WILSON SWISS OPEN 2010: Gade, Ella stun world champions
News 9:24 AM
Denmark’s Peter Gade and Russia’s Ella Diehl dealt China a severe blow when they scored sensational wins over world champions Lin Dan and Lu Lan at the WILSON Swiss Open in Basel on Friday.
In other upsets, Korea’s Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong and Bae Youn Joo also registered emphatic wins over All England champions Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen in the men’s doubles and Pi Hongyan, the No 3 seed, in the women’s singles respectively. 
But the day truly belonged to Gade and Ella.
Gade, who has played second fiddle to Lin Dan on numerous occasions, turned back the clock and showed that at the ‘ripe’ old age of 33, still has the determination and character to beat Lin Dan.
The Dane won in straight games, 21-16, 21-17, in battle that lasted almost 50 minutes, condemning the Chinese to another early exit.
At the All England Championships in Birmingham last week, Lin Dan was beaten in the second round by compatriot Bao Chunlai.
Gade was patient in his play, using the four corners of the court well, probing and waiting for the right opportunity to strike while Lin Dan looked more and more frustrated as the match progressed.
It was similar script in the women’s singles with Ella showing great stamina and anticipation to trouble the No 2 seed for a 22-20, 21-15 win.
However, the Chinese still have several big names in the competition with Chen Jin and Chen Long carrying the flag in the men’s singles and Wang Shixian and Jiang Yanjiao in the women’s singles.
In fact, China is assured a spot in the men’s singles final as Chen Jin will take on Du Pengyu.
Korea’s Bae Youn Joo also scored a stunning win over France’s Pi Hongyan , 21-12, 24-22, to set up a semi-final match against Jiang Yanjiao. Ella will take on Wang Shixian in the other semi-final.
In the men’s doubles, Korea’s Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong upset Paaske-Rasmussen 16-21, 22-20, 21-8 to qualify for the last four. The Koreans, who beat teammates Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae in the second round, will play Japan’s Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Norivasu Hirata for a place in the final.
The other men’s doubles semi-final will feature Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, the top seeds, against Denmark’s Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen.
There was another upset in the women’s doubles when top seeds Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty of Malaysia crashed out to Japan’s Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna, 21-17, 18-21, 10-21.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 9:24 AM.
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