Mia beats China's Gong to win Japan Open

Mia beats China's Gong to win Japan Open

TOKYO (AFP): Atlanta Olympic silver medalist Mia Audina of Indonesia captured her biggest title so far yesterday when she breezed past China's Gong Zhichao to win the US$170,000 Japan Open badminton championships.

The 17-year-old world number one, who stopped Chinese world champion Ye Zhaoying's defense of the women's singles title Saturday, went on to win the final 11-3, 2-11, 11-5 over the third-ranked Chinese.

"I lost my concentration in the second game," said Audina. "I knew it would be a very difficult match if I lost the first game. So I really concentrated on taking the first game."

Mia modestly said she was still far behind her teammate, badminton great Susi Susanti, adding: "She is much better than I am."

Mia, whose acrobatic smashes were the basis of her victory, revenged a loss to Gong in their first meeting at the Grand Prix Final in Denpasar, Bali in December.

For Mia, who made a sensational international debut by winning the fifth match to bring the 1994 Uber Cup to Indonesia, it was only her second career singles title, following her victory at the US Open by beating Zhang Ning of China in September.

She collected the winner's check of $8,500, with Gong taking the $5,950 runner-up prize.

Atlanta Olympic champions Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagdja wound up the competition by winning the men's doubles trophy as the top seeds outplayed third-seeded fellow Indonesians Antonius and Denny Kantono 15-11, 7-15, 15-7.

The women's doubles title and $10,200 cash prizes went to the Chinese pair of Gu Jun and Ge Fei, who downed the top-seeded Indonesian duo of Eliza and Zelin Resiana 12-15, 15-12, 15-1.

It was their 17th straight victory over the Indonesians, with their only loss to Eliza and Zelin coming at the China Open quarterfinals in 1993.

Peter Rasmussen posted his first career title when the 22-year-old Dane brushed aside Park Sung-woo of South Korea 15-3, 15-1 to win the men's singles title and the $11,050 first prize.

Rasmussen was beaten when he played Park in their first encounter at the 1995 world championships, but he was a different player when he came onto the court against the Korean.

The aggressive Dane, ranked 27th against Park's 19th, hit an array of powerful smashes for the lopsided victory.

Ge later returned to the court and made it a double victory when she added the mixed doubles title with Liu Yong, beating Jens Eriksen and Marlene Thomsen of Denmark 15-8, 15-10.

Results

Women's singles: Mia Audina (Ina x1) bt Gong Zhichao (Chn x2) 11-3, 2-11, 11-5

Men's singles: Peter Rasmussen (Den) bt Park Sung-woo (Kor x9) 15-3, 15-1

Women's doubles: Gu Jun/Ge Fei (Chn x2) bt Eliza/Zelin Resiana (Ina x1) 12-15, 15-12, 15-1

Men's doubles: Rexy Mainaky/Ricky Subagdja (Ina x1) bt Antonius/Denny Kantono (Ina x3) 15-11, 7-15, 15-7

Mixed doubles: Liu Yong/Ge Fei (Chn) bt Jens Eriksen/Mariene Thomsen (Den x5) 15-8, 15-10