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Badminton-Sun Jun, Gade-Christensen in Grand Prix finals
1999-02-28
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei - China's world number two Sun Jun won a thrilling battle with Malaysian Yong Hock Kin on Saturday to reach a showdown with Danish top seed Peter Gade-Christensen in the World Grand Prix finals. The pair gave a packed crowd in Brunei's national indoor stadium a match of skill and unbelievable pace to savour before it ended in a 15-12 17-15 victory for the Chinese. Yong stretched the Chinese all the way and had a couple of game points that would have sent the match into a third and deciding game. However, the Malaysian was unable to capitalise and Sun found an extra gear to sneak home. Earlier in the day, Gade-Christensen was given a walkover into the final when Malaysian Ong Ewe Hock pulled out due to an infection caused by an insect bite. The day's rest for the Dane may prove useful, but Sun Jun believes it will not make a difference. ``I don't think it will matter that much. If anything, I will have the advantage of this extra day's training,'' he said. Ong was diagnosed with cellulitis, a blood infection, when he was hospitalised on Friday after his final round-robin match against China's Luo Yigang. Gade-Christensen visited the 10th-ranked Malaysian in hospital. ``I feel so sorry for Ewe Hock. His leg was so swollen that there was no way he could have played today,'' he said. In the women's singles, Zhang Ning surprised her compatriot and tournament favourite Ye Zhaoying 11-5 11-8 to reach the final where she will face another Chinese, Dai Yun, who disposed of Gong Zhichao 11-0 11-6 earlier in the day. The men's doubles saw a major upset when crowd favourites Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky of Indonesia were beaten by compatriots Denny Kantono and Budi Ariantho Antonius 15-11 15-12. The ``Ricky and Rexy'' pair looked off-form from the start and their opponents were able to take advantage. In the final, they will face yet another Indonesian pair, Tony Gunawan and Halim Haryanto, who took care of compatriots Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian 15-11 15-9. There were no surprises in the women's doubles as overwhelming favourites Ge Fei and Gu Jun from China dominated their Chinese compatriots Huang Nanyan and Yang Wei 15-5 15-4 to reach the final. There they will play the Danish pair of Marlene Thomsen and Rikke Olsen, who advanced courtesy of a 15-5 15-8 triumph over another pair from Denmark, Ann Jorgensen and Majken Vange. In the mixed doubles, the English pair of Simon Archer and Joanne Goode continued their impressive run of form when they upset Michael Sogaard and Rikke Olsen of Denmark 15-9 13-15 15-11 to reach the finals. It was the English pair's first win over the Danes in five attempts and preserved their perfect record in this tournament. However, they will have their hands full in the final against impressive South Koreans Kim Dong-moon and Ra Kyung-min, who thrashed Trikus Heryanto and Minarti Timur of Indonesia 15-7 15-4. Semifinal results in the World Grand Prix badminton finals on Saturday. Men's singles: Peter Gade Christensen (Denmark) beat Ong Ewe Hock (Malaysia), walkover (Ong pulled out due to illness) Sun Jun (China) beat Yong Hock Kin (Malaysia) 15-12 17-15 Women's singles: Dai Yun (China) beat Gong Zhichao (China) 11-0 11-6 Zhang Ning (China) beat Ye Zhaoying (China) 11-5 8-11 11-8 Men's doubles: Tony Gunawan/Haryanto Halim (Indonesia) beat Flandy Limpele/Eng Hian (Indonesia) 15-11 15-9 Denny Kantono/Budi Ariantho Antonius (Indonesia) beat Ricky A Subagja/Rexy Mainaky (Indonesia) 15-11 15-12 Women's doubles: Ge Fei/Gu Jun (China) beat Huang Nanyan/Yang Wei (China) 15-5 15-4 Marlene Thomsen/Rikke Olsen (Denmark) beat Ann Jorgensen/Majken Vange (Denmark) 15-5 15-8 Mixed Doubles: Kim Dong-moon/Ra Kyung-min (South Korea) beat Trikus Heryanto/Minarti Timur (Indonesia) 15-7 15-4 Simon Archer/Joanne Goode (England) beat Michael Sogaard/Rikke Olsen (Denmark) 15-9 13-15 15-11
Badminton-China took women's double title (1999-05-23)Christensen, Ye win Japan Open badminton singles (1999-04-12)Badminton-Sun Jun, Gade-Christensen in Grand Prix finals (1999-02-28)3 (11285)
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