Kiwis Miss Badminton Titles

New Zealand players made four of the five available finals at the Altona Badmitnon International in Melbourne but couldn’t come away with any titles, however they can still be pleased with their efforts considering their inexperience at real international level.

The best performance was from 20-year-old Michael Fowke from the Waikato who reached the singles final after beating a Malaysian in the quarters then Australia’s Hoe Keat Oon in straight games before succumbing to Yogendran Krishnan(Malaysia) 21-14 21-12 in 30 minutes in the final. Fowke was not selected for the recent Whyte Trophy team, but showed he will be pushing for a spot in future New Zealand teams.

In the men’s doubles the pairing of Kevin Dennerly-Minturn(Auckland) and Oliver Leydon-Davis(Waikato) made the final but were defeated by the more experienced Australian team of Glenn Warfe and Ross Smith in 30 minutes 21-17 21-13.

Also making a final was the new combination of Auckland’s Stephanie Cheng and Amanda Brown(Waikato), however they fell to the Australian team of Leanne Choo and Renuga Veeran in straight games.

Cheng akso teamed up with fellow Aucklander, Dennerly-Minturn to reached the mixed doubles final where they eventually lost to Warfe and Choo who had beaten Leydon-Davis and Brown in a tight three-game semifinal.

The only final Kiwi players didn’t make was the women’s singles.

The majority of the players in Melbourne will then travel to New Zealand to play in the Counties Manukau International this weekend.

Badminton, Altona International, Melbourne
(New Zealand results only).
Men’s singles semifinals:
Michael Fowke bt Hoe Keat Oon(Australia) 21-18 21-4
Final:
Yogendran Krishnan(Malaysia) bt Fowke 21-14 21-12.
Men’s doubles semifinals:
Kevin Dennerly-Minturn/Oliver Leydon-Davis bt Michael Fariman/Tran Hoang Pham(Australia) 21-7 21-11.
Final:
Glenn Warfe/Ross Smith(Australia) bt Dennerly-Minturn/Leydon-Davis 21-17 21-13.
Women’s doubles semifinals:
Amanda Brown/Stephanie Cheng bt Jacqeline Guan/Gronya Somerville 21-17 21-17.
Finals:
Leanne Choo/Renuga Veeran(Australia) bt Amanda Brown/Stephanie Cheng 21-10 21-5
Mixed doubles semifinals:
Kevin Dennerly-Minturn/Stephanie Cheng bt Hoe Keat Oon/Vinning Mak(Australia) walkover, Glen Warfe/Leanne Choo(Australia) bt Oliver Leydon-Davis/Amanda Brown 21-15 19-21 21-7.
Final:
Warfe/Choo bt Dennerly-Minturn/Cheng 22-20 21-11.