WORLD RANKINGS: DONG AND YE TOP SINGLES LISTS

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS report is presented by YANG YANG BADMINTON PRODUCTS and their USA agents, CHIN SPORTS (chinsports@aol.com or 212-645-4142).**

April 3, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - China's Dong Jiong and Ye Zhaoying sit on top of the March month-end badminton world singles rankings released yesterday by the International Badminton Association in Cheltenham, England. Dong and Ye capitalized on their strong performances at the All-England and the Swiss Open badminton tournaments to strengthen their claim to the accolades "world's best men's singles player" (Dong) and "world's best women's singles player" (Ye) for the month of March.

Ge Fei and Gu Jun, also from China, continue to rule the women's doubles rankings and, with their championship wins at the All-England and Swiss Opens, have widened the gap between themselves and the second-ranking pair of Eliza Nathanael and Resiana Zelin of Indonesia.

In men's doubles, Sigit Budiarto and Chandra Wijaya have kept their hold on the top ranking despite a semifinal loss at the All-England and a finals defeat at the Swiss Open. Their top rivals in the top ten, Malaysia's Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock, and fellow Indonesians Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky, did not manage better finishes in their March outings.

Heryanto Trikus and Minarti Timur of Indonesia also kept their top ranking in the mixed doubles event, although All-England and Swiss Open winners Liu Yong and Ge Fei of China have an undefeated streak going. Liu and Ge have won all four major tournaments that they have played in, but are only ranked fourth due the ranking system's use of a minimum of 8 tournaments in averaging the ranking points.

The world's top sixteen in each event:

MEN'S SINGLES
1. Dong Jiong (China) - 341.08 points; 2. Sun Jun (China) - 291.05; 3. Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen (Denmark) - 289.42; 4. Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen (Denmark) - 261.61; 5. Ong Ewe Hock (Malaysia) - 261.09; 6. Fung Permadi (Taiwan) - 260.27; 7. Park Sung Woo (Korea) - 258.00; 8. Joko Suprianto (Indonesia); 9. Rashid Sidek (Malaysia) - 255.12; 10: Indra Wijaya (Indonesia) - 244.70; 11. Peter Gade-Christensen (Denmark) - 240.26; 12. Heryanto Arbi (Indonesia) - 239.34; 13. Allan Budi Kusuma (Indonesia) - 235.54; 14. Peter Rasmussen (Denmark) - 233.21; 15. Budi Santoso (Indonesia) - 231.67; 16. Luo Yigang (China) - 226.53

WOMEN'S SINGLES
1. Ye Zhaoying (China) - 360.36 points; 2. Gong Zhichao (China) - 335.14; 3. Mia Audina (Indonesia) - 329.75; 4. Susi Susanti (Indonesia) - 310.54; 5. Camilla Martin (Denmark) - 299.84; 6. Wang Chen (China) - 291.94; 7. Zhang Ning (China) - 277.35; 8. Ra Kyung Min (Korea) - 270.82; 9. Kim Ji Hyun (Korea) - 252.48; 10. Han Jingna (China) - 242.76; 11. Yao Yan (China) - 217.43; 12. Lee Joo Hyun (Korea) - 209.91; 13. Zeng Yaqiong (China) - 206.66; 14. Dai Yun (China) - 179.48; 15. Meiluawati (Indonesia) - 177.72; 16. Marina Andrievskaya (Sweden) - 176.89

MEN'S DOUBLES
1. Chandra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto (Indonesia) - 404.17 points; 2. Cheah Soon Kit/Yap Kim Hock (Malaysia) - 370.45; 3. Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky (Indonesia) - 348.42; 4. Denny Kantono/Antonius S. Iriantho (Indonesia) - 340.63; 5. Kang Kyung Jin/Ha Tae Kwon (Korea) - 306.88; 6. Tony Gunawan/Rudy Wijaya (Indonesia) - 266.44; 7. Jon Holst-Christensen/Thomas Lund (Denmark) - 249.58; 8. Choong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah (Malaysia) - 244.32; 9. Tao Xiaoqiang/ Ge Cheng (China) - 235.33; 10. Liu Yong/Zhang Wei (China) - 227.83; 11. Andrej Antropov/Nikolaj Zuev (Russia) - 214.69; 12. Chris Hunt/Simon Archer (England) - 207.08; 13. Peter Axelsson/Par-Gunnar Jonsson (Sweden) - 192.10; 14. Hian Eng/Hermono (Indonesia) - 174.60; 15. Jim Laugessen/Thomas Stavngaard (Denmark) - 174.53; 16. Dahvis/H. Jabar Halim (Indonesia) - 174.36

