Hermawan Susanto takes U.S. Open title

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Hermawan Susanto gave spectators an idea of what to expect at the 1996 Olympic Games badminton competition when he destroyed Chinese hopeful Dong Jiong for the U.S. Open title in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday.

Olympic bronze medalist Hermawan had an uphill struggle in the opening stage of his overall comfortable 15-10, 15-3 victory, his second title of the year. He triumphed also in the world Grand Prix badminton series opener in Taipei in January.

Indonesia completed a double in the Olympic tune-up competition when its world men's number two pair of Bambang Suprianto and Gunawan overcame China's finalists Huang Zhanzhong and Xin Jiang 15-3, 15-10.

The face-saving victories came after a series of upset defeats hit the Indonesian camp, which currently reigns the badminton world.

Dong and company dealt Indonesia its heaviest blow when he ousted Indonesia's world number two and top-seed Ardy Wiranata in the quarterfinals. A solid team of Huang Zhanzhong and Xin Jiang scalped world number one pair of Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja in a thrilling three-set semifinal.

South Korea added insult to injury as Gil Young-ah and Kim Dong-moon teamed up superbly to outlast Indonesian mixed doubles top-seeds Trikus Heryanto and Minarti Timur 15-7, 10-15, 15-13. The Indonesians were favored to notch a hat trick following their two successive victories in the Indonesia Open and Singapore Open last month.

Bambang and Gunawan totally dominated the final match against their younger opponents. The Chinese flexed their muscles to force a tight first set, but ran out of steam in the quick second game.

China won a consolation as world champion Ye Zhaoying, seeded second here, struggled all the way to beat top seed Bang Soo-hyun of South Korea 12-10, 3-11, 11-9 for the women's title. (amd)