Defending champion Peter Gade’s hopes of a world title this year took a severe blow after losing to Indonesia’s Budi Santoso in straight games at the Brunei World Grand Prix Finals earlier today. <br><br>

Gade (pictured) – a strong favourite to reclaim his title after reaching the World Championship final in June – cut a sorry figure as he left the court after his 7/4, 8/6, 7/5 loss to Santoso, who only received a call-up for the event after compatriot Taufik Hidayat was banned from attending under disciplinary action from the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI).<br><br>

For Gade, it was only the second time he had played under the experimental best of 5 games to 7 points scoring system, and although a supporter of the initiative after using it at the 2000 Cagen Masters, he struggled to adapt.<br><br>

The 24-year-old will now face a difficult task if he’s to top Group A and qualifying for the semi-finals on Saturday. To stand a chance, he must beat Malaysia’s Wong Choong Hann and Xia Xuanze – to whom Gade lost in the Sydney Games bronze medal play-off. Wong and Xia went head to head today and provided the longest match of the tournament - in 68 minutes, 22-year-old pushed through to victory against the off-form Malaysian 8/6, 6/8, 8/6, 7/8, 8/6.<br><br>

Indonesia are still strong contenders for the Brunei title even though defending champions Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan got off to a shaky start, stretched to the full five games in theirng group match.<br><br>

The Olympic gold medallists faced an unexpected struggle against China’s Zhang Wei and Zhang Jun – winners of 2000 Thailand– before driving home 7/3, 0/7, 7/1, 1/7, 7/1 in just 32 minutes.<br><br>

Reigning All England champion Pullela Gopichand (pictured) also had to overcome a false start in hisng group clash against Welshman Richard Vaughan, but safely overcame a 1/7 deficit in the first game to run out the winner in 31 minutes 1/7, 7/4, 7/0, 7/3.<br><br>

New world champion Hendrawan barely had time to break a sweat against Denmark’s Anders Boesen, efficiently finishing the job 7/1, 7/1, 7/1.<br><br>

Star-struck local boys Hj Mohd Masri Fadzli and Bn Hj Talip Ermadena – playing as a wildcard entry – were brought back down to earth when they lost to Denmark’s Martin Lundgaard Hansen and Lars Paaske 7/2, 7/0, 7/0 in the shortest match of the tournament so far at 14 minutes.<br><br>

In the mixed doubles, England’s rising star Gail Emms and partner Ian Sullivan caused the biggest upset in the mixed doubles today, beating China’s Chen Qiqiu and Chen Lin 7/1, 3/7, 7/5, 3/7, 7/2, while second seeds Michael Sogaard and Rikke Olsen lost to 1999 runners-up Tri Kusharyanto and Minarti Timur 7/8, 7/3, 8/6, 8/7.<br><br>

Don''t forget to check out our real-time scoring throughout the event, brought to you live from the hands of the umpire!<br><br>

DAY ONE RESULTS:<br>
Men’s Singles<br><br>

Group A<br><
Xia Xuanze (CHN) beat Wong Choong Hann (MAS) 8/6, 6/8, 8/6, 7/8, 8/6 (68’)
Budi Santoso (INA) beat Peter Gade (DEN) 7/4, 8/6, 7/5, (43’) <br><br>

Group B<br>
Roslin Hashim (MAS) beat Luo Yigang (CHN) 7/1, 7/3, 8/6 (36’)
Hendrawan (INA) beat Anders Boesen (DEN) 7/1, 7/1, 7/1, (18’)<br><br>

Group C<br>
Pullela Gopichand (IND) beat Richard Vaughan (WAL) 1/7, 7/4, 7/0, 7/3 (31’)
Marleve Mainaky (INA) beat Ji Xinpeng (CHN) 7/2, 7/0, 5/7, 7/4 (29’)<br><br>

Group D<br>
Chen Hong (CHN) beat Vladislav Druzchenko (UKR) 7/5, 7/1, 8/6 (26’)
Ong Ewe Hock (MAS) beat 2/7, 7/2, 7/3, 7/0 (30’)<br><br>

Women’s Singles <br>


Group A<br>
Mia Audina Tjiptawan (NED) beat Ellen Angelina (INA) 7/2, 7/2, 3/7, 4/7, 8/6 (53’)<br><br>
Group B<br>
Wang Chen (HKG) beat Kelly Morgan (WAL) 7/5, 8/7, 7/2 (36’)<br><br>

Group C<br>
Lidya Djaelawijaya (INA) beat Huang Chia-Chi (TPE) 7/2, 7/1, 7/2 (16’)<br><br>

Group D<br>
Dai Yun (CHN) beat Kanako Yonekura (JPN) 7/0, 7/3, 7/2 (20’)<br><br>




Men’s Doubles<br>

Group A<br>
Halim Haryanto & Sigit Budiarto (INA) beat Michal Logosz & Robert Mateusiak (POL) 7/3, 7/3, 7/2 (20’)<br><br>

Michael Sogaard & Jim Laugesen (DEN) beat Jens Eriksen & Jesper Larsen (DEN) 7/8, 7/3, 7/2, 7/4 (34’)<br><br>

Group B<br>

Martin Lundgaard Hansen & Lars Paaske (DEN) beat Hj Mohd Masri Fadzli & Bn Hj Talip Ermadena (BRU) 7/2, 7/0, 7/0 (14’)<br><br>

Candra Wijaya & Tony Gunawan (INA) beat Zhang Wei & Zhang Jun (CHN) 7/3, 0/7, 7/1, 1/7, 7/1 (32’)<br><br>

Women’s Doubles<br>
Group A<br>
Huang Nanyan & Yang Wei (CHN) beat Gail Emms & Joanne Wright (ENG) 7/0, 7/1, 7/4 (19’)<br><br>

Chen Li-Chin & Tsai Hui-Min (TPE) beat Britta Andersen & Lene Mork (DEN) 3/7, 7/1, 3/7, 8/6, 7/2 (46’)<br><br>

Group B<br>



Chen Lin & Jiang Xuelian (CHN) beat Marina Yakusheva & Irina Rusljakova (RUS) 7/2, 7/4, 7/2 (19’)<br><br>



Helene Kirkegaard & Rikke Olsen (DEN) beat Sujitra Ekmongkolpaisarn & Saralee Thungthongkam (THA) 2/7, 1/7, 7/2, 7/0, 8/7 (42’)<br><br>




Mixed Doubles<br>




Group A<br>



Zhang Jun & Gao Ling (CHN) beat Khunakorn Sudhisodhi & Saralee Thungthongkam (THA) 7/5, 8/7, 7/1 (22’)<br><br>



Jens Eriksen & Mette Schjoldager (DEN) beat Frederik Bergstrom & Jenny Karlsson (SWE) 7/4, 8/6, 7/3, (21’)<br><br>




Group B<br>



Tri Kusharyanto & Minarti Timur (INA) beat Michael Sogaard & Rikke Olsen (DEN) 7/8, 7/3, 8/6, 8/7 (39’)<br><br>



Ian Sullivan & Gail Emms (ENG) beat Chen Qiqiu & Chen Lin (CHN) 7/1, 3/7, 7/5, 3/7, 7/2 (40’)