olympics but failing to make it was a real disappointment and my career wasn't making any progress. I feel that this is a real opportunity to step up to a new level. I mean, I think I played every Super Series tournament trying to qualify for the Olympics but we didn’t win a match and here we are winning our first Super Series match together.”

Milroy/Mckee’s match marked, in fact, the first time that Kim Dong Moon had coached in an international tournament for someone other than the Korean team. Coincidentally, the coach on hand at the other end of the court was none other than Kim’s long-time partner and friend, Ha Tae Kwun. Fiona remarked that there was a good-natured exchange of smiles when the two teams changed ends between games. Kim and Ha, in fact, lived together in team lodgings for years, up until very recently.

The Canadians go on to face last week’s semi-finalists Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen. Fischer Nielsen made the quarter-finals here two years ago and had to retire from a competitive 2nd round match here last year when his then partner Britta Andersen sustained a career-ending injury. He and Pedersen will be hungry for a win.

“Joachim is tricky to play against,” said Milroy, adding that the Dane's rather gangly frame makes his court movements difficult to anticipate. "We have no option but to focus on playing our own game.”

There were few real upsets in a mixed doubles draw that saw a total of 9 pairs advance to the second round on byes or walkovers. Several Korean pairs had some success but among them was the second best mixed pair, Kim Min Jung / Yoo Yeon Seong. The world #22 pair fought hard but just could not handle the poise of India’s Diju V / Jwala Gutta (pictured), who prevailed 21-19, 14-21, 21-19. The Indians now have the unenviable task of going up against top seeds Widianto/Natsir in the second round.

The home team’s chance to celebrate came when mixed specialist Han Sang Hoon took to the court with his newest partner, Ha Jung Eun to take on another brand new pairing, of Indonesia’s Flandy Limpele and Russia’s Anastasi Russkikh. Unfortunately for Flandy, Ha and her partner got the better of him just as had happened in the 2006 qualifiers but the scoreline, 22-24 22-20 21-16, was even closer than on that occasion.

A slightly younger pair, Ko Sung Hyun / Jang Ye Na, also came back from one game down to take care of English teens Adcock/White 16-21, 21-19, 21-14.

Tall Girls Teeter

The women’s singles was without any major upsets. There, too, only 9 matches took places. The withdrawal of Bulgaria’s Linda Zechiri paved the way for World Junior Championship runner-up Sayaka Sato of Japan to move into a 2nd round showdown with Zechiri’s formidable compatriot, Petya Nedelcheva.

Sato’s teammate Masayo Nojirino had to work much harder to dash the hopes of Korea’s towering Kim Moon Hi, narrowly defeating her 22-20, 8-21, 21-18. In addition to Kim, the three other tallest competitors also struggled in the first round with Korea’s Jang Soo Young barely losing out to compatriot Hwang Hye Youn 21-13, 18-21, 20-22 and Malaysia’s Lydia Cheah unable to handle Indonesia’s Pia Zebadiah Bernadet. Pia goes on to face the slightly taller but far more dangerous Tine Rasmussen while Hwang must face another compatriot as she has her first tournament showdown with Korean #2 Bae Youn Joo.

The only lanky winner in the first round was 17-year-old Sung Ji Hyun (pictured), who made sure that Ai Goto would not do any giant-killing in this tournament. With her mother, 1986 All England champion Kim Yun Ja, looking on nervously, Sung fought on to win her first Super Series match ever by 19-21, 21-18, 21-18. Sung will go on to play French ace Pi Hongyan in the second round.

For complete 1st round results from the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series, please CLICK HERE

KOREA OPEN Day 2 – Seeded Men Stand Strong

2009-01-15T04:03:00.000-08:00

KOREA OPEN Day 2 – Seeded Men Stand Strong

Korea’s second best men’s entries gave their best effort at Olympic Park in the first round of the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series but Malaysian and Danish veterans still got the better of them. Men’s singles top seed Lee Chong Wei bent but did not break as he sidelined Hong Ji Hoon in three games. Denmark’s Lars Paaske / Jonas Rasmussen (pictured) continued to have their way with Korea’s pairs, this time schooling Cho/Yoo in a 34-minute romp.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

All of the men’s singles shuttlers were in action in the first round. Surprisingly, given Lee Chong Wei’s recent run of good form, one of the longest matches of the day was the first, where Hong Ji Hoon of Korea overcame a first-game embarrassment to put in a respectable showing against the top seed. Lee ended up winning 21-11, 17-21, 21-15, after 54 minutes.

