MALAYSIAN OPEN: JUNIOR LADIES TOPPLE SEEDS; RUSTY RASHID HAS CLOSE CALL

**This NEW SHUTTLENWS report is presented by YANG YANG BADMINTON PRODUCTS and their Southern U.S.A. agents, SPORTSNET INTERNATIONAL (Email:jumpsmash@aol.com /Tel:713-771-8905/Fax:713-771-4446)**

July 9, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Two of the world's top junior women's players showed their potential today at the Malaysian Open badminton tournament in Kota Kinabalu. Zhou Mi of China, a women's singles silver medalist at the 1997 Asian Junior badminton championships in Manila, Philippines, outlasted Kim Ju Hyun of Korea, one of the semifinalists at the 1996 Olympic Games and seeded 3rd-and-4th in Kota Kinabalu, in a first round matchup. Zhou beat Kim 11-6, 2-11 and 11-9 in the upset of the day.

India's Aparna Popat, who surprised many last year at the world junior championships in Silkeborg, Denmark with her silver medal finish, surprised the 5-to-8 seeded Meiluawati of Indonesia with her racket skills and won her first-round match, 11-9 and 11-5.

In men's singles, Rashid Sidek of Malaysia returned to competition after a three-month layoff and looked rusty as he played sluggishly against Japan's Fumihiko Machida. Sidek, who was injured in the finals of the Swiss Open in late March and who did not play in the world championships due to a training schedule dispute with the Badminton Association of Malaysia, looked slower than usual and was playing with a heavy bandage around his thigh.

Sidek did manage to beat the Japanese player 15-10 and 15-6, but had a more difficult time later in the second round against Korean Kim Hyung Joon.

The Korean coaching staff had noticed Sidek's problems during the match with Machida and had advised Kim to play a fast attacking game.

The Korean tactics worked in the first game, with Kim racing away to an astounding 15-1 score.

Rashid turned the tables in the second game and went on the attack himself. Scoring with smashes to the sidelines combined with drop shots, Sidek won the second 15-9.

In the decider, Kim started out quick and fast and had the lead over Sidek early at 6-3 and still held the lead at the change of ends, 8-6. However, with a possible upset victory within reach, the young Korean was beset with errors as well as cramps. Sidek outsteadied Kim and limited the Korean to only one more point while he went on to post the win at 15-9.

In a minor upset in men's singles, Korean Yim Jae Sung eliminated 9-to-16 seed Thomas Sogaard of Denmark 15-6, 4-15 and 15-11.

The other seeds led by men's singles top pick Joko Suprianto of Indonesia and women's singles world champion Ye Zhaoying of China won their matches easily.

(migrossman)