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| July 4, 2005 | Monday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 26, 1426 |
Hidayat, Zhang clinch titles
SINGAPORE, July 3: Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat won his first title on Sunday since claiming Athens Olympic gold, defeating China’s Chen Hong in straight sets in the final of the Singapore Open badminton tournament.
The world number eight took just 48 minutes to beat Chen, the reigning All-England champion, 15-9, 15-3 for his third Singapore Open title.
While Chen failed, China’s women were able to maintain their dominance, with second seed Zhang Ning beating countrywoman Zhou Mi 11-5, 11-7 to claim her fifth Singapore Open title after wins in 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004.
Hidayat came into the final supremely confident after defeating world number one Lin Dan in the semifinals on Saturday and took control from the start.
The Indonesian sprinted to an 8-1 lead, then 12-5, with Chen making a string of unforced errors, to wrap up the opening set in 28 minutes.
World number seven Chen took a 3-2 lead in the second set, but Hidayat didn’t give up another point in winning the second set in 20 minutes.
Although Chen’s loss was a blow to China’s hopes of complete domination in Singapore, the Chinese also added the women’s and mixed doubles titles to the women’s singles.
Seventh-seeded Zhang Dan and Zhang Yawen defeated third-seeded compatriots Gao Ling and Huang Sui 15-13, 15-10 in the women’s doubles final.
Finals results:
Men’s singles: Taufik Hidayat (INA x8) bt Chen Hong (CHN x7) 15-9, 15-3
Men’s doubles: Sigit Bugiarto and Candra Wijaya (INA x4) bt Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen (DEN x6) 8-15, 15-8, 15-7
Women’s singles: Zhang Ning (CHN x2) bt Zhou Mi (CHN x8) 11-5, 11-7
Women’s doubles: Zhang Dan and Zhang Yawen (CHN x7) bt Gao Ling and Huang Sui (CHN x3) 15-13, 15-10
Mixed doubles: Zhang Jun and Gao Ling (CHN x2) bt Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thungthongkam (THA x6) 10-15, 15-7, 15-5.—AFP
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