ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: SUN JUN LEADS CHINESE TO FOUR TITLES

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS REPORT is presented by badminton world champions YANG YANG (1987 and 1989) and ZHAO JIAN HUA (1991) and by YANG YANG BADMINTON PRODUCTS **

September 7, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Sun Jun, the 1997 badminton World Cup men's singles champion,led the Chinese team to a near-sweep of the titles at the Asian badminton championships that ended today. Only the men's doubles crown escaped the victorious Chinese contingent.

The Chinese players had actually come into today's finals at the Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia certain of taking home three crowns with all-China matchups in the women's singles and doubles and in the mixed doubles.

Despite the three all-China matchups, though, all of the finals were closely contested. Four of the five matches went to three games as the finalists all fought for the titles as well as the champions' share of the 136,000 US dollar purse put up by JVC, the tournament's major sponsor.

In the men's singles championship match, the top-seeded Sun Jun had his hands full against Indonesia's Hendrawan. Sun had problems dealing with Hendrawan's attack for most of the match. The Chinese player was extended to a five-point setting in the first game before he was able to pull out an 18-14 win. Sun did not fare as well in the second, losing at 8-15.

In the decider, Sun fell behind early 1-8 as Hendrawan turned his power game up several notches. After the mid-game change of ends, Hendrawan started to lose his touch and began to commit many errors. Sun capitalized on Hendrawan's erratic play to catch up and to take the championship with a 15-9 third set win.

In the women's singles, second-seed Yao Yan of China looked like she was going to be teammate Yu Hua's fourth consecutive upset victim in the tournament. The unseeded Yu, fresh out of the junior ranks and conqueror of top-seed Lee Joo Hyun of Korea, fifth-seed Lidya Djaelawidjaya of Indonesia and eight-seed Huang Chia Chi of Taiwan, seemed well on her way to her first senior championship. She had completely outplayed Yao in the first game, winning at 11-2, and then had stormed to a 5-0 lead in the second.

However, Yao was experienced enough to play her way back into the contest, point by point. Yao also adjusted her tactics and began to play more to the net where Yu was less effective. Yao inched her way back and caught up to Yu at 7-all. She then allowed Yu only two more points and won the second 11-9.

In the decider, Yao stayed in control and beat Yu 11-5.

In the men's doubles final, 1996 Olympic bronze medalists Denny Kantono and Antonius Budi Iriantho of Indonesia, top-seeds here, came back from a 4-15 first game drubbing at the hands of Malaysia's Lee Wan Wah and Choong Tan Fook to win the title with second and third game scores of 15-9 and 15-7.

Women's doubles top-seeds Liu Zhong and Huang Nanyan of China also had to come back from a first game loss to their second-seeded teammates Liu Lu and Qian Hong. They also had to survive a three-point setting in the second set before they could claim the Asian women's doubles title. Liu Zhong and Huang defeated Liu Lu and Qian 12-15, 17-14 and 15-6.

The mixed doubles title was taken by fourth seeds Zhang Jun and Liu Lu of China who defeated compatriots Yang Ming and Qian Hong 15-12 and 17-16.

(jpcf/mig)