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DANISH OPEN: INDONESIANS SWEEP MEN'S DOUBLES QUARTERFINALS

October 16, 1998 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Indonesia today showed the world the depth and strength of their men's doubles combinations when they swept all four of the men's doubles quarterfinal matches at the four-star Danish Open badminton championships in Vejle. Top-seeds Tony Gunawan and Heryanto Halim, Olympic champions Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja, world champion Chandra Wijaya and partner Yumono Harmono, and second-seeds Flandy Limpele and Hian Eng all prevailed over top-notch opposition from Denmark, England, Malaysia and Sweden.

It was not all easy going for the Indonesians though. Gunawan and Halim, Wijaya and Harmono, and Limpele and Hian were all tested and taken to three games before they could confirm their places in the semifinals. Mainaky and Subagja were the only men's doubles pair to have a less taxing match this evening. The R-and-R combination dispatched England's Simon Archer and Chris Hunt in two sets 15-7 and 15-4.

Top-seeds Gunawan and Halim battled Jens Eriksen and Jesper Larsen of Denmark in the first game before losing 13-15. The Indons took control in the second game, overwhelming Eriksen and Larsen 15-3. They then turned back the spirited efforts of the two Danes in the decider, winning at 15-11.

Second seeds Limpele and Hian also had an up-and-down outing. They blasted Peter Axelsson and Par-Gunnar Jonsson of Sweden in the opener 15-4, and then fell in the second set to the Swedish attack 10-15. Limpele and Hian grabbed the decider 15-6.

Harmono and world champion Chandra Wijaya turned back the new Malaysian combination of Cheah Soon Kit and Choong Tan Fook 11-15, 15-9 and 15-8.

In men's singles, it was Denmark who showed off its depth and strength. The Danes won three of tonight's quarterfinal matches. Top seed Peter Gade beat Tomas Johansson of Sweden 15-9 and 15-4. Third-seed Poul-Erik Hoyer defeated his comebacking teammate Thomas Stuer 15-12 and 15-11, and fourth-seed Kenneth Jonassen eliminated Henrik Bengtsson of Sweden 15-11 and 15-1.

Second seed Dong Jiong of China defeated Malaysia's Wong Choon Hann 15-1 and 15-1 in the remaining quarterfinal (scoreline unconfirmed).

The Danish flag also flew high in the mixed doubles semifinals. Top seeds Michael Sogaard and Rikke Olsen whipped Simon Archer and Joanne Goode of England 15-6 and 15-4, while Jon Holst-Christensen and Ann Jorgensen upset their fellow Danes, the second-seeded Jens Eriksen and Marlene Thomsen, 15-9 and 15-8.

In the women's singles quarterfinals, world champion Ye Zhaoying of China dispatched Karolina Ericsson of Sweden 11-8 and 11-1, second seed Camilla Martin of Denmark outclassed Julia Mann of England 11-4 and 11-2, and third seed Mia Audina of Indonesia beat Denmark's Mette Sorensen 11-6 and 11-6.

Fourth seed Yasuko Mizui of Japan moved into the semifinals via a walkover. Opponent Margit Borg of Sweden was injured yesterday and was unable to play.

In the women's doubles quarterfinals, China's Huang Nanyan and Yang Wei, the number one picks, defeated Catrine Bengtsson and Marina Andrievskaya of Sweden 15-6 and 15-5, while second seeds Deyana Lomban and Eliza Nathanael of Indonesia beat Ann Jorgensen and Majken Vange of Denmark 15-10 and 15-3.

The third seeds, Rikke Olsen and Marlene Thomsen of Denmark, were surprised by Monique Van Hooren and Lotte Jonathans of Netherland in the first game 11-15, but the two Danes then bore down and demolished the Dutch pair in games two and three, 15-0 and 15-1.

Fourth seeds Qin Yiyuan and Tang Hetian of China beat Pernille Harder and Helene Kirkegaard of Denmark 15-6 and 15-2.

Tomorrow's matchups:

MIXED DOUBLES - FINALS
Michael Sogaard/Rikke Olsen (Denmark) vs Jon Holst-Christensen/Ann Jorgensen

MEN'S SINGLES - SEMIFINALS
Peter Gade (Denmark) vs Kenneth Jonassen (Denmark)
Dong Jiong (China) vs Poul-Erik Hoyer (Denmark)

WOMEN'S SINGLES - SEMIFINALS
Ye Zhaoying (China) vs Mia Audina (Indonesia)
Camilla Martin (Denmark) vs Yasuko Mizui (Japan)

WOMEN'S DOUBLES - SEMIFINALS
Huang Nanyan/Yang Wei (China) vs Rikke Olsen/Marlene Thomsen (Denmark)
Deyana Lomban/Eliza Nathanael (Indonesia) vs Qin Yiyuan/Tang Hetian (China)

MEN'S DOUBLES - SEMIFINALS
Tony Gunawan/Heryanto Halim (Indonesia) vs Rexy Mainaky/Ricky Subagja (Indonesia)
Limpele Flandy/Hian Eng (Indonesia) vs Yumono Harmono/Chandra Wijaya (Indonesia)

(eso/dsimmons)