THAI OPEN: RASHID DEFEATS TOP SEED ARBI

** 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 **

November 13, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Rashid Sidek of Malaysia outsmashed and outplayed top-seeded Heryanto Arbi of Indonesia in a third-round men's singles match at the four-star Thailand Open badminton tournament today in Bangkok.

Arbi, the 1995 world champion, was not in top-form during his encounter with Sidek and was slow in defending against Sidek's power strokes specially as the match wore on. The two had played even in the early part of the first game and were knotted up at 8-all when Sidek turned up the heat and started to make some points with excellent smashes. Sidek pulled away from the tie to win the first set 15-10.

Sidek still was in control in the second game. Arbi fought back but Sidek was quicker and stronger while Arbi was a step slower. Sidek took the second 15-9.

Third-seeded Ong Ewe Hock of Malaysia also fell by the wayside. He was upset by Chen Gang, the Chinese National Games champion, 15-8 and 15-9.

Malaysia suffered another big disappointment when their top men's doubles pair of Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock were defeated by Thailanders Pramote Teerawiwatana and Siripong Siripol in a stirring three-gamer 15-11, 8-15 and 18-13.

In mixed doubles, Olympic gold medalist Gil Young Ah, playing in her first tournament since winning top honors in Atlanta last year, teamed up with fellow Korean Yoo Yung Sung to move into the quarterfinals. Gil and Yoo beat China's Yang and Qin 12-15, 15-11 and 15-8.

Some of the results from Thursday's matches:

Men's Singles
Roslin Hashim (Malaysia) beat Wong Ewee Mun (Malaysia) 15-13, 15-5
Yap Yong Jyen (Malaysia) beat Pontus Jantti (Finland) 15-13, 15-8
George Rimarcdi (Indonesia) beat Ramesh Nathan (Malaysia) 8-15, 15-13, 15-11
Hendrawan (Indonesia) beat Yong Hock Kin (Malaysia) 15-12, 4-15, 15-4
Rashid Sidek (Malaysia) beat Heryanto Arbi (Indonesia) 15-10, 15-8
Chen Gang (China) beat Ong Ewe Hock (Malaysia) 15-8, 15-9
Luo Yigang (China) beat Wong Choong Hann (Malaysia) 15-9, 15-6
Indra Wijaya (Indonesia) beat Lo Ah Heng (Malaysia) 15-1, 15-5

Women's Singles
Mette Pedersen (Denmark) beat Heike Schoenharting (Germany) 11-2, 11-3
Yao Yan (China) beat Lidya Djaelawidjaya (Indonesia) 11-6, 12-10
Zhang Ning (China) beat Jung Eun Hwa (Korea) 11-3, 11-7
Marina Andrievskaia (Sweden) beat Nujarintra Thikhatrakul (Thailand) 11-3, 11-0
Wang Chen (China) beat Margit Borg (Sweden) 11-1, 11-2
Kim Ji Hyun (Korea) beat Kelly Morgan (Wales) 11-4, 11-0
Mia Audina (Indonesia) beat Xu Huaiwen (China) 11-8, 7-11, 11-7
Zeng Yaqiong (China) beat Woon Sze Mei (Malaysia) 11-1, 11-5

Men's Doubles
Pramote Teerawiwatana/Siripong Siripol (Thailand) beat Cheah Soon Kit/Yap Kim Hock (Malaysia) 15-11, 8-15, 18-13

Women's Doubles
Qin Yiyuan/Tang Songshu (China) beat Emma Chaffin/Sarah Hardaker (England) 15-2, 15-4
Catrine Bengtsson/Marina Andrievskaia (Sweden) beat Nicol Petro/Anika Sietz (Germany) 15-5, 15-5

Mixed Doubles
Yoo Yong Sung/Gil Young Ah (Korea) beat Yang Ming/Qin Yiyuan (China) 12-15, 15-11, 15-8
Michael Sogaard/Rikke Olsen (Denmark) beat Bambang Suprianto/Riseu Rosalina (Indonesia) 11-15, 15-11, 15-10
Jens Eriksen/Marlene Thomsen (Denmark) beat Sandiarto/Finarsih (Indonesia) 15-9, 15-7
Tao Xiaoqiang/Tang Yongshu (China) beat Lee Dong Soo/Park Soo Yun (Korea) 15-6, 15-9

(mcoe/dsimmons)