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YONEX-SUNRISE HONG KONG OPEN 2009 - Rise of the new generation?
Friday, November 13, 2009 - By Raphael Sachetat. Pix by BadmintonPhoto
The duo of Pia Zebadiah Bernadet/Fran Kurniawan and Hayom Rumbaka stunned their opponents to enter their first ever Super Series quarter finals. The emergence of a new generation?
He may have been hitting and jump smashing his heart out during the whole match, the highest of all jumps was the one Fran Kurniawan made when he and partner Pia Zebadiah Bernadet finally beat the reigning Olympic champions Lee Yong Dae and Lee Hyo Jung. An impressive performance for the duo who have only been playing as a pair for 6 months, since the Vietnam satellite tournament, where they lost in the final against their compatriots Ahmad and Dili. A first hint of their worth was when they pushed the Olympic bronze Medalist, He Hanbin-Yu Yang, to three games in the Philippine Open. 
A bigger hint was certainly given in the Queen Elisabeth Stadium on Thursday for the opening session of the second round, where they gave an impressive performance.
If Lee Yong Dae was more efficient from the back than Fran throughout the first game, it was Pia who made the difference at the net, pushing Lee Hyo Jung to make mistakes she isn’t used to, and after leading 18/15, the Indonesian duo took the first game 21/19.
A first surprise. It wasn’t to be the last one for the Koreans, who lost focus few minutes after the beginning of the second game, when their opponents were hitting harder and putting more pressure on them. As a result, the Koreans trailed 5/14. It looked like it was then a done deal but the famous “fear to win” must have hit the Indonesian duo, who lost all their means and started committing terrible mistakes.
That was enough for Yong Dae and Hyo Jung to score no less than 9 points in a row and draw level with their younger opponents at 14/14. Then again, leading 18/16, Fran and Bernadet saw the Olympic champions pass them at 19/18.
The Indonesian coaches were then holding their heads in despair while the whole stadium thought that the most experienced Koreans would then take it away. But it wasn’t meant to be. “We got really nervous when we were ahead in the second game and we committed mistakes. We could feel a lot of pressure suddenly. But then, when we caught back at 19/19, the pressure was all gone. We realized that we should give it all then because if they had won the second game, it would have then been very difficult” said a Pia.
And the Indonesians kept their focus while oddly enough, Yong Dae and Hyo Jung didn’t play well the last points of the match, the former taking the net and seeming too eager to put pressure on their opponents. One mistake and one kill from Kurniawan and the Indonesians had written history for their young career, entering their first Super Series quarter-final with an Olympic scalp en route.
“It’s a great feeling” said Zebadiah. “I had switched to mixed double because the game suited me better. And today, I’m glad I made the change,” said the 20 year old girl, who played the 2009 Swiss Open in Singles for her last competition without a partner.
Is Hayom Rumbaka the new Jewel Indonesia
Just like it was a practice match, playing very relaxed in spite of being in the centre court, few metres away from Bao Chunlai whom he is to play next.
After Taufik, Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Simon Santoso, Hayom could make a name for himself. Originally from Yogyakarta , Rumbaka didn’t think that his future would be in badminton, until a coach from Djarum recruited him at the age of 16.
“I never thought that I would take badminton as my profession. My dream in the beginning was to enter the Air Force. For me, it was a manly job because you have to take part in the war in order to protect the country,” he laughs. “But since playing for Djarum, I have realized that my life is for badminton now”.
