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Badminton: Yonex Japan Open - Newcomers sweep titles

2008-09-22 10:24 IOC

A new generation has arrived, led by China’s women players as the Yonex Japan Open saw newcomers taking most of the titles.

 

The only event which didn’t provide with a new winner in the Super series was the men’s singles, but there was still a surprise as the second seed Sony Dwi Kuncoro from Indonesia beat Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei.

The Indonesian was fast, accurate, patient and yet aggressive when he needed to be, and found the exact right pace to trouble the new World No 1. Keeping his opponent within a two-point difference at all times, Sony sped up at the right time to clinch a crucial first game.

The second game was just a nightmare for Lee Chong Wei, who was then out of his usual league, playing slowly and making unforced errors, leading to a final 17/21 – 11/21 loss to the 2007 World Championships runner up.

 

“Sony played very cleverly tonight. He knew that Chong Wei was not at his best and he played long rallies but still in attacking mode to make the difference” analysed Chong Wei’s coach Misbun Sidek. “But after the Olympics and the flu that Chong Wei had last week, we couldn’t hope for a better outing than this final, in order to keep his ranking. Today, he just didn’t have the stamina, and then, he had to fight within himself for every point,” added Misbun, hinting that Lee would now skip the China Masters and hopefully come back for the Macau Grand Prix Gold.

Sony was of course very happy to win his second title this year after the Indonesian Open, showing that Indonesia is alive again in this event – the men’s singles. After his victory in Indonesia, and Simon Santoso’s success last week in Chinese Taipei, things look good for Indonesia.

“We’re making progress, but not necessarily peaking yet. It’s just good that one player can take over when the other one is out of the tournament. As for myself, I owe this victory to the way I played – way more relaxed. I felt as I had nothing to lose and I set my mind to just give my best,” said Sony.

Few minutes earlier, it was Wang Yihan who occupied the winner’s podium. The Chinese youngster played another solid match – she had to, to overcome Zhou Mi’s power and endurance. Yet she managed to beat the strong Hong Kong based player who once used to wear the same flag as Wang.

 

Wang used speed, but also a clever tactic – which Xia Xuanze was probably not a stranger to and a new weapon : the horizontal smash, bending on her knees and hitting the shuttle over her head instead of retrieving the shuttle with her back hand. This trick worked wonders and added speed to the rallies.

And the 1.78m Shanghai born came away with a 21/19 – 17/21 – 21/15 success. She wasn’t the only young Chinese to perform as her teammates, Cheng Shu and Zhao Yunlei, also stroked gold against Malaysians Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui, who could regret that they didn’t take their chances to nail a Super Series title when the big guns were all absent.

But the young Chinese duo, in spite of a terrible second game, and a shaky finish in spite of a large margin towards the end, showed the kind of talent that had seen them clinch the Asian Junior title few years ago.

Vita Marissa definitely enjoys Japan. After her incredible debut with Flandy Limpele, back in 2006 where she had won the Gold medal for her first tournament here with the legendary left hander. At the time she had been injured and was split from her lethal partnership with Nova Widianto – and it was him she beat with his new partner, Lyliana Natsir. And oddly enough, she had won that same very title, in 2004, with Nova.

 

For the third time in 6 years – in a very regular rhythm - Vita Marissa clinched once again the mixed doubles title, this time with 22 year old Muhammad Rijal. And once again, facing her old partner Nova and her regular partner in the women’s doubles, Lyliana.

No need to say that she knew their game from head to toe. And she was the boss on court, taking things rather lightly. “We had nothing to lose, we were there playing for the first time after only two weeks of practicing,” said Vita afterwards.

Lucky Rijal, who could have been left without a partner, as Vita seriously questioned her career move after the Olympics. “I am 27 and I have been in the circuit for 15 years now. Every day doing the same thing over and over is tiring and I want something new. This has nothing to do with my Olympic performance,” said Vita.

“I was already grateful to play and finishing 4th is still a great performance. But of course, I wanted to guide the new generation this is why I thought I could play with Rijal for few months and see what happens. And this victory might change something in my plans to retire; I’ll have to think about it,” she said with a wink.

 

Her partner Muhammad Rijal, quietly listening to Vita, is of course secretly hoping that she will keep playing. “It’s like a dream come true to me, to win here in Japan. I learnt a lot from her (Vita) but I certainly didn’t expect to be winning,” he said. Vita acknowledged after their 14/21 – 21/15 – 21/19 win.

In the men’s doubles, it was the Danes who would take the crown – the first ever for Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen in the Super Series era. Taking on new comers Bona Septano and Muhammad Ahsan, the Danish pair relied on their experience in key moments. “We didn’t know them, so we didn’t know what to expect, but we are quite good in adapting our game. Besides, we wanted to focus on our game and not theirs,” said Rasmussen, celebrating a 21/17 – 15/21 – 21/13 victory.

“A lot of reporters have asked us whether it was tough to get back on court after the Olympics. But no, it wasn’t , actually, as for us, it was still a great performance, even if we were a bit frustrated to lose the semi-final,” added Paaske.

“And it is great to see that we can still deliver, as this victory means a lot to us.”

The Danes, world Champions in 2003, had still had problems to keep up their high standards but proved in Tokyo and they were clearly ready to take on the gap left by teammates Jens Eriksen and Martin Lundgaard in the Danish team.

(Credit: BWF)

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