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SINGAPORE KONICA OPEN: GADE, SUN JUN SURVIVE QUARTERFINALS

August 14, 1998 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - The top two men's singles seeds at the Singapore Konica Open, Peter Gade of Denmark and Sun Jun of China, both survived tough quarterfinal matches today to stay on course towards a championship encounter on Sunday. Gade beat China's Dong Jiong in three sets to make it through to the semifinals, while Sun outlasted 33-year old Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen of Denmark also in three sets.

In the Gade-Dong quarterfinal, Gade took the first game from Dong 15-11. The Chinese player, though, had started to find his form and outplayed Gade in the second 15-11. Both players were on the top of their games in the decider but Gade gained the upper hand late in the set with match point at 14-10. Dong regained the serve and fought his way back with four points to extend the match into a third set tiebreak.

The three-point setting was closely fought with both players holding and saving match points. It was the Dane though who finally prevailed, winning the decider at 17-16.

In the Sun-Hoyer quarterfinal, the Danish ace started out well with very accurate, line-finding or net-tickling shots. Hoyer's excellent shot placement helped him overcome Sun Jun's all-court speed and retrieving. The Dane took the first game 15-11.

The Chinese player's ability to speed to a shot and return what seemed to be sure winners soon wore down the veteran Dane. Sun combined his defensive skill with point-scoring shots to overwhelm the tiring Hoyer in the second 15-3.

In the decider, Hoyer's shotmaking skills was once more on display. But so was Sun's speed and defending. Once more, Sun wore down the 33-year old Dane as the game moved into its late stages. Sun took the decider 15-11.

In the other two men's singles quarterfinals, Yong Hock Kin of Malaysia beat teammate WOng Choon Hann 15-8, 15-2, and Indonesia's Hendrawan put out fourth-seed Ong Ewe Hock of Malaysia 15-10 and 15-7.

In tomorrow's semifinals, Gade will play Yong while Sun will match shots with Hendrawan.

In the mixed doubles semifinals played today, top seeds Michael Sogaard and Rikke Olsen of Denmark beat China's Chen Gang and Tang Yongshu 15-3, 5-15 and 15011, and Indonesians Trikus Heryanto and Minarti Timur eliminated Tesana Panvisvas and Saralee Toongthongkam 15-5 and 15-8.

Other quarterfinal results:

Women's Singles
Camilla Martin (Denmark) beat Cindana Hartono (Indonesia) 11-3, 11-3
Susi Susanti (Indonesia) beat Zhang Ning (China) 9-11, 11-5, 11-5
Ye Zhaoying (China)-Zeng Yaqiong (China) 11-5, 11-6
Gong Zhichao (China)-Mia Audina (Indonesia) 0-11, 11-5, 11-8
Men's Doubles
Tony Gunawan/Halim Heryanto (Indonesia) beat Chen Wei/Ji Xinpeng (China) 15-1, 15-2
Chandra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto (Indonesia) beat Siripong Siripol/Pramote Teerawiwanata (Thailand) 15-10, 15-9
Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky (Indonesia) beat Tan Kim Her/Rosman Razak (Malaysia) 15-5, 15-3
Denny Kantono/Antonius Iriantho (Indonesia) beat Flandy Limpele/Eng Hian (Indonesia) 17-14, 13-15, 15-5
Women's Doubles
Ge Fei/Gu Jun (China) beat Elisa Nathanael/Deyana Lomban 15-1, 15-2
Nicole van Hooren/Lotte Jonathans (Netherlands) beat Lim Pek Siah/Chor Hooi Yee (Malaysia) 15-12, 15-4
Huang Nanyan/Lu Ying (China) beat Ann Jorgensen/Majken Vange (Denmark) 10-15, 15-10, 15-8
Qin Yiyuan/Tang Yongshu (China) beat Chen Li-Chin/Tsai Huey-Min (Taipei) 15-3, 15-8

(aplayer/dsimmons)