Lee’s success was to be mimicked by the rest of the seeded players but none of the other seeds gave up a game. India’s Anup Sridhar looked very strong against Ng Wei of Hong Kong. The massive underdog earned four match points after executing an 8-point run in the deciding game but Ng Wei kept his nerve and clawed back to save all four match points and to finally take it 21-23, 21-17, 24-22. Japan’s Koichi Saeki had similar success in snatching victory from the jaws of defeat as he bounced back from 16-19 down in the second to take his match against Malaysia’s Sairul Amar Ayob 22-24, 22-20, 21-14.

Denmark’s Joachim Persson (pictured) never let up on the pressure in his match against Malaysia’s Mohd Hafiz Hashim. Constantly on the defensive, Hafiz - whose 2007 semi-final finish here was his last podium appearance on record - displayed some remarkable backhands but he had difficulty gaining control over the rallies and over his own errors and Persson won handily 21-13, 21-12.

Apart from Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia’s only remaining threat is down in the bottom quarter along with Indonesia’s only two entries, both teams having been ravaged by withdrawals and losses. Chong Wei Feng beat local qualifier Kim Sa Rang and will face Simon Santoso in the second round while Mohd Arif Abdul Latif is to face Andre Tedjono Kurniawan, who won narrowly over Japan’s Tago Kenichi.

The men’s doubles was the only discipline to see a seed depart in the first round. Denmark’s Bonde/Larsen dumped 7th-seeded Japanese pair Ikeda/Sakamoto and go on to face world #19 pair Ahsan/Septano of Indonesia. They will join two other pairs in the second round as fourth-seeded Boe/Mogensen had a bye and third seeds Lars Paaske / Jonas Rasmussen made quick work of Korean #2 Cho Gun Woo /Yoo Yeon Seong.

“They are a good pair and we knew we had to play well. We varied the pace and tried to use the whole court, which was easy to do in this big hall as there is not much breeze,” Rasmussen said afterward. The Dane admitted that they knew how to play the Koreans but denied that this left them as the pair to beat.

“Lee/Jung and Kido/Setiawan are still the top pairs right now and if we want to win tournaments they way they’ve been doing, we need to focus on our consistency. To win a tournament like this, you have to be able to beat top 10 and top 5 pairs all the way to the final and that’s difficult because you have to play pairs with such different styles. If you want to be #1, you have to beat all the pairs all the time and this is what we hope to start doing.”

Korea’s #3 pair also went down to a pair of crafty veterans as Malaysia’s Lee Wan Wah / Choong Tan Fook (photo, left) withstood a late challenge Ko/Kwun, who made an 8-point run to pull to within one at 18-19 before the Malaysians pulled away to cap off their 21-17, 21-19 victory. Chan Chong Ming and Chew Choon Eng struggled in their first game against 18-year-olds Kim Ki Eung / Kim Ki Jung (no relation) but ran away with the second in their 23-21, 21-8 victory. They must now face the experimental pairing of Han Sang Hoon / Shin Baek Cheol. Han was paired with Hwang Ji Man last week in Malaysia but is bound to be tough to beat when joining forces with 2007 World Junior Champion Shin.

Elsewhere, last year’s quarter-finalists, Fang/Lee of Chinese Taipei, pulled off a solid 21-17, 21-17 win over England’s Adcock/Blair to set up a date with Olympic champions Kido/Setiawan.

For complete 1st round results from the 2009 Yonex Korea Open Super Series, please CLICK HERE

Happy Birth Day Lee Hyo Jung

2009-01-13T00:53:00.000-08:00

Today is the birthday of Lee Hyo Jung of Korea!

