Emma and Vita through to Thailand Open Final

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's new partnership of Vita Marissa and Emma Ermawati remained the country's sole doubles' contenders in the Thailand Open finals in Bangkok, after defeating Chinese juniors Lu Ying and Huang Sui 15-12, 15-6 in the women's doubles.

Seniors Elysa Nathanael and Deyana Lomban bowed out to another Chinese duo of Qin Yiyuan and Gao Ling 8-15, 4-15.

Coach Imelda Wiguna said in a fax made available to The Jakarta Post that Vita and Emma had performed outstandingly.

"Both doubles' players have a similar style of playing. But Vita has a better stroke which enables her to control the ball at the net," she said.

"The Indonesian pairs played very relaxed. Lu and Huang were very tense and made many unforced errors. Vita and Emma displayed special cross defense and their blocking was hard to beat."

Speaking on Vita and Emma's match against top-seeded Qin and Gao, Imelda said the duo had a great chance of beating the Chinese pair.

"If Vita and Emma play as well as they did today, it's not impossible they can beat the Chinese."

Indonesia's men's duo of Hadi Saputra and Endra Mulyajaya failed to prove the country's supremacy in the event as they lost to Chinese Yu Jinboa and Chen Qiqui 8-15, 6-15.

Yu and Chen will face Danish pair Michael Sogaard and Jim Laugesen, who defeated Pramote Teerawiwatana and Tesana Pavisvas of Thailand 15-13, 15-7.

In the all-Chinese men's singles' final, Chen Gang, who defeated compatriot Chen Hong 15-3, 9-15, 15-12, will face Ji Xinpeng, who won over Malaysian Rachid Sidek 15-7, 15-6.

The women's singles' final, also all-Chinese, Dai Yun will face Gong Ruina. Dai defeated teammate Zhou Mi 11-4, 11-6, while Gong overcame Lee Kyung-won of South Korea 11-6, 11-4.

In the mixed doubles' final, world No. 4 Liu Yong and Ge Fei of China beat Michael Sogaard and Rikke Olsen from Denmark 15-12, 15-6.(yan)