SWEDISH OPEN: YANG AND ZHANG SURPRISE TOP SEEDS

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March 6, 1998 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - China's up-and-coming men's doubles pair of Yang Ming and Zhang Jun pulled off the upset of the tournament so far when they surprised the top-seeded Koreans Lee Dong Soo and Yoo Yong Sung in one of quarterfinal matches this evening at the Arena Kupolen in Borlange. The power and quickness of the left-handed Yang was ably supported by steady play from Zhang as the Chinese pair eliminated Lee and Yoo 15-10 and 15-13.

Yang and Zhang have been touted by many who have seen them play, including Malaysia's head coach Morten Frost, as a combination to watch out for. In tomorrow's semifinals, the Chinese duo will face the experienced Thai pairing of Siripong Siripool and Pramote Teerawiwatana. Koreans Ha Tae Kwon and Kim Dong Moon and Indonesians Chandra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan will contest the other men's doubles semifinal.

The Thais defeated Malaysian youngsters Chan Chong Ming and Jeremy Gan 15-9 and 15-4 in their quarterfinal. Ha and Kim had a walkover when China's Liu Yong and Yu Janhao were unable to play, while the Indonesians took out the German combo of Michael Keck and Christian Mohr 15-7 and 15-6.

Earlier in the day, Wijaya, who holds half of the world title in men's doubles, and temporary partner Gunawan had eliminated the second-seeds Lee Wan Wah and Choong Tan Fook from Malaysia, while the Thailanders Siripool and Teerawiwatana had upended third seeds Peter Axelsson and Par-Gunnar Jonsson of Sweden 15-5 and 15-11.

In the mixed doubles semifinals held this evening, top-seeds Kim Dong Moon and Ra Kyung Min from Korea beat Luo Yigang and Qin Yiyuan of China 18-13 and 15-7, while second-seeds Chen Gang and Tang Yongshu from China defeated Germany's Michael Keck and the Netherlands' Erica van den Heuvel 18-17, 5-15 and 15-4.

In men's singles, Thomas Johansson of Sweden scored two upsets today. First, he upended third seed Ardy Wiranata of Indonesia 18-17 and 15-7, and then he outlasted fifth seed Yong Hock Kin of Malaysia in a closely fought quarterfinal match. The tall Swede had edged Yong in the first game 18-17, but the Malaysian fought back to take the second 15-12. The two were battling in the decider and were at a standstill at 7-all when Yong began to suffer severe cramps and was not able to continue.

In the other men's singles quarterfinals, top-seed Luo Yigang of China beat Darren Hall of England 15-8 and 15-12, third seed Chen Gang of China defeated fifth seed Henrik Bengtsson of Sweden 15-6 and 15-6. Second seed Ong Ewe Hock of Malaysia eliminated fifth seed Kenneth Jonassen of Denmark 15-7 and 15-11.

Results of other matches today:

Men's Singles
Third Round
Luo Yigang (China) beat Wong Choon Hann (Malaysia) 15-10, 15-6
Darren Hall (England) beat Rikard Magnusson (Sweden) 7-15, 15-9, 15-8
Yong Hock Kin (Malaysia) beat Zhu Feng (China) 15-11, 15-13
Henrik Bengtsson (Sweden) beat Ahn Jae Chang (Korea) 15-6, 15-12
Chen Gang (China) beat Craig Robertson (Scotland) 15-4, 15-3
Kenneth Jonassen (Denmark) beat Colin Haughton (England) 15-3, 15-11
Ong Ewe Hock (Malaysia) beat Jesper Mikla (Denmark) 15-2, 15-3

Women's Singles
Second Round
Gong Zhichao (China) beat Rhona Robertson (New Zealand) 11-1, 11-7
Mette Sorensen (Denmark) beat Margit Borg (Sweden) 11-5, 11-2
Zhang Ning (China) beat Anu Weckstrom (Finland) 11-0, 11-0
Lee Joo Hyun (Korea) beat Christina Sorensen (Denmark) 11-8, 11-1
Mette Pedersen (Denmark) beat Aparna Popat (India) 11-8, 4-11, 11-2
Li Feng (New Zealand) beat Zeng Yaqiong (China) 4-11, 11-6, 11-3
Kelly Morgan (Wales) beat Sissel Linderoth (Norway) 11-0, 11-0
Kim Ji Hyun (Korea) beat Katja Michalowsky (Germany) 11-4, 11-1

QUARTERFINALS
Gong Zhichao (China) beat Mette Sorensen (Denmark) 11-2, 11-3
Zhang Ning (China) beat Lee Joo Hyun (Korea) 11-6, 11-7
Li Feng (New Zealand) beat Mette Pedersen (Denmark) 11-2, 11-0
Kim Ji Hyun (Korea) beat Kelly Morgan (Wales) 11-6, 11-0

Men's Doubles
Second Round
Lee Dong Soo/Yoo Yung Sung (Korea) beat Zhu Feng/Chen Hong (China) 15-8, 15-6
Yang Ming/Zhang Jun (China) beat Jesper Mikla/Lars Paske (Denmark) 15-9, 15-9
Chan Chong Ming/Jeremy Gan (Malaysia) beat Craig Robertson/Bruce Flockhart (Scotland) 15-1, 15-9
Liu Yong/Yu Janhao (China) beat Julian Robertson/Nathan Robertson (England) 17-14, 16-18, 15-4
Ha Tae Kwon/Kim Dong Moon (Korea) beat Iain Sydie/Darryl Yung (Canada) 17-14, 15-2
Michael Keck/Christian Mohr (Germany) beat Ian Pearson/Anthony Clark (England) 15-11, 18-13

Women's Doubles
QUARTERFINALS
Qin Yiyuan/Tang Yongshu (China) beat Christina Sorensen/Jane Bramsen (Denmark) 15-1, 15-1
Jang Hye Ock/Ra Kyung Min (Korea) beat Chen Li-Chin/Tsai Hui-Min (Taiwan) 15-8, 15-1
Rhona Robertson/Tammy Jenkins (New Zealand) beat Kerstin Ubben/Karen Stechmann (Germany) 9-15, 15-3, 15-9
Liu Zhong/Huang Nanyan (China) beat Robbyn Hermitage/Milaine Cloutier (Canada) 15-3, 15-7

(aplayer/dsimmons)