Chinese cop 4 titles in world-class show

MANILA, Philippines - China showed why it remains the world power in badminton as it took all but one of the five titles disputed in the $120,000 Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Badminton Championships which drew to a close yesterday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Before a huge, highly appreciative Sunday crowd, Wang Xin produced the worthiest victory in the weeklong Grand Prix Gold tournament, shocking top seed and world No. 1 Zhou Mi of Hong Kong in a nerve-wracking finish, 21-10, 12-21, 23-21, to clinch the women’s singles crown.

The Chinese juggernaut also took home the mixed doubles, men’s singles and women’s doubles crowns while Indonesia won the men’s doubles plum in the event sponsored by Bingo Bonanza and organized by International Management Group.

What made the 24-year-old Wang’s victory amazing was that she had to go through the backdoor, the qualifier, to get into the mix of the 64-player draw. A member of China’s Team B, Wang then upended No. 7 Charmaine Reid of Canada in the Last 16 and bested compatriot Wang Shixian in the semis to get a crack at the championship.

She pocketed $9,000 for her first major title since entering the world circuit via the Malaysian Open Grand Prix early in the year.

Earlier, the mixed doubles pair of Zhang Nan and Lu Lu turned back compatriots Zhang Jinkang and Chen Zhiben, 22-20, 21-19, in an equally exciting all-China finale to cop the top $7,320 purse and set in motion the Mainland’s romp in the tournament backed by PLDT Business Solutions, The Philippine STAR, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, the Philippine Sports Commission and Solar Sports.

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gao Ling and Wei Yili delivered the third title for China by demolishing the top-seeded pair of Shendy Irawati and Meiliana Jauhari of Indonesia, 21-11, 21-11, in the women’s doubles finals also worth $8,160.

No. 7 Chen Long then capped China’s domination by overpowering compatriot No. 8 Hu Yun, 21-13, 21-16, for the men’s singles crown worth $9,600. The win also highlighted the former world junior champion’s impressive campaign in the first half of the season that saw him beat three of the world’s top players in Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, Lin Dan, also of China, and Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat.

Wang’s triumph, however, proved to be the most exciting and noteworthy.

With the game tied at one set apiece, Wang went on an 11-4 tear before the mandatory change of sides and looked headed to humbling the taller 2004 Athens Olympic bronze medalist, who took the world’s top ranking just recently.

But the 30-year-old Zhou, also the 2002 Busan Asian Games gold medal winner, flashed the same kind of resiliency she showed in repulsing China’s Jiang Yanjiao in the semis, as she rallied to tie the count at 12 and grab the lead at 18-17 on back-to-back smashes, delighting the crowd that cheered both players at every point.

It was a see-saw battle from there with Wang scoring on a deep corner forehand to wrest the lead at 20-19 only to hit long, enabling Zhou to tie the match again. Wang then hit a similar shot down the line for 21-20 edge but returned long for another miscue and a deadlock.

Serving, Wang smashed the defending champion’s looping return for 22-21 then knocked down a smash right into Zhou’s wide body for the championship point.

Indonesia took the only other title even before the finals was held as the top seeded pair of Mohammad Ahsan-Bona Septano frustrated compatriots Alvent Chandra and Hendra Gunawan with a come-from-behind 10-21, 21-14, 21-17 victory to bag the men’s doubles crown worth $8,640.