Kiwis Fall In Final

The New Zealand badminton mixed doubles pair of Donna Haliday and Henry Tam have fallen in the final of the US$50,000 Australian Open in Melbourne.

It was the best result by a Kiwi mixed pair for several years, but against the Hong Kong world No11 combination the Kiwis found they were outplayed for the title.

In the semifinals Haliday, 28 and Tam 21, defeated the local team of Ben Walklate and Kate Wilson-Smith in a marathon 44 minute match 21-23 22-20 21-18 to reach the final. The victory over the Australians is important for the world top-50 ranked Kiwis who face the same players in the first round of the US$50,000 Grand Prix New Zealand Open starting on Tuesday at the North Shore Events Centre.

In the final in Melbourne the Auckland pair were beaten in straight games by the top seeds Yohan Hadikusumo Wiratama and Hoi Wah Chau(Hong Kong) 21-11 21-5. The Hong Kong players will be the top seeds in Auckland while Haliday and Tam will be the second seeds.

The Kiwi pair won the Noumea International just a week ago and are aiming for qualification for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Dehli.

Haliday also made the women’s doubles semis with Waitakere’s Danielle Barry while New Zealand men’s singles No1 Joe Wu(Waikato) combined with Barry to reach the mixed semis.

Australian Badminton Open

Results (New Zealand unless noted):

Women's doubles semifinals:

(3)Aparna Balan/Shruit Kurian(India) bt (1)Donna Haliday/Danielle Barry 21-15 21-12.

Mixed semifinal:

(1)Yohan Hadikusumo Wiratama/Hoi Wah Chau(Hong Kong) bt (3)Joe Wu/Danielle Barry 21-9 21-7, (2)Henry Tam/Donna Haliday bt Ben Walklate/Kate Wilson-Smith(Australia) 21-23 22-20 21-18

Mixed final:

(1)Yohan Hadikusumo Wiratama/Hoi Wah Chau(Hong Kong) bt (2)Henry Tam/Donna Haliday 21-11 21-5