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UBER CUP FINALS: INDONS EDGE KOREANS, CHINESE WALLOP DANES

May 19, 1998 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - On the final day of round-robin action in the world women's team championships of badminton called the Uber Cup Finals, the defending champions from Indonesia and the top-seeds from China both won their ties to finish on top of their groups. Indonesia edged Korea 3 matches to 2 in Group B during the afternoon session, while China demolished Denmark 5 to 0 in Group A during the evening session.

Indonesia was led by Susi Susanti who staked her side to a 1-0 advantage when she whipped Kim Ji Hyun 11-2 and 11-3 in the opening singles. The Korean pair of Ra Kyung Min and Jang Hye Ock felled Eliza Nathanael and Rosiana Zelin 15-9 and 15-10 to put their team on even footing with the defending champions.

Mia Audina struggled at times in her match with Lee Joo Hyun but she was able to prevail in three games 11-5, 3-11 and 11-5.

Indarti Isoliana and Denyana Lomban also had a battle on their hands in their match with Kim Shin Young and Kim Mee Hyang, but the Indonesian pair was able to put the outcome of the tie beyond the Koreans' reach after three games, 15-10, 7-15 and 15-7.

In the final match, Korean Lee Kyung Won beat Cindana Hartono to give her team a second point in the tie.

China posted a shutout against a weak Denmark side in the evening session.

According to sources close to the Danish squad, the Danes decided to save their best for the semifinals and they rested Camilla Martin, their top singles player, and the pair of Rikke Olsen and Marlene Thomsen, their top doubles combination.

China though fielded a team of their seven top players, six of whom are world champions or world championship silver medalists.

Ye Zhaoying, the world women's singles champion from China, toyed with Mette Pedersen 11-2 and 11-1 in the opening singles. Ge Fei and Gu Jun, the world women's doubles champions, romped over Ann Jorgensen and Majken Vange 15-4 and 15-2. Gong Zhichao, women's singles silver medalist in the last world individual championships, easily disposed of Mette Sorensen 11-3 and 11-5. Qin Yiyuan and Tang Yongshu, women's doubles silver medalists in the last world championships, trounced Helene Kirkegaard and Pernille Harder 15-7 and 15-3. Dai Yun defeated Anne Sondergaard 11-2 and 11-6.

Despite today's outcomes, the Koreans and the Danes also qualified for the semifinals on Thursday. Both teams had previously defeated the other two contenders in their respective groups and finished in the runner-up slots.

China will play Korea in one semifinal and Indonesia will battle Denmark in the other.

England defeated the Netherlands this afternoon, 4 matches to 1, to finish in third place in Group B. Japan beat Hong Kong 5-0 in the eveing session to claim third place in Group A.

The scorelines in the England-Netherlands and Japan-Hong Kong ties:

England vs Netherlands
England 4 Netherlands 1 (English names first)
Julia Mann beat Judith Meulendijks 12-11, 11-8; Donna Kellogg lost to Brenda Beenhakker 3-11, 7-11; Sara Hardaker/Joanne Davies beat Nicole Van Hooren/ Lotte Jonathans 17-16, 15-11; Tracy Hallam beat Lonneke Janssen 11-3, 3-11, 11-7; Joanne Goode/Donna Kellogg beat Monique Hoogland/Erica Van Den Heuvel 15-1, 10-15, 15-6

Japan vs Hong Kong
Japan 5 Hong Kong 0 (Japanese names first)
Kanako Yonekura beat Koon Wai Chee 11-7, 11-3; Yasuko Mizui beat Ling Wan Ting 11-7, 5-11, 11-1; Yoshiko Iwata/Haruko Matsuda beat Koon Wai Chee/Tung Chau Man 15-3, 15-3; Hiroko Nagamine beat Ng Ching 11-9, 8-11, 11-5; Chihiro Ohsaka/Akiko Nakajima beat Ling Wan Ting/Chan Mei Mei 17-18, 15-8, 17-14

(mcoe/dsimmons)