Danish shuttler shatters Indonesia's Taufik dream<\/p>\n
BIRMINGHAM, England (AFP): Peter Gade Christensen, the world
\nnumber one from Denmark, ended his long wait for a major title
\nand succeeded a long line of Danish greats when he won the All-
\nEngland title on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old, who recently spent 42 successive weeks at the
\ntop of the world rankings, won the world's oldest tournament with
\na victory over its youngest finalist of the open era.<\/p>\n
Gade won 15-11, 7-15, 15-10 against Taufik Hidayat, the 17-
\nyear-old Indonesian who became the sensation of the tournament by
\nbeating two seeded players, suggesting a new badminton star has
\nbeen born.<\/p>\n
Taufik again played remarkably, showing amazing court
\ncoverage, defending brilliantly and producing more airborne
\nsmashing attacks then previously, though he was not at his best,
\nand this may have cost him the chance of an historic win.<\/p>\n
The teenager led 10-8 in the first game, but handed back the
\ninitiative with a fault serve because the racket head was too
\nhigh. Three times in the next few minutes Taufik pushed service
\nreturns into the net, and Gade made a well-timed push to take the
\nfirst game, scoring well with steep half-paced smashes.<\/p>\n
In the second game Taufik raced to a 7-0 lead, and maintained
\na series of high-speed attacks up to 10-0, by which time he
\nappeared to be slowing. He still struggled his way to one game
\nall but Gade had spotted his opponent was tiring.<\/p>\n
The Dane began the third game at a higher pace and established
\na five-point advantage.<\/p>\n
Tired<\/p>\n
Taufik tried to adapt by serving low and playing more of each
\nrally at the net and it helped him to get to 6-5, but he was
\nbeginning to look tired.<\/p>\n
Renewing his attacks, particularly with sudden smashes
\nfollowed by a half-court or net kill, Gade took six points in a
\nrow. He faltered within sight of victory, but eventually won a
\ngripping but patchy final after a drawn-out 87 minutes.<\/p>\n
\"Peter was more mature and experienced than me. I was a little
\nnervous at the start but nothing too much. I am disappointed
\nbecause I just wanted to play my best,\" said Taufik.<\/p>\n
Gade said: \"It helps when you see the other one getting tired.
\nI knew that it was me most of the time moving him around.<\/p>\n
\"It's nice to get a really big win because it means that all
\nthe work you have done as a boy has paid off,\" added Gade, who
\nwas embraced by his girlfriend Camilla Martin, the women's world
\nnumber one from Denmark, but only after she had a struggle to
\navoid the stewards' clutches.<\/p>\n
Gade's next aim is the world title in his home city of
\nCopenhagen in two months time, though there he will have to face
\nthe challenge of the former world number one Dong Jiong and the
\nWorld Grand Prix title winner Sun Jun, both of whom have chosen
\nto miss the All-England and get fit in Beijing.<\/p>\n
Other result<\/p>\n
Women's doubles: Chung Jae-hee\/Ra Kyung-min (Kor) bt Huang Sui\/Lu
\nYing (Chi) 15-6 15-8<\/p>",
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