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Polish Open: Player From Down Under Finishes On Top


** This NEW SHUTTLENWS report is presented by YANG YANG Badminton Products and their Western USA agents BADMINTON ALLEY. **


March 29, 1999 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Rio Suryana of Australia who is listed at number 176 in the world men's singles rankings completed his surprising run at the one-star Polish Open badminton championships yesterday when he defeated Richard Vaughan of Wales in the finals and finished with top honors in the event. Suryana banked on a heavy smash and aggressive play to overcome the Welsh player in three games 15-9, 6-15 and 15-12.

After subduing Vaughan in the first set with his powerful smashes, Suryana went into a swoon in the second game as Vaughan fought back. The Aussie seemed to be in deep trouble early in the decider when he fell behind 3-8, but he seemed to find the change of ends in the middle of the third to his liking. His aggressive, attacking tactics began to click again and he was able to claw his way back to contention and then to victory.

Suryana is reportedly an Indonesian immmigrant to Australia. He is currently a backup player on the Australian national squad and is number 6 on the Aussie men's singles depth chart. With his title win yesterday, Suryana became the first Australian player to win a men's singles championship on the badminton Grand Prix circuit outside of Australia.

In the men's doubles event, Poland's Michal Logosz and Robert Mateusiak delighted the Polish fans in attendance at the Polish Olympic training centre in Spala, site of the Polish Open, when they beat back the strong challenge of Hong Kong's Ma Che Kong and Yau Kwan Yuen of Hong Kong in three sets 15-13, 7-15 and 15-9 in the championship match.

Elena Nozdran of Ukraine took the women's singles crown. In yesterday's final, she defeated Ling Wan Ting of Hong Kong 11-9 and 13-11.

Malaysia's Ang Li Peng and Chor Hooi Yee claimed the women's doubles title. Ang and Chor beat Nozdran and partner Victoria Evtoushenko, also from the Ukraine, 2-15, 15-13 and 15-10 in yesterday afternoon's championship match.

In an all-Hong Kong mixed doubles final that was played Saturday afternoon, Ma Che Kong and Koon Wai Chee beat Yau Kwan Yuen and Chan Mei Mei 15-6 and 15-3 to take top honors in the event.

(ap/ds)

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