China gains three titles at Asian c'ships
China gains three titles at Asian c'ships
JAKARTA (JP): South Korea and Malaysia denied China a clean
sweep in the finals of the Asian Badminton Championships in
Beijing, which finished on Saturday.
Despite making it into the finals in all of the five events,
China managed to grab only three titles, already in hand when it
ensured all-Chinese finals in the women's singles, doubles and
the mixed doubles on Thursday.
South Korea's Park Sung-woo beat world number 12, Sun Jun,
with identical scores of 15-8, 15-8. In a low-spirited battle,
Park exercised control over Sun with his swift, unexpected
changes from defensive to attacking positions. Park's painstaking
accuracy and self-control often put Sun Jun in difficult
positions and forced him to return haphazardly.
Park powered his way to victory over Sun Jun after overcoming
China's sixth-seed Don Jiong in the semifinals and sending
Indonesia's Olympic champion and top seed Alan Budikusuma
crashing out of the quarterfinals on Thursday.
The other title China lost was the men's doubles, in which
Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock of Malaysia knocked off Huang
Zhanzhong and Jiang Xin 7-15, 15-8, 15-7.
In the women's singles, China's number one Ye Zhaoying trashed
compatriot Yao Yan 11-2, 11-0. Gu Jun and Ge Fei routed Qian
Yiyuan and Tang Yongshu 15-1, 15-4 in the women's doubles. Liu
Jianjun and Ge Fei defeated Jiang Xin and Zhang Jin 15-4, 12-15,
15-5 in the mixed doubles.
Following Alan's quarterfinals exit, Indonesia, which fielded
its second stringers, was only able to reach the semifinals of
the men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles.
Officials of other teams said Indonesia could have dominated
the tournament if their top players, currently preparing for
May's world championships, had taken part. (arf)
Results:
Men's singles
Park Sung-woo (Kor) bt Sun Jun (Chn) 15-8 15-8
Women's singles
Ye Zhaoying (Chn) bt Yao Yan (Chn) 11-2 11-0
Men's doubles
Cheah Soon Kit/Yap Kim Hock (Mal) bt Huang Zhanzhong/Jiang Xin
(Chn) 7-15 15-8 15-7
Women's doubles
Ge Fei/Gu Jun (Chn) bt Qin Yiyuan/Tang Yongshu (Chn) 15-1 15-4
Mixed doubles
Liu Jianjun/Ge Fei (Chn) bt Jiang Xin/Zhang Jin (Chn) 15-4 12-15
15-5.