LEE Hyo Jung

Nickname *
Date of birth 1981-01-13
Place of birth Seoul
Height 1,81
Plays right
Marital status Single
Sponsor Yonex
Racket Yonex
Club Samsung Electromechanics
Joined national team 1999
Started playing at 9
Started playing where Gupo Elementary School
World/Continental/Olympic medals 3 (ABC 2000, 2004, 2005)
National titles 7
Highest world ranking 1(XD)
Best titles All England 2008, Korea Open 2008, Swiss Open 2008, Indonesia Open 2005, Malaysia Open 2005, Korea Open 2005
Website / blog http://minihp.cyworld.com/pims/main/pims_main.asp?tid=36404605
Event category #1 Women's double
Event Category #2 Mixed double

KOREA OPEN Preview – Hot Action set to Warm up Chilly Seoul Stands

2009-01-13T00:48:00.000-08:00

Just a few days after earning two golds and 2 silvers in Kuala Lumpur, Korea’s top players will return home to the frigid Korean capital with the prospects of even better results in the second leg of the Super Series, where they will have home court advantage and a drastically reduced field. Still, all but four of last weekend’s semi-finalists and all of the finalists will be vying for gold again in Seoul.

By Don Hearn. Photos: Badmintonphoto

start off with a tricky fixture against Korea’s number two pair, Yoo/Kim.

Second seeds Lee Yong Dae / Lee Hyo Jung are likely to sail inFor the third consecutive year, the Super Series is kicking off with the Malaysia and Korea Opens in a New Year one-two punch. For players, coaches and officials, the transition from Kuala Lumpur’s endless summer to Korea’s colder climes is unmistakeable. On the eve of the tournament's commencement, the temperature dropped to a frosty minus 11.

The difference in energy between the crowds in the two venues no doubt adds to a feeling of desolation as the Korea Open begins; however, the crowds always become more vociferous as the tournament enters the weekend and with the final rounds expected to be just as hotly contested this week as last, no one is likely to be left shivering next Sunday in the No. 2 Olympic Gymnasium.

Malaysia to Flex Singles Muscles

Men’s singles is the only event that will go through qualifying rounds. Withdrawals have prompted the Korean coaching staff to let in more young hopefuls to try their hand in a Super Series event. Look for Daren Liew to give it his best shot to join the already strong Malaysian contingent in the round of 32.

Unfortunately for Korea, their top 3 players are all in the top quarter with overwhelming favourite Lee Chong Wei. Korea’s #2, Hong Ji Hoon, is to face Lee in the first round while Park Sung Hwan and Lee Cheol Ho face off against each other in the first round to start off a quarter-final collision course with the top-seeded Malaysian. Some of this is eerily familiar as last year’s edition, too, produced a repeat of the Malaysia Open final in the early rounds when an ailing Lee Chong Wei had to forfeit to Lee Hyun Il. This year, Lee looks stronger than ever and Park will have his hands full unless the sub-zero Seoul temperatures can play havoc with Lee’s health once more.

Malaysia’s Sairul Amar Ayob (pictured above) will be keen to make a 3rd quarter-finals appearance in Korea and there, he is likely to meet Przemyslaw Wacha if the Pole can successfully run the gauntlet of three of India's best shuttlers. The bottom half of the draw is likely to see an all-Danish quarter-final between three-time champion Peter Gade and Joachim Persson and an all-Indonesian one between Simon Santoso and Andre Kurniawan Tedjono.

Tine and Mi again?

The Korean fortunes in women’s singles are no better as the top two shuttlers, Hwang Hye Youn (pictured) and Bae Youn Joo, are crammed into one little corner of the draw along with two other promising compatriots, with all four vying for a shot at a quarter-final against the mighty Wang Chen.

Top seed and defending champion Zhou Mi (pictured below) could be in for a surprise as her bye takes her to a second round meeting with Bae Seung Hee, an experienced veteran who returned to the Korean National Team after beating all comers in a domestic tournament last summer. Zhou is clearly in-form, however, and has an excellent chance of taking a third Korea Open title. Saturday, incidentally, will mark the tenth anniversary of her first.

