World Class Badminton Illuminates North Shore Events Centre

World Class Badminton Illuminates North Shore Events Centre

While the big stars were shining brightly in front of record crowds at the North Shore Events Centre, it proved a tough day for the Kiwis as the heavyweights of the badminton world came to the fore on day two of the Barfoot & Thompson New Zealand badminton Open.

For many of the mainly teenage Kiwis, just making the main draw was an achievement in itself in a tournament that boasts an incredible 40 individuals or combinations ranked inside the top 50 in the world rankings. It is vital experience that they will all no doubt bank for future use as they make their way on the world stage. But on a day when the first ever appearance of two-time Olympic Games gold medalist Lin Dan (CHN) was always going to take centre stage, the Kiwis struggled to foot it with their higher ranked opponents. (note to editors: Lin Dan’s match is in the evening session and will be covered in the late report)

While the result may not have gone her way, the experience was still an amazing one for 14-year-old Shaunna Li. The current national U15 singles, doubles and mixed champion took to the courts at the North Shore Events Centre today in the first round of the main draw women’s singles of the BWF Super 300 event, and while beaten 21-12, 21-9 by number 7 seed of Haruko Suzuki Japan, the experience alone was worth its weight in gold for the Rangitoto High School student.

“I was very nervous in qualifying playing in such a big stadium in a high-level competition. She is one of the only people I have played at this world level, it was a great experience and showed there is so much I can learn. Today was about coping with the environment and appreciating the level that you need to be at, the speed of the game was certainly faster than I am used to, but it was an enjoyable experience for sure.”

The only other New Zealander in the women’s singles also bowed out today, with wildcard Sally Fu (Auckland) defeated 21-15, 21-11 by Zhang Yiman of China.

One of the upsets of the day came in the women’s singles, with second seed Lee Chia Hsin (TPE) bundled out by 2017 World Junior Championship runner up Hay Yue (CHN). Yue was in control throughout in a surprisingly one-sided affair, winning through to the second round 21-11, 21-11, and putting the rest of the field on alert to a possible giant killing run.

While the men’s singles was all about Lin Dan’s first appearance in the night session, defending champion Lee Chiuk Yiu (HKG) safely proceeded to the second round, defeating Milan Ludik (CZE), 21-10, 21-18.

“Today was good, here it is my lucky place being the champion last year, but this year will be harder with Lin Dan such a high-level player being here, I will have to fight hard this year and remember the good memories from last year,” said Lee.

In women’s doubles Erina Calder-Hawkins and Jasmin Ng (NZL) gave a good account of themselves in a 21-17, 21-14 defeat at the hands of Meghana Akkampudi and Poorvisha Ram (IND).

Another Kiwi teenage pair in Tamara Otene and Jacqueline Yu were easily beaten 21-4, 21-5 by Arisa Higashino and Kie Nakanishi (JPN) but again will be all the better for the experience. It was a similar story for Caragh Alley and Ella Smith (NZL), beaten in straight games by Koreans Baek Ha Na and Lee Yu Rim in what was a familiar refrain throughout the day for the gallant Kiwi contingent.

The battle of the heavyweights in the men’s doubles today went the way of the third seeds Kittinupong Kedren and Dechapol Puavaranuikroh (THA), but the pair were made to fight all the way by unseeded scratch pairing of Boon Heong Tan (MAS) and Yoo Yeon Seong (KOR), winning through 17-21, 21-9, 21-14.

Both Boon and Yoo are former world number one ranked players with different partners, between then having is a former world number one and two-time world championship medalist, while Yoo has also reached number one in the world in his partnership with the now retired Lee Yong Dae and is himself a three-time world championship medalist.

Day three action gets underway at the North Shore Events Centre, starting at 1pm.

BARFOOT & THOMPSON New Zealand Badminton Open 2018
Day two results (full results CLICK HERE)

Men’s Singles
R32
L. SEN, (IND), def. J. CHEAM, (MAS), 21-11 21-16; LEE C. (HKG), def. M. LUDIK, (CZE), 21-10 21-18; K. HEO, (KOR), def. F. KHOLIK, (INA), 18-21 21-17 21-16; K. WANGCHAROEN (8), (THA), def. K. RAJARAJAN, (IND), 22-20 12-21 21-8; Y. IGARASHI, (JPN), def. W. CHONG, (MAS), 21-16 21-15; N. KARUNARATNE, (SRI), def. A. MENDREK, (CZE), 18-21 21-12 21-16; D. LIEW, (MAS), def. SUN F. (CHN), 21-18 14-21 21-18; SAI PRANEETH B. (3), (IND), def. M. ZILBERMAN, (ISR), 21-11 21-19; K. WATANABE, (JPN), def. S. VICKY ANGGA, (INA), 21-13 21-14.

