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Chinese to dominate Thailand Open finals

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-07-07 21:54

BANGKOK, -- Chinese shuttlers are set to dominate the finals' courts of the SCG Thailand Open Grand Prix after the round of semi-finals concluded Saturday at Bangkok's National Stadium.

For men's singles, Chinese star Chen Hong defeated Wei NG from Chinese Hong Kong 21:18, 21:9. Chen Hong is meant to meet "Super Man" Boonsak Ponsana at the finals, after the Thai ace outed Chen Hong's compatriot Chen Jin, in an intense contest facing a cheering Thai spectator crowd.

Boonsak, ranking 10th in the latest list of Badminton World Federation (BWF), had lost to Chen Jin in their latest three encounters, but seemed to regain his strength touching his homeland, beating the 4th-ranked opponent 19:21, 21:18, 21:13.

3rd-ranked Zhu Lin defeated Pi Hongyan representing France 21: 16,21:18 to enter the women's singles finals. Zhu would be fighting with her former teammate Zhou Mi, who joined Chinese Hong Kong team early this year after retiring from the China's national team in 2005, for the laurel on Sunday.

Zhou Mi, who had topped the BWF singles ranking for many times, earned herself the chance, playing through all the rounds starting from the qualification, since she had retreated from international tournaments for more than one year before she returned to the court gaining back her points.

Zhou, ranking 89th at present, won the semi-final match over Aiying Xing from Singapore 17:21, 21:13, 21:9.

For women's doubles, the title is set to crown a Chinese pair, after Gao Ling/Huang Sui beat Yu Chin Chien/Wen-Hsing Cheng from Chinese Taipei 21:10, 21:16, and Du Jing/Yu Yang flirted out Kyung Won Lee/Hyo Jung Lee from South Korea by 21:14, 21:17.

Chinese mixed doubles pair He Hanbin/Yu Yang (F) had a hard play against the Thai top-seed Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thoungthongkam(F), but the Chinese managed to win the battle by 21: 18 18:21 23:21.

The Chinese pair's opponent for Sunday's finals will be Sang Hoon Han/Yu Mi Hwang (F) from South Korea, who beat Thomas Laybourn/Kamilla Rytter Juhl from Denmark 23:21, 21:14.

The Thailand Open started on Tuesday, July 3, with a prize money totaling 120,000 U.S. dollars.

As a BWF 3A tournament, the Thailand Open provides a chance for players to accumulate their points in a new BWF ranking list to be released on May 1, 2008, which will determine the players' qualifications for the Beijing Olympics 2008.