Tine Rasmussen, meanwhile, will be challenged by three young hopefuls as Malaysia’s Lydia Cheah, India’s Saina Nehwal, and Indonesia’s Pia Zebediah Bernadet are all in her quarter.

No Troubles in Doubles for the Home Team?

Lee Yong Dae and Jung Jae Sung, of course, look very strong to take the men’s doubles title, having won four of their last five tournaments. However, even without Koo/Tan in the draw, there are more than just top seeds Markis Kido / Hendra Setiawan who pose a real challenge to the Korean juggernaut. Foremost among these is obviously Denmark’s Paaske/Rasmussen (pictured below), who may end up as Jung/Lee’s semi-final opponents. The Danes start off their campaign against the #2 Korean pair, Cho/Yoo. Another pair to remember is Poland’s Logosz/Mateusiak, who won their only meeting with Jung/Lee, in late 2007.

Among the few players to be making their 2009 debut at the Korea Open, Denmark’s Boe/Mogensen have also shown that they can trouble the favourites but if they want to prove it in Seoul, they will have to get past the Indonesian top seeds and into the final.

The women’s doubles field is so skeletal that Korea’s Ha Jung Eun / Kim Min Jung and two-time champions Yang Wei / Zhang Jiewen have byes all the way to the quarter-finals. Still, all of the semi-finalists from Kuala Lumpur will be on hand to make it interesting.

Ha/Kim’s first opponents will most likely be Gao/Wei with the winner likely to take on the victor between Jauhari/Irawati and Cheng/Chien, last week’s bronze medallists.

In the bottom half of the draw, only a major upset could prevent a semi-final rematch between Lee Kyung Won / Lee Hyo Jung (pictured top) and Yang/Zhang. If the Beijing silver medallists - who last won their home event in 2005 - are to ascend the podium as they did Sunday in Malaysia, however, they are most likely going to have to accomplish their last two wins from the weekend in reverse order, starting with another victory over the Athens gold medallists.

Lee Kyung Won is obviously back in game form following her recovery from the ankle injury she sustained in the Olympic final. However, the Chinese ladies are still on their way to being at their best and that means that with each week they are getting more and more comfortable - and by extension less and less vulnerable - on court.

Entry Seeded Korea Super Series 2009

2009-01-11T04:46:00.000-08:00

The Entry Seeded for Korea Open 2009 that will be held in January, 13-18 2009

Men Single :
1[MAS] Chong Wei LEE
2[INA] Sony DWI KUNCORO
3[DEN] Peter Hoeg GADE
4[INA] Taufik HIDAYAT
5[DEN] Joachim PERSSON
6[KOR] Sung Hwan PARK
7[POL] Przemyslaw WACHA
8[INA] Simon SANTOSO

Mens Double :
1

[INA] Markis KIDO

[INA] Hendra SETIAWAN

[KOR] Jae Sung JUNG

[KOR] Yong Dae LEE

[DEN] Lars PAASKE

[DEN] Jonas RASMUSSEN

Women Single :
1[HKG] Mi ZHOU
2[DEN] Tine RASMUSSEN
3[HKG] Chen WANG
4[FRA] Hongyan PI
5[IND] Saina NEHWAL

Womens Double :
1

[TPE] Wen Hsing CHENG

Mixed Double :
1

[INA] Liliyana NATSIR

Mix Double Winner Malaysia Super Series 2009

2009-01-11T04:32:00.000-08:00

BADMINTON'S STARS: South Korea's Lee Hyu Jong (left) Lee Hyo Jung (2nd left) and champions Indonesia's mixed doubles pair Liliyana Natsir (2nd form right) and Nova Widianto (right) pose on the podium after the Malaysia Open 2009 finals at Putra Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, on Sunday. Widianto and Liliyana won 21-14, 21-19 in under 32 minutes to collect the US$13,800 prize money. AP/Ching Kien Huo

Malaysia's Lee wins Super Series Finals

2009-01-11T04:03:00.000-08:00

Photos

1 of 1

Lee Chong Wei (file picture)

KUALA LUMPUR : World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei Sunday won the Super Series Finals in Malaysia when he outclassed South Korea's Park Sung Hwan in just 39 minutes.