WOMEN'S DOUBLES
1. Ge Fei/Gu Jun (China) - 418.81 points; 2. Eliza Nathanael/Resiana Zelin (Indonesia) - 343.15; 3. Qin Yiyuan/Tang Yongshu (China) - 308.51; 4. Lisbet Stuer-Lauridsen/Marlene Thomsen (Denmark) - 296.08; 5. Indarti Isoliana/ Denyana Lomban (Indonesia) - 293.70; 6. Helene Kirkegaard/Rikke Olsen (Denmark) - 258.54; 7. Christine Gandrup/Marina Andrievskaya (Sweden) - 227.28; 8. Qiang Hong/Liu Lu (China) - 186.45; 9. Peng Xingyong/Zhang Jin (China) - 173.70; 10. Ann Jorgensen/Majken Vange (Denmark) - 172.47; 11. Nicola Beck/Joanne Davies (England) - 167.73; 12. Eline Coene/Erica van den Heuvel (Netherlands) - 163.16; 13. Julie Bradbury/Joanne Goode (England) - 156.17; 14. Tung Chau Man/Ng Ching (Hong Kong) - 154.83; 15. Nonong Denis Zanati/Carmelita (Indonesia) - 146.46; 16. Nicole van Hooren/Brenda Conijn (Netherlands) - 135.53

MIXED DOUBLES
1. Heryanto Trikus/Minarti Timur (Indonesia) - 370.40 points; 2. Jens Eriksen/ Marlene Thomsen (Denmark) - 314.86; 3. Michael Sogaard/Rikke Olsen (Denmark) - 310.38; 4. Liu Yong/Ge Fei (China) - 272.50; 5. Chen Xingdong/Peng Xingyong (China) - 255.86; 6. Nimpele Flandy/Rosalina Riseu (Indonesia) - 254.25; 7. Imam Tohari/Ema Ermawati (Indonesia) - 232.20; 8. Ha Tae Kwon/Kim Shin Young (Korea) - 224.49; 9. Lee Dong Soo/Park Soo Yun (Korea) - 221.68; 10. Peter Axelsson/Catrine Bengtsson (Sweden) - 206.97; 11. Thomas Stavngaard/ Ann Jorgensen (Denmark) - 204.81; 12. Nick Ponting/Joanne Goode (England) - 189.39; 13. Chris Hunt/Helene Kirkegaard (England) - 186.47; 14. Kang Kyung Jin/Kim Mee Hyang (Korea) - 154.07; 15. Sandiarto/Finarsih (Indonesia) - 146.10; 16. Jonas Rasmussen/Ann-Lou Jorgensen (Denmark) - 125.20

The top three for each continental federation by event:

MEN'S SINGLES
ASIA
1. Dong Jiong (China) - 341.08 points; 2. Sun Jun (China) - 291.05; 5. Ong Ewe Hock (Malaysia) - 261.09
EUROPE
3. Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen (Denmark) - 289.42 points; 4. Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen (Denmark) - 261.61; 11. Peter Gade-Christensen (Denmark) - 240.26
AMERICAS
48. Kevin Han (USA) - 104.10 points; 68. Iain Sydie (Canada) - 83.89; 3. Michael Beres (Canada) - 48.98
OCEANIA
138. Nicholas Hall (New Zealand) - 34.07 points; 144. Murray Hocking (Australia) - 32.98; 155. Chris Thirwell (Australia) - 29.25
AFRICA
251. Ivan Botha (South Africa) - 12.26 points; 277. Eddy Clarisse (Mauritius) - 10.35; (only two players in ranking list)

