Top Kiwi Players To The Fore At International

New Zealand’s top badminton singles players provided a couple of early highlights on day one of the strong US$15,000 New Zealand Badminton International at the North Shore Events Centre.

Kiwi women’s No1 Michelle Chan who is based out of Europe and was a recent winner of the Estonia International title faced current New Zealand national champion and qualifier, Kylie Luo(Auckland) in the first round of play in what was her first tournament in her home nation for over a year.

Chan(Auckland) ranked at 87 in the world showed some solid form winning the contest 21-10 21-18 over Luo and now has the difficult task of playing third seed and world No25 Sayaka Sato from Japan.

Meanwhile top Kiwi male, Joe Wu(Waikato) overcame former Kiwi rep, Chance Cheng 21-16 21-17, although the path further into the tournament doesn’t get any easier as he now plays tournament third seed and former All England Champion Muhmmad Hafiz Hashim(Malaysia) who cruised into the second round with a victory over Czech Zdenek Svata in straight games.

In an all-Waikato first round clash Bjorn Seguin who is playing under an American flag beat Kiwi team member Oliver Leydon-Davis in straight games while top seed and world No18, Yun Hu from Hong Kong had to fight hard to overcome Fauzi Adnan from Indonesia in the first round taking just over 40 minutes to win 23-21 21-16.

Earlier in the day former New Zealand national coach, TJ Weistra from the Waikato was too steady as he won in straight games over North Harbours Brock Matheson. Other Kiwis such as Auckland’s Brent Miller were beaten by Soon Huat Goh of Malaysia in straight games while Even Lee and Thomas Ellis fell in straight games to overseas opponents. Only James Paterson from the Waikato was able to take his Australian opponent, Joel Finlayson to three sets but was eventually defeated 22-20 7-21 21-13.

World No12 and women’s top seed Pui Yin Yip(Hong Kong) was all class in her first round match. Yip who has been as high as No8 in the world easily defeated Japanese qualifier Kurumi Yonao 21-9 21-9 in 24 minutes.

The tournament runs until Sunday afternoon.

Li-Ning NZ Badminton International, North Shore Events Centre, Auckland.
Results
(New Zealand unless noted)
Men’s singles first round:
Riichi Taeshita(Japan) bt Rodrigo Pacheco Carrilo(Peru) 21-12 21-11, Bjorn Seguin(USA) bt Oliver Leydon-Davis 21-11 21-11, Alistair Casey(Scotland) bt Kwok Bosco(Australia) 21-9 21-8, Kazumasa Sakai(Japan) bt Nathan Tang(Australia) 21-4 21-10, Yogendran Krishnan(Malaysia) bt Kaizar Bobby Alexander(Indonesia) 21-9 22-20, Yun Hu(Hong Kong) bt Fauzi Adnan(Indonesia) 23-21 21-16, Adre Kurniawan Tedjono(Indonesia) bt Eshan Nagvi(India) 21-18 21-7, Joe Wu bt Chance Cheng 21-17 21-16, Mattieu Lo Ying Ping(France) bt Ajit Wijetilekk(India) 21-13 21-11, Datt Gurusaidatt(India) bt Nathan David(Australia) 21-10 21-7
Women’s singles first round:
Naoko Fukuman(Japan) bt Lianne Tan(Belgium) 21-17 21-3, Michelle Chan bt Kylie Luo 21-10 21-18, Sayaka Sato(Japan) bt Chi Ya Cheng(Taipei) 21-16 21-10, Ana Rovita(Indonesia) bt Jeanine Cicognini(Switzerland) 21-17 27-25.

Earlier Results:
Li-Ning NZ Badminton International, North Shore Events Centre, Auckland.
Results
(New Zealand unless noted)
Men’s singles first round:
Soon Huat Goh(Malaysia) bt Brent Miller 21-5 21-14,
TJ Weistra bt Brock Matheson 21-15 21-19,
Arvind Bhat(India) bt Daniel Gouw(USA) 21-15, 21-17,
Jen Hao Hsu(Taipei) bt Shane Espitalier(Sth Africa) 21-3 21-8,
Hoe Keat Oon(Australia) bt Evan Lee 21-10 21-15,
Muhmmad Hafiz Hashim(Malaysia) bt Nicholas Jinadasa(USA) 21-12 21-15,
Marius Fartum(Norway) bt Sam Ho 21-10 26-24
Jiann Shiarn Chiang(Malaysia ) bt Zdenek Svata(Czech Republic) 21-4 21-5
Joel Findlayson(Australia)bt James Paterson 22-20 7-21 21-13,
Yu Jei Lin(Taipei) bt Michael Fariman(Australia) 21-10 21-12,
Rei Sato(Japan) bt Thomas Ellis 21-9 21-5,
Aditya Elango(Indonesia) bt Andrew Paulet(Australia) 21-10 21-15,
Kaveh Mehrabi(Iran) bt Wesley Caulkett(Australia) 21-12 21-14,
Yuhan Tan(Belgium) bt Luke Chong(Australia) 21-12 21-7, Chris Flores(Philippines =) bt Lino Munroz(Mexico) 21-18 21-15.

Women’s singles first round:
Pui Yin Yip(Hong Kong) bt Yonao Kurumi(Japan) 21-9 21-9.