The Malaysian, who last month emerged victorious in the World Super Series Masters Finals, was hardly troubled in beating his rival 21-14, 21-13 to take home the 15,000 dollar winner's cheque.

"I hope to remain undefeated in tournaments held in Malaysia. This will be my main target for the next few years," Lee told reporters.

Lee said he had expected a tough outing in the final with Park.

"I didn't expect to win so easily as I was quite tired after having gone into rubber games in the second round, quarter-finals and semi-finals.

"I woke up with lots of aches and pains but told myself that I had to push myself further as it was the final," he said.

Lee admitted he was under great pressure to win the competition in Malaysia after securing the silver medal at the Olympics and becoming the world No. 1.

"I found it hard to adjust. There were too many distractions and the pressure was just too great. However, I am now comfortable with everything and I am looking forward to a great season," he said.

Park said he would try to avenge his loss in the Korean Open, where he is slated to meet Lee in the quarter-finals.

"It was not easy playing him today but I hope to do better in Korea," he said.

"Right now, Lee and (China's) Lin Dan are slightly ahead of the chasing pack but they are not unbeatable. It is just a matter of getting our act right on the day," he added.

Earlier, Denmark's Tine Rasmussen retained her Malaysia Open women's singles title and declared it as the first step to winning a World Championship medal.

The world No. 2 had a tough battle against top seed Zhou Mi of Hong Kong.

But she subdued her rival with a dazzling performance to win 21-17, 15-21, 21-16 in 56-minutes to take home the 15,000 winner's cheque.

And it was a sweet victory for Indonesia's Nova Widianto and Liliyana Natsir who gained revenge for their Olympic defeat to South Korea's Lee Yong Dae and Lee Hyo Jung in the mixed doubles.

The Indonesians, who had lost their last three meetings to the Koreans, were in top form. After a tight opening set where they were locked at 12-12, they pulled ahead with ease to win 21-14.

The second set was just as close but the strong Indonesian pair were always a step ahead and they clinched the tie 21-19 when Hyo Jung sent her return into the net to end the 32-minute encounter.

In the women's doubles, Korea's Lee Hyo Jung came out with all guns firing in the women's doubles when she and Kyung Won defeated three-time champions Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen 21-15, 21-12 in only 33 minutes.

South Koreans Jung Jae Sung and Lee Yong Dae used their experience to defeat Indonesian pair Alvent Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan 18-21, 21-14, 21-14 to win the men's doubles title.

Despite falling to a first game deficit, the Koreans never panicked and upped the pace to race home in 49 minutes.

"Our defence was very good in the second game and that was the difference in the end," said Jung. - AFP/ms

The New Mens Double Pair Shocks Stopped, Indonesia Only Win 1

2009-01-11T03:25:00.000-08:00

Indonesian successfully brought one title in mix double of final Malaysian Super Series 2009 through Nova Widianto / Lilyana Natsir. Both successfully overcome Korean pair Lee Yong Dae / Lee Hyo Jung with a straight set with the score 21-14 21-19. This title is the first for Nova / Lily in 2009, while in the final reckoning Olympiade 2008 Beijing ago in which they lost by the Korean pair.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian pair recently paired Alvent Yulianto / Hendra Gunawan failed to seize the first title. In the match they lost to Korean pair of Lee Yong Dae / Jung Jae Sung with the score 21-18 14-21 14-21. This is actually very be pitied, this was Lee Yong Dae have previously played at the number mix doubles . Korea also succeeded in bringing another title in women double through Lee Hyo Jung / Lee Kyung Won beat the Chinese pair Yang Wei / Zhang Jie Wen with a score of 21-15 21-12.

