Kiwis Dominate Internatio​nal

The semifinals of the Counties Manukau Badminton International are being dominated by a few families as various brothers and sisters appear in all of the draws.



Despite the tournament being effected by the volcanic ash cloud which prevented some players from making the journey to New Zealand the women’s singles semis feature four different nations. Waikato player Felicity Leydon-Davis will play American Karyn Velez who won the Altona International in Melbourne last week. The other semi features Australia’s Victoria Na against New Caledonia’s Magali Bravo.



The men’s singles last four has a strong Kiwi flavour with Joe Wu(Auckland) and James Eunson(Southland) through to the semifinals. Eunson will play Waikato based American Bjorn Seguin while Wu takes on top seed and last weeks winner, Yogendran Krsihnan from Malalysia.



The women’s doubles is an all-Kiwi affair as the Pak sisters, Anona and Aviva take on Emma Chapple and former Australian Louise McKenzie while Felicity Leydon Davis and Carmen Yuen play the Waikato pairing of Doriana Rivera Aliaga and Madeleine Stapleton.



Arguably New Zealand’s best ever player, Dan Shirley is in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles semifinals. Shirley has teamed up with former world top 20 player Andrew Smith(England) to make the last four of the doubles where they face the Kiwi team pair of Eunson and Leydon-Davis. If they win that they would play either Kevin Dennerly-Minturn and Henry Tam or Australians Wesley Caulkett and Raymond Tam.



In the mixed Shirley is combined with his sister, Gaby Aves where they play Auckland’s Brent Miller and McKenzie. The other semifinal has Oliver Leydon-Davis with little sister Susannah against former national coach TJ Weistra and Doriana Rivera Aliaga.



Counties Manukau Badminton International, Papakura

Results (New Zealand unless otherwise noted)

Men’s singles second round:

Bjorn Seguin(USA) bt Samuel Ho 21-13 21-9, Yogendran Krishnan(Malaysisa) bt Jason Elmes 21-7 21-15,Arnaud Franzi(New Caledonia ) bt James Parterson 21-18 21-18.

Third Round:

Krishnan bt Fabien Kaddour(New Caledonia) 21-12 21-10, Nelson Oon(Australia) bt Franzi 21-15 21-12,Seguin bt Jordan McMahon 21-6 21-6, Asher Richarson bt Brock Matheson 21-19 21-19, Michael Fowke bt Brent Miller 21-13 21-17, TJ Weistra bt Tom Armstrong 21-7 21-13, James Eunson bt Marc Antoine Desaymoz(New Caledonia) 21-18 21-16, Joe Wu bt Evan Lee 21-12 21-14,

Quartefinals:

Krishnan bt Richardson 21-19 24-22, Wu bt Weistra 16-21 21-19 21-11, James Eunson bt Oon 21-19 21-18, Seguin bt Fowke 20-22 2k1-16 21-11,

Women’s singles first round:

Victoria Na(Australia) bt Anona Pak 20-22 21-9 21-14

Quarterfinals:

Felicity Leydon-Davis bt Johanna Kou(New Caledonia) 21-18 17-21 21-16, Magali Bravo(New Caledonia) bt Aviva Pak 17-21 21-15 21-17, Na bt Valerie Sarengat(New Caledonia) 21-6 21-4, Karyn Velez(USA) bt Carmen Yuen 21-18 21-12,

Mixed doubles quarterfinals:

Oliver Leydon-Davies/Susannah Leydon-Davis bt Kevin Dennerly-Minturn/Stephanie Cheng 21-11 21-15, TJ Weistra/Doriana Rivera Aliaga bt Thomas Ellis/Danielle Barry 21-13 21-12, Dan Shirley/Gabby Aves bt Asher Richardson/Madeleine Stapleton 21-11 21-14, Brent Miller/Louise McKenzie bt Andrew Smith/Emily Hollis(England) 21-8 24-22,

Men’s doubles quarterfinals:

Kevin Dennerly-Minturn/Henry Tam bt Sam Ho/Riga Oud 21-13 21-7, Dan Shirley(New Zealand)/Andrew Smith(England) bt Arnaud Franzi/Fabien Kaddour(New Calendonia) 21-10 21-12, Wesley Caulkett/Raymond Tam(Australia) bt Tom Armstrong/TJ Weistra 21-10 22-20, James Eunson/Oliver Leydon-Davis bt William Jannic/Loic Mennesson(New Caledonia) 21-10 21-5.

Women’s doubles quarterfinals:

Emma Chapple/Louise McKenzie bt Danielle Barry(New Zealand)/Emily Hollis(England) 21-18 21-18, Anona Pak/Aviva Pak bt Cecile Kaddour/Johanna Kou(New Caledonia) 21-14 21-12, Doriana Rivera Aliaga/Madeleine Stapleton bt Melissa Sanmoestanom/Valerie Sarengat(New Caledonia) 2107 21-10, Felicity Leydon-Davis/Carmen Yuen bt Amanda Brown/Susannah Leydon-Davis 21-15 17-21 21-19.