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China Open: Cramps Sends Rasmussen Packing

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS report is presented by YANG YANG Badminton Products and their Western Canada agents - MAAKL Corporation, Saint Albert, Alberta (Tel 780-458-2026/ Fax 780-459-8891) **

November 19, 1999 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Former world men's singles champion Peter Rasmussen of Denmark suffered an attack of leg cramps yesterday at the China Open badminton championships during the first game of his quarterfinal match with Dong Jiong of China and ended up a loser.

The Dane had a good-sized 12-5 lead in the opening set when he started cramping up. Dong then made up some ground but Rasmussen still managed to get to game point at 14-10. Dong though continued to press the Dane and equalized at 14-all to force a three-point extension. Rasmussen valiantly tried to push on but he did not have the mobility to contend with the Chinese player and lost the set 15-17.

In the second, the Dane still was not at a hundred percent and Dong eased his way to a 15-7 victory.

Injury also paved the way for second-seed Fung Permadi of Taiwan. In his quarterfinal match against Chen Gang, the Taiwanese player dropped a close first set to Chen. However, Chen apparently sustained an injury during the game and was not able to put up any resistance in the second and third sets. Fung took the match 13-15, 15-0 and 15-0.

In men's doubles action, the comebacking former world champion Sigit Budiarto of Indonesia and new partner Halim Heryanto were beaten by Lee Dong Soo and Yoo Yung Sung of Korea. Sigit and Halim had raced to a 6-0 advantage in the opening set but Sigit's lack of top-level match play after his one-year suspension for using a banned medication then began to show. With quick-paced play, Lee and Yoo soon caught up to the Indonesian pair at 6-all.

It was nip-and-tuck after that, with the Koreans squeezing out victory in a tiebreak 17-15. In the second, Lee and Yoo overwhelmed Halim and the tired Sigit 15-5.

Following are the results of some of yesterday's other quarterfinals:

Men's Singles
Xiao Hui (China) beat Luo Yigang (China) 15-11, 15-12
Xia Xuanze (China) beat Ji Xinpeng (China) 15-9, 16-17, 15-13

Women's Singles
Zhou Mi (China) beat Dai Yun (China) 11-7, 11-8
Gong Zhichao (China) beat Wei Yan (China) 11-6, 11-2
Ye Zhaoying (China) beat Wu Huimin (China) 11-3, 11-9
Gong Ruina (China) beat Tang Chunyu (China) 11-0, 11-9

Men's Doubles
Ha Tae Kwon and Kim Dong Moon (Korea) beat Martin Lundgaard Hansen and Lars Paaske (Denmark) 15-3, 15-3
Antonius Budi Iriantho and Denny Kantono (Indonesia) beat Chen Qiqiu and Yu Jinhao (China) 15-10, 15-6
Simon Archer and Nathan Robertson (England) beat Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah (Malaysia) 17-16, 15-8

Women's Doubles
Ge Fei and Gu Jun (China) beat Chen Xiaoli and Zhang Yawen(China) 15-12, 15-10
Chen Lin and Jiang Xuelian (China) beat Huang Sui and Lu Ying (China) - score not available
Lee Hyo Jung and Yim Kyung Jin (Korea) beat Gao Qian and Huang Lipei (China) - score not available
Gao Ling and Qin Yiyuan (China) beat Wei Yili and Zhang Jiewen (China) - score not available

Mixed Doubles
Ms. Ge Fei and Mr. Liu Yong (China) beat Mr. Deng Chuanhai and Ms. Huang Sui (China) 15-6, 15-3
Mr. Lee Dong Soo and Ms. Lee Hyo Jung (Korea) beat Mr. Chen Gang and Ms. Tang Hetian (China) - score not available
Ms. Gao Ling and Mr. Zhang Jun (China) beat Mr. Chan Chong Ming and Ms. Joanne Quay (Malaysia) 15-11, 15-6
Mr. Jon Holst-Christensen and Ms. Ann Jorgensen (Denmark) beat Ms. Tao Xiaolian and Mr. Tao Xiaoqiang (China) 12-15, 15-13, 15-13

(yyna/ds)