| |
CHECK
LATEST RESULTS AND NEWS
|
|
|
NEWS
|
World champions out of Brunei World Grand Prix Finals
August 10, 2001 - Source : IBF
|
|
World champions Hendrawan and Gong Ruina crashed out of the Brunei World Grand Prix Finals today, losing their crunch matches on the final day of group competition.
 Hendrawan’s conqueror was Malaysian Roslin Hashim (pictured), out to exorcise some demons after poor performances at the recent world championships and Malaysia Hashim looked comfortable and confident from the outset and quickly pulled ahead to take the first game 7/1.
But Hendrawan was not going to give up easily, pushing his opponent to all four corners of the court before levelling the match one game-all. Hashim, champion of the Swiss(played under the 5 x 7 scoring system) dug even deeper during a close-fought third game which he grasped 8/6, before finally crushing the world champion in four games 7/1, 5/7, 8/6, 7/0 in 47 minutes.
The win sets Hashim up for a semi-final clash against Group A winner Xia Xuanze, who wasted no time disposing of a dejected Peter Gade 7/3, 7/1, 7/0.
Chen Hong and Marleve Mainaky will contest the second men’s singles semi-final, after Chen beat Malaysian veteran Ong Ewe Hock in straight games, and All England champion Pullela Gopichand was ousted by the newly crowned Indonesiawinner Mainaky.
But it was Gong Ruina’s loss which was perhaps the bigger upset of the day, beaten by Wang Chen. The pair last met just a couple of weeks ago in the semi-finals of the Malaysia where the world champion went on to win the title. But today it was a different story, and the 25-year-old from Hong Kong emerged victorious after the full five games 2/7, 7/5, 4/7, 7/2, 7/5.
Wang will now take on Seville silver medallist Zhou Mi in the semi-final, with Dai Yun and Gong Zhichao battling it out for the second finals berth on Sunday.
An all-Indonesia men’s doubles final is a very real possibility, as both Halim Haryanto & Sigit Budiarto, and Olympic champions Candra Wijaya & Tony Gunawan topped their respective groups. Haryanto & Budiarto – winners of the 2000 Dutch- square up to China’s Zhang Wei and Zhang Jun, with Danes Sogaard & Laugesen opposing Wijaya & Gunawan.
England’s Gail Emms (pictured with Ian Sullivan in the mixed doubles) and Joanne Wright booked themselves a surprise place in the women’s doubles semi-finals after coming from two games down to beat Chen Li-Chin and Tsai Hui-Min of Chinese Taipei. The English pair – whose only Grand Prix win to date came at the 2000 US– won in 41 minutes 2/7, 7/8, 7/0, 7/4, 7/1 and gave a taste of English doubles at its best. They now play Chinese pair Chen Lin & Jiang Xuelian, with Olympic silver medallists Huang Nanyan & Yang Wei up against second seeds Helene Kirkegaard & Rikke Olsen.
Jens Eriksen & Mette Schjoldager upset world and Olympic champions Zhang Jun and Gao Ling in their final group match today. Both pairs had already ensured they were in tomorrow’s semi-finals, so their head-to-head was just to determine the overall group winner. Eriksen & Schjoldager – Swisschampions – won in five games 7/2, 3/7, 8/7, 0/7, 7/6 and a Danish presence in the final is now certain, as they meet Michael Sogaard & Rikke Olsen (pictured) in tomorrow’s semis. Zhang & Gao face Tri Kusharyanto & Minarti Timur in rematch of the Olympic final.
Stay with us this weekend for up-to-the-minute action from the Brunei World Grand Prix Finals. |
|
|
|
Other news:
» Hafiz to take three-week break
» Memories of… the 2002 Thomas and Uber Cup Finals
» Gopi to lead India in Commonwealth Games
|
|
|
Mail to friend
Printer Friendly
Back to Previous Page
