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