Luluk,Alven win Thailand Open

Agencies, Jakarta

Indonesian pair Luluk Hadiyanto/Alven Yulianto won the men's doubles badminton title on Sunday in the US$50,000 Thailand Open after defeating top seeds Nathan Robertson/Anthony Clark of England in Bangkok.

According to the championship's official website, Luluk/Alven, who were third seeds at the tournament, scored a 15-12, 15-6 victory over the English pair currently ranked ninth in the world.

Alven told Antara that the first set was quite tight, with the two sides leveling at 12-12 before the Indonesian duo eventually took the set.

"It was an easier game for us in the second set," he said.

Despite the defeat, Robertson still had something to cheer about with a victory in the mixed doubles.

With Gail Emms, the English pair lost the first set before fighting back to take the remaining two in a 8-15, 15-12, 15-11 victory over Thai second-seeded pair Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thungthongkam.

Meanwhile, Thai sensation Boonsak Polsana won an easy victory over Hong Kong top seed Ng Wei to win his first Thailand Open title, AFP reported.

Boonsak, who was unseeded in the two-star ranked tournament, steamed to a 5-0 lead in the first set before Ng managed to score three successive points. But the visitor was then overcome by the Thai's court craft, while Boonsak soon pulled ahead, egged on by the cheering home crowd at Bangkok's National Stadium.

Ng made several unforced errors, handing Boonsak a 15-3, 15-3 victory.

In the women's finals, the Netherlands' Yao Jie, ranked 19th in the world, caused an upset by beating South Korea's top seed Jun Jae-youn in an hour-long, three-set match.

Jun began well, but Yao caught up to a 8-8 tie before taking the lead and winning 11-8.

Yao took the initial lead in the second set, but then gave away points, eventually losing 2-11. However, she recovered to win the final set 11-6.

Yao won $3,450, while Jun took home a prize of $1,650.

Thailand Open finals:

Men's singles Boonsak Polsana (Tha) bt Ng Wei (Hk) 15-3, 15-3

Women's singles Yao Jie (Ned) bt Jun Jae-youn (Kor) 11-8, 2-11, 11-6

Men's doubles Luluk Hadiyanto/Alven Yulianto (Ina) bt Nathan Robertson/Anthony Clark (Eng) 15-12, 15-6

Women's doubles Zhang Dan/Zhang Yawen (Chn) bt Du Jing/Yu Yang (Chn) 15-5, 15-7

Mixed doubles Nathan Robertson/Gail Emms (Eng) bt Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thungthongkam (Tha) 8-15, 15-12, 15-11