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DANISH OPEN: GADE AND MARTIN KEEP SINGLES TITLES HOME

October 18, 1998 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Peter Gade and Camilla Martin today defeated top-notch opponents from China in the singles finals of the four-star Danish Open badminton championships in Vejle to keep the two titles home in Denmark.

Gade, world-ranked number one in men's singles, beat Dong Jiong 15-8 and 17-14, while Martin scored a minor upset when she beat world champion and top-seed Ye Zhaoying 13-10 and 11-8.

Martin surprised Ye early in their championship match when she played very aggressively, attacking the Chinese player instead of engaging in extended rallies. In the first game, the Danish player grabbed a good-sized 7-3 lead before Ye was able to adjust.

The Chinese player caught up to Martin at 9-all and then at 10-all to force a tiebreak. Martin though kept to her tactics and scored three times to take the first set.

Early in the second set, Ye took a small lead at 2-0 but Martin quickly pulled even. With the score tied at 4-all, the Dane went on a roll and tallied four points. Ye then clawed her way back with four points of her own, as Martin went into a slump.

The Dane stepped up her game at this point and reached match point at 10-8.
{Ye saved one match point but was unable to score on her serve. On Martin's second chance at championship point, Ye again tried for a save with attacking play. However, her smash attempt found the net and Martin had the point she needed for her third Danish Open title.

In the men's singles final, Gade also went on the attack early against Dong Jiong. Gade's aggressive play and quickness paid off. He was able to tally either on clean winners or on errors from Dong as the Chinese player tried to find an answer to Gade's attack and speed around the court. Gade took the first game 15-8.

The Danish player still had his game on song early in the second game and raced to a commanding lead at 10-2. Gade and Dong then exchanged points to put the score at 12-4 and 13-5.

Gade's play then went into a swoon while Dong picked up his pace. The Chinese player mounted a big comeback, scoring 7 times before Gade was able to tally one and reach championship point 14-12.

Dong saved match point twice and pulled even at 14-all.

In the tiebreak, Gade recovered his composure and stroked three winners to take the game 17-14.

In the all-Indonesian men's doubles final, 1996 Olympic champions Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja turned back Limpele Flandy and Hian Eng 15-11 and 15-6.

China's world championship women's doubles silver medalists Qin Yiyuan and Tang Hetian took the women's doubles title, beating their top-seeded teammates Huang Nanyan and Yang Wei 15-17, 15-10 and 15-11.

(eso/dsimmons)