A good choice obviously as he has since won three tournaments in Romania, Australia and in a home satellite tournament and looks like a real threat to Bao Chunlai on Friday. His dream would probably to have a rematch against his idol in the final, Taufik Hidayat
“Taufik is my idol. My playing style is definitely inspired by him. Unlike me, he is gifted with tremendous skills in playing badminton. I only try my best to play as well as him and practice his tricky shots. I hope one day I will reach high achievements like he has, and even more,” added Rumbaka.News
YONEX-SUNRISE HONG KONG OPEN 2009 - Taufik out, Chan on a high
Friday, November 13, 2009 - By Raphael Sachetat. Pix by BadmintonPhoto
Chan Yan Kit booked his ticket for the quarter final by upsetting Korea
Another day of upsets in The 23 year old has been in the quarter-finals before, but for the first time on his home soil. And he took all his chances and played beautifully to beat the tall Korean, who did not give in easily. “It’s the first time that I’ve reached my home event quarter-final, and it feels great, of course. To feel the fans behind me tonight was amazing. It added a bit of pressure but it was all positive for me,” said Chan. 
“I had never beaten Park in the last four times we met, so I am even more pleased about my game tonight. I stayed patient and I took the right opportunities when they came.”
Fast, efficient, very reliable in defense and if Park led for the first seven points, once Chan got into the rhythm, the game was all his. With the roaring crowd behind him, he took the first game 21/15 and led all throughout the second game, while Park seemed clueless on whether he should keep hitting down the shuttles or keep the rallies going.
Either way, Chan had the right answer and he kept scoring point after point. The Korean, wearing his now usual pink shirt was close to getting back when he erased a five-point margin to get back to 12/13. But then, Chan accelerated, spurred on by the fans, for a final 21/16 success.
“I have to face Kenichi Tago now, who beat me 21/17 in the third game last time we played, so it should be a good match,” hinted Chan. Tago beat Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand in two games, 23/21 – 21/9.
Peter Gade and Taufik Hidayat were meant to play each other again for one of the best quarter-final the Hong Kong fans could hope for – as well as Gade who was probably looking for revenge from his French Open defeat.
But the Indonesian was obviously not in the best mood nor form. His younger compatriot Simon Santoso played the perfect game to trouble the former Olympic Champion, who, when he saw there was no solution for him, just let go with the match as he sometime does, making it easy for Santoso to conclude 21/13 – 21/6 to the crowd’s disappointment as Taufik clearly was their favourite.
For Gade, it was all but a smooth ride against his younger compatriot Jan Jorgensen, who had beaten him in the only two confrontations the two players had played in International competition.
This time, Peter Gade was ready for a long and hard fight. And his game was steady enough to cope with the loss of the first game – partly because he hit the net band on a serve at 19/19. Keeping calm, finding the right solution, Gade played his usual attacking game and played well with the drift when it was on his side, to clinch the final victory 21/23 – 21/16 – 21/14. 
“Peter just played better today. There’s no question about that. He took the lead in the last game and I knew it would be difficult then against the wind, but it was a fun game to play,” said Jorgensen, who is surely the Dane to watch in the future.
Lee Chong Wei and Hafiz Hashim will meet in an all-Malaysia affair after the latter upset Vietnam
If Wang Lin was not so impressive against Zhang Beiwen – she took three games to beat the Singaporean, the other Wangs, on the contrary, were outstanding; showing how fit was the young generation. First, Wang Shixian beat Tine Rasmussen in straight games, 21/16 – 21/18.
Then it was Wang Xin, who made an even stronger impression against 2nd seed Zhou Mi of Hong Kong, giving her taller and more experienced opponent a lesson of badminton, winning 21/17 – 21/12.
The six Chinese who had entered the draw are still in competition for the title, which leaves two spots for other nations, one being taken by a former Chinese – Pi Hongyan of France. The tiny French was however very close to losing to Korea
Sung would have made her mother proud when she led up to 18/16 in the decider against the World Championships’ Bronze medalist, but Pi’s experience prevailed and she was able to get back and win the match after a very tight contest. Together with Pi, Bae Seung Hee will be the only other non Chinese after she benefitted from Yao Jie’s withdrawal in the third game.
The women’s doubles from China also secured their four spots in the quarters, all in straight and easy games and top seed Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty from Malaysia will have a tough job to do, unless they’re helped with the two new scratch pairs of Korea
sources : http://www.internationalbadminton.org
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