In men single, Malaysia hosted get a title through Lee Chong Wei who successfully beat Park Sung Hwan 21-14 with the score 21-13. And in the single women Denmark successfully brought a title through Tine Rasmussen who successfully beat the Hong Kong

Kejutan Pasangan Baru Terhenti, Indonesia Hanya Mendapat 1 Gelar

2009-01-11T02:52:00.000-08:00

Indonesia berhasil membawa 1 gelar ganda campuran dalam final Malaysia Super Series 2009 melalui Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir. Keduanya berhasil mengalahkan pasangan Korea Lee Yong Dae/Lee Hyo Jung dengan straight set dengan skor 21-14 21-19. Gelar ini sekaligus gelar pertama bagi Nova/Lily di tahun 2009 sekaligus pembalasan dendam pada final Olympiade Beijing 2008 lalu yang mana mereka kalah oleh pasangan Korea tersebut.

Sedangkan pasangan Indonesia yang baru saja dipasangkan Alvent Yulianto/Hendra Gunawan gagal merebut gelar pertamanya. Dalam pertandingan tersebut mereka kalah dari pasangan Korea Lee Yong Dae/Jung Jae Sung dengan skor 21-18 14-21 14-21. Hal ini sebenarnya sangat disayangkan, ini dikarenakan Lee Yong Dae sebelumnya telah bermain pada nomor ganda campuran. Korea juga berhasil membawa satu gelar lagi melalui ganda wanita Lee Hyo Jung/Lee Kyung Won yang mengalahkan pasangan China Yang Wei/Zhang Jie Wen dengan skor 21-15 21-12.

Di nomor tunggal putra, tuan rumah berhasil merebut satu gelar melalui Lee Chong Wei yang berhasil mengalahkan Park Sung Hwan dengan skor 21-14 21-13. Dan di tunggal putri Denmark berhasil membawa satu gelar melalui Tine Rasmussen yang berhasil mengalahkan pemain Hongkong

Final Malaysia Open Super Series 2009

2009-01-10T17:06:00.000-08:00

Pada final Malaysia Open Super Series yang akan dihelat hari ini, Indonesia berhasil meloloskan dua wakilnya. Dua wakil tersebut adalah ganda campuran Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir dan Ganda Putra yang baru dipasangkan Hendra Gunawan/Alvent Yulianto. Keduanya akan menghadapi wakil dari Korea yaitu Lee Yong Dae/Lee Hyo Jung di ganda campuran dan Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae di ganda putra.
Diharapkan pemain Indonesia dapat memetik kemenangan dari pertandingan tersebut dikarenakan Yong Dae harus bermain dua kali dalam satu pertandingan, sehingga akan menguras tenaga dan akan membawa keuntungan bagi para pemain Indonesia.
Di tunggal wanita, pemain Hongkong Zhou Mi akan menghadapi Tine Rasmussen dari Denmark. Tuan rumah berhasil menempatkan satu wakilnya di tunggal putra yaitu Lee Chong Wei yang akan menghadapi Park Sung Hwan dari Korea. Di ganda putri, wakil China satu-satunya yang berhasil memasuki babak final akan menghadapi wakil dari Korea Lee Hyo Jung/Lee Kyung Won.

Pasangan Baru Tembus Final Malaysia Super Series 2009

2009-01-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

Pasangan ganda putra Indonesia Hendra Gunawan/Alvent Yulianto yang merupakan pasangan baru berhasil menembus final. Keduanya berhasil menembus final dengan mengalahkan favorit juara sekaligus rekan di pelatnas Cipayung Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan dengan rubber set dengan skor 10-21 25-23 21-10. Ini merupakan kemenangan pertama bagi mereka di tahun 2009 sekaligus membuka peluang untuk merebut gelar super series pertamanya.

Di final, mereka akan menghadapi wakil korea Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae yang telah berhasil mengalahkan pasangan Inggris Anthony Clark/Nathan Robertson dengan rubber set dengan skor 19-21 21-17 21-16.

Indonesia juga menempatkan 1 lagi wakilnya di nomor ganda campuran yaitu Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir yang telah berhasil mengalahkan pasangan Denmark Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Christinna Pederson dua set langsung dengan skor 22-20 21-18.Di final Nova/Lilyana juga akan berhadapan dengan wakil dari Korea Lee Yong Dae/Lee Hyo Jung. Hal ini merupakan pengulangan final ganda campuran pada olympiade Beijing 2008 lalu.