Women’s Singles
R32
H. CHEN, (AUS), def. V. JAKKA, (IND), 21-16 21-19; M. HEMRACHATANUN, (THA), def. G. BLAND, (ENG), 21-19 21-17; M. MITANI (4), (JPN), def. Y. SUSANTO, (INA), 21-13 21-6; G. KIM, (KOR), def. J. MULJATI, (INA), 21-9 21-5; H. SUZUKI (7), (JPN), def. S. LI, (NZL), 21-12 21-9; Y. NAKAI, (JPN), def. S. CHUKKA, (IND), 21-14 21-13; JI S. (CHN), def. D. GUPTA, (USA), 21-13 21-13; C. JUCHAROEN, (THA), def. N. NIDAIRA (8), (JPN), 21-19 11-19 Ret; ZHANG Y. (CHN), def. S. FU, (NZL), 21-15 21-11; F. FITRIANI (3), (INA), def. C. PAN, (USA), 21-12 21-2; S. JAQUET, (SUI), def. K. POLIKARPOVA, (ISR), 21-18 21-9; CAI Y. (CHN), def. R. HARTAWAN, (INA), 21-10 21-15; HAN Y. (CHN), def. LEE C. (2), (TPE), 21-11 21-11.

Men’s Doubles
R32
CHEN H. and WANG C. (1), (TPE), def. V. HARRIS and K. ZHANG, (NZL), 21-13 21-6; T. JUNG and H. KIM, (KOR), def. J. BOYLE and M. GRAHAM, (NZL), 21-8 21-7; S. GUTAMA and F. PUTRA, (INA), def. F. ALWIN and K. N. (8), (IND), 21-15 21-13; CHAI B. and WANG Z. (CHN), def. M. BAO and B. DUONG, (VIE), 21-6 21-16; K. KEDREN and D. PUAVARANUKROH (3), (THA), def. B. TAN, (MAS), and YOO Y. (KOR), 17-21 21-9 21-14; I. APISUK and T. VIRIYANGKURA, (THA), def. H. CHOI and PARK K. , (KOR), 21-10 21-17; P. KUNA-ANUVIT and N. TRINKAJEE, (THA), def. J. LINDQVIST, (DEN), and C. STEEGHS, (NZL), 21-8 21-14; B. ISARA and N. PHUANGPHUAPET (4), (THA), def. T. DO and H. PHAM, (VIE), 21-17 21-15; W. ARYA PANGKARYANIRA and A. SANTOSO (6), (INA), def. M. ABDUL LATIF and N. AYUB, (MAS), w/o; OU X. and X. REN, CHN, def. T. ELLIS and W. NEWMAN, NZL, 21-13 21-15.

Women’s Doubles
R32
JAKKAMPUDI M. and P. S RAM, (IND), def. E. CALDER -HAWKINS and J. NG, (NZL), 21-17 21-14; A. SAKURAMOTO and Y. TAKAHATA, (JPN), def. Y. BARKAH and R. PUTRI SARI, (INA), 21-13 21-10; Y. GOH and V. HOO, (MAS), def. M. ARATAMA and A. WATANABE (4), (JPN), 21-17 21-12; A. HIGASHINO and K. NAKANISHI, (JPN), def. T. OTENE and J. YU, (NZL), 21-4 21-5; H. BAEK and Y. LEE, (KOR), def. C. ALLEY and E. SMITH, (NZL), 21-6 21-2; N. ISTARANI and N. MAHESWARI, (INA), def. J. JIANG and S. LI, (NZL), 21-11 21-13; CAO T. and YU Z. (CHN), def. S. FU and A. TAGLE, (NZL), 21-8 21-7; N. FUKUMAN and K. YONAO (2), (JPN), def. A. PAK and F. RAHARDJA, (NZL), 21-12 21-11.

Mixed Doubles
R32
D. PUAVARANUKROH and S. TAERATTANACHAI (1), (THA), def. A. JEFFREY, (NZL), and K. XU, (AUS), 21-9 21-4; CHAN P. and L. GOH (8), (MAS), def. M. KANG and H. BAEK, (KOR), 21-8 21-18; H. KIM and H. KIM, (KOR), def. D. VONG and A. TAGLE, (NZL), 21-11 21-8; HE J. and DU Y. (2), (CHN), def. A. MANOTA and J. VILLEGAS, (NZL), 21-4 21-9;

New Zealand players in the Barfoot & Thompson NZ Badminton Open
North Shore Events Centre
May 1st to 6th
Tickets and information at www.nzbadmintonopen.com

Schedule of Play – all games at North Shore Events Centre
Thursday 3rd May – from 2:00pm
Friday 4th May – quarterfinals from 5:00pm
Saturday 5th May – semifinals from 1:00pm
Sunday 6th May – finals from 1:00pm

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