Ricky and Rexy save the day for Indonesia

Ricky and Rexy save the day for Indonesia

SEOUL (Agencies): World men's doubles champions Ricky Subagja
and Rexy Mainaky claimed Indonesia's share of the final day's
honors at the Korea Open badminton championships yesterday.

The Indonesian number one pair survived a second-set thriller
to beat Malaysian arch rivals Cheah Soo Kit and Yap Kim Hock 15-
5, 17-14 to win the title, their second in a row.

Ricky and Rexy got off to a flying start this Olympic season
with a victory in the Japan Open last Sunday. They also beat the
Malaysian duo in the process.

The men's doubles crown saved Indonesia's blushes in the third
leg of the world badminton grand prix series. The biggest upset
came in the men's singles when home favorite Lee Kwan-jin shot
down world champion and top seed Hariyanto Arbi in the
quarterfinals.

Lee went on to the final, only to crash to veteran compatriot
Kim Hak-kyun in straight sets on Friday. South Koreans also won
the women's doubles on Friday when Gil Young-ah and Jang Hye-ock
clawed their way back to upset compatriots Kim Shin-young and Kim
Mee-hyang 1-15, 15-11, 15-4.

South Korean players completed their gold medal haul yesterday
by winning the women's singles and mixed doubles.

World number two and top seed Bang Soo-hyun took the winner's
US$6,250 prize with a comprehensive pounding of her 12th-ranked
Chinese opponent Yao Yan 11-3 11-0.

Bang, playing her first tournament of the year, set the pace
from the start with a barrage of drop shots and straight drives.

In the mixed doubles veteran Park Joo-bong maintained his
solid partnership with Ra Kyung-min to land their second straight
title by beating Simon Archer and Julie Bradbury of Britain 15-9,
15-11.