ended a 26-month title drought with an 11-5 8-11 11-5 victory over compatriot and world championship silver medallist Dai Yun. After China's singles victories, the three doubles championships also went to Asia. For the first time in the tournament's 100-year history no European player made it to the finals day in any of the five events.
Hidayat, runner-up for the second year running, started favourite in the men's singles final against Xia who came to the tournament little heralded despite a world ranking of 12 after victories in last year's Dutch and German Opens.
But Xia, 21, took control from the start, going up 11-0 in the first and 10-4 in the second. A late rally by Hidayat which levelled the issue at 13-13 raised Indonesian hopes only for the tall Chinese to swiftly slam the door.
It was Xia's fourth victory over a seeded opponent at these championships but the talented Hidayat, seeded four, represented the biggest scalp of the lot despite the Indonesian still being a teenager.
``I was quite confident,'' the Chinese said. ``And I knew I would fight.''
He added: ``The top players had a systematic programme at a training camp before the Thomas Cup preliminaries earlier this year and it has paid off.''
But asked about his tactics, the champion smiled: ``secret.''
SUN JUN INJURED
Xia's better-known compatriot, world champion Sun Jun, was forced to miss the All Englands because of injury and is now under pressure to preserve his world ranking of eight before the April 30 cut-off date to make sure he is on the three-strong Chinese team for the men's singles at the Sydney Olympics. Xia said: ``I'll play in as many tournaments as I can before then and then it will depend on where I am in the rankings but Sun Jun is a better player than me.''
In the women's event, the smart money was on Dai after her efficient dispatch in Saturday's semifinal of world champion Camilla Martin but it was clear early on that Dai had left some of the previous day's form back in the locker-room.
Although she battled well to win the second game and level at 1-1 she looked tired and occasionally ill at ease. Gong seized the day and the title to end a lean spell going back to her last championship success at the Japan Open early in 1998.
``I have not been in very good condition for quite a while,'' said the slightly-built Chinese who weighs just 50 kgs. ``On top of that many of my opponents know how to play against me so it has become much more difficult.''
China carried their domination into the women's doubles with the title going to world champions Ge Fei and Gu Fun while South Korea won the men's and the mixed with their world titleholders.
But there was one small hitch.
Both singles winners Xia and Gong received luxury cars as prizes but both confessed they could not drive.
Results on finals day of the All England badminton championships on Sunday (prefix denotes seeding):
Women's singles
4-Gong Zhichao (China) beat 2-Dai Yun (China) 11-5 8-11 11-5
Men's singles
11-Xia Xuanze (China) beat 4-Taufik Hidayat (Indonesia) 15-6 15-13
Men's doubles
3-Ha Tae-kwon/Kim Dong-moon (South Korea) beat 2-Lee Dong-soo/Yoo Yong-sung (South Korea) 15-4 13-15 17-15
Women's doubles
1-Ge Fei/Gu Fun (China) beat 2-Chung Jae-hee/Ra Kyung-min (South Korea) 15-5 15-3
Mixed doubles
1-Kim Dong-moon/Ra Kyung-min (South Korea) beat 2-Liu Yong/Ge Fei (China) 15-10 15-2
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)
