, world championship runner-up two years ago, proved a hurdle too far and he lost 13-15 13-15. With Gade's girlfriend Camilla Martin losing earlier, albeit in three tense sets, the writing was on the wall for the Danes. The Chinese duly won the men's doubles to sweep to their third Sudirman Cup success in a row, a record.
Gade, a young man with the badminton world at his feet, could not hide his disappointment but said Friday's semifinal with Indonesian teenage sensation Taufik Hidayat had taken an emotional toll in the highly-charged atmosphere, despite the one-sided 15-4 15-1 scoreline.
``That was a very big win,'' said the Dane. ``It took such a lot out of me which was why it was tough against Sun Jun in the final.''
The burden of Danish expectation will be as great as ever on Gade's shoulders and although he proved and looked a true champion at the All Englands in March, beating Hidayat in an epic final, he faces a daunting task when the championship proper starts on Tuesday.
Dangers abound, none bigger than a possible meeting with team mate and defending champion Peter Rasmussen in the quarter-finals, assuming Gade can deal in the second round with former world champion Heryanto Arbi of Indonesia.
Sun, keen to bury the defeat in the final in 1997 when he lost to Rasmussen, has always looked world champion material and Saturday's victory over Gade has given him a big psychological boost.
Hidayat, at 17, is young enough to bounce back from Friday's Sudirman Cup loss and his prospective third-round clash with Sun is already eagerly anticipated in Asia and beyond.
Ironically, titleholder Rasmussen arrives at the tournament as a virtual joker in the pack after a succession of injuries saw him drop so low in the world rankings that he qualified for the Danish squad only by the skin of his teeth.
The result is that he is seeded a lowly 13, a misleading reflection of his abilities and one which might spur him again to great deeds.
It is hard to look beyond China in the women's singles where the elegant Ye Zhaoying defends her title with Gong Ruina, seeded two, rated the main danger.
The Chinese seemed so confident in the Sudirman Cup that neither Ye nor Gong was called on and it will take a superhuman effort by Martin, the European champion and third seed, to deny China in particular and Asia in general.
The women's doubles also looks to be heading for China courtesy of the highly successful duo of Ge Fei and Gu Jun but the men's event is more open.
In the mixed doubles England's Simon Archer and Jo Goode, the All England champions, have the talent and the will to carry off their biggest title to date. [Reuters]
Badminton-Xia and Gong take All England titles for China (2000-03-12)Badminton-Sun wins men's world title (1999-05-24)Badminton-Gade picks up the pieces after defeat (1999-05-16)Christensen, Ye win Japan Open badminton singles (1999-04-12)4 (11285)