WOMEN'S SINGLES
ASIA
1. Ye Zhaoying (China) - 360.36 points; 2. Gong Zhichao (China) - 335.14; 3. Mia Audina (Indonesia) - 329.75
EUROPE
5. Camilla Martin (Denmark) - 299.84 points; 16. Marina Andrievskaya (Sweden) - 176.89; 19. Christine Gandrup (Sweden) - 163.32
AMERICAS
35. Denyse Julien (Canada) - 124.69 points; 48. Charmaine Reid (Canada) - 101.61; 67. Elma Ong (Canada) - 71.53
OCEANIA
81. Lisa Campbell (Australia) - 59.18 points; 107. Rayoni Head (Australia) - 44.74; 119. Li Feng (New Zealand) - 39.94
AFRICA
(no players in ranking list)

MEN'S DOUBLES
ASIA
1. Chandra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto (Indonesia) - 404.17 points; 2. Cheah Soon Kit/Yap Kim Hock (Malaysia) - 370.45; 3. Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky (Indonesia) - 348.42
EUROPE
7. Jon Holst-Christensen/Thomas Lund (Denmark) - 249.58 points; 11. Andrej Antropov/Nikolaj Zuev (Russia) - 214.69; 12. Chris Hunt/Simon Archer (England) - 207.08
AMERICAS
43. Iain Sydie/Brent Olynyk (Canada) - 82.31 points; 49. Michael Beres/Brian Moody (Canada) - 76.18; 121 - Kevin Han/Mark Manha (USA) - 27
OCEANIA
70. Peter Blackburn/David Bamford (Australia) - 52.41 points; 85. Mark Nichols/Murray Hocking (Australia) - 40.69; 117. David Draper/Meng Ling (Australia) - 28.67
AFRICA
158. Eddy Clarisse/Stephane Beeharry (Mauritius) - 17.78 points; (only one pair in ranking list)

WOMEN'S DOUBLES
ASIA
1. Ge Fei/Gu Jun (China) - 418.81 points; 2. Eliza Nathanael/Resiana Zelin (Indonesia) - 343.15; 3. Qin Yiyuan/Tang Yongshu (China) - 308.51
EUROPE
4. Lisbet Stuer-Lauridsen/Marlene Thomsen (Denmark) - 296.08 points; 6. Helene Kirkegaard/Rikke Olsen (Denmark) - 258.54; 7. Christine Gandrup/ Marina Andrievskaya (Sweden) - 227.28
AMERICAS
28. Elma Ong/Moira Ong (Canada) - 99.69 points; 37. Robbyn Hermitage/ Milaine Cloutier (Canada) - 86.04; 45. Denyse Julien/Charmaine Reid (Canada) - 76.69
OCEANIA
90. Rhona Robertson/Tammy Jenkins (New Zealand) - 39.38 points; 102. Jenny Gibson/Lynda Graves (Australia) - 34.82; 112. Rhonda Cator/Kellie Lucas (Australia) - 27.02
AFRICA
(no players in ranking list)

MIXED DOUBLES
ASIA
1. Heryanto Trikus/Minarti Timur (Indonesia) - 370.40 points; 4. Liu Yong/ Ge Fei (China) - 272.50; 5. Chen Xingdong/Peng Xingyong (China) - 255.86
EUROPE
2. Jens Eriksen/Marlene Thomsen (Denmark) - 314.86 points; 3. Michael Sogaard/ Rikke Olsen (Denmark) - 310.38; 10. Peter Axelsson/Catrine Bengtsson (Sweden) - 206.97
AMERICAS
41. Michael Beres/Robbyn Hermitage (Canada) - 62.06 points; 52. Darryl Yung/ Denyse Julien (Canada) - 52.03; 55. Brian Moody/Milaine Cloutier (Canada) - 50.10
OCEANIA
33. Peter Blackburn/Rhonda Cator (Australia) - 76.88 points; 34. Murray Hocking/Lisa Campbell (Australia) - 73.22; 58. Nicholas Hall/Nicole Gordon (New Zealand) - 47.10
AFRICA
(no players in ranking list)

The full March-end world rankings may be found on the following reports:
970403a - MEN'S SINGLES RANKINGS
970403b - WOMEN'S SINGLES RANKINGS
970403c - MEN'S DOUBLES RANKINGS
970403d - WOMEN'S DOUBLES RANKINGS
970403e - MIXED DOUBLES RANKINGS