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BEIJING, May 13: As China, South Korea, Indonesia and Denmark prepared for this weekend’s semifinals and finals action, England beat Hong Kong 3-1 on Friday to secure fifth place at the biennial Sudirman Cup. Sweden, meanwhile, were relegated from the eight-nation division one after losing 3-0 to Thailand. Their spot at the 2007 world mixed team badminton championships will be taken by Malaysia, who beat Japan 3-1 to win promotion.
On Saturday, Group 1A winners Denmark will meet Indonesia, who finished second in Group 1B, in the first semi-final of the 9th Sudirman Cup.
In the second semifinal, four-time champions China have the chance to avenge their 2003 loss to South Korea.
Results:
Group 1 - 5th/6th playoff:
England 3 Hong Kong 1
Mixed doubles: Robert Blair/Gail Emms (ENG) bt Ng Wei/Li Wing Mui (HKG) 15-0, 15-3.
Men’s singles: Agus Hariyanto (HKG) bt Aamir Ghaffar (ENG) 13-15, 15-5, 17-14.
Women’s singles: Tracey Hallam (ENG) bt Yip Pui Yin (HKG) 11-6, 11-8.
Men’s doubles: Anthony Clark/Robert Blair (ENG) bt Liu Kwok Wa/A.S. Njoto (HKG) 15-6, 15-11
Women’s doubles: Gail Emms/Donna Kellogg (ENG) Li Wing Mui/Yip Pui Yin (HKG) - dead rubber
Group 1 - promotion/relegation match
Thailand 3 Sweden 0
Mixed doubles: Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thoungthongkam (THA) bt Fredrik Bergstrom/Johanna Persson (SWE) 15-5, 15-11
Men’s singles: Boonsak Polsana (THA) bt Hugi Heimirsson (SWE) 15-5, 15-4;
Women’s singles: Salakjit Polsana (THA) bt Elin Bergblom (SWE) 11-6, 11-6;
Men’s doubles: Sudket Prapakamol/Patapol Ngernsrisuk (THA) Fredrik Bergstrom/Henrik Andersson (SWE) - dead rubber
Women’s doubles: Saralee Thoungthongkam/Sathinee Chankrachangwong (THA) Elin Bergblom/Johanna Persson (SWE) - dead rubber
Group 2 - promotion match
Malaysia 3 Japan 1
Mixed doubles: Wong Choong Hann/ Wong Pei Tty (MAS) bt Shintaro Ikeda/Tomomi Matsuda (JPN) 15-7, 15-4.
Men’s singles: Lee Chong Wei (MAS) bt Shoji Sato (JPN) 15-3, 15-0;
Women’s singles: Eriko Hirose (JPN) bt Wong Mew Choo (MAS) 11-1, 8-11, 11-8.
Men’s doubles: Koo Kian Keat/Chan Chong Ming (MAS) bt Keita Masuda/Tadashi Ohtsuka (JPN) 15-4, 15-13.
Women’s doubles: Wong Pei Tty/Chin Eei Hui (MAS) Kumiko Ogura/Reiko Shiota (JPN) - dead rubber
Saturday’s semifinals: China v South Korea (0500 GMT); Denmark v Indonesia (1100 GMT).—AFP
