BWF WORLD SUPER SERIES - YONEX FRENCH OPEN 2009: Big win for Olga, champs crash out

There are amazing stories in badminton. Olga Konon, on a side court, played one of the best matches of her career. She beat no less than Wang Shixian, the uprising Chinese star, in three hard fought games.

The Belarusian lived another one of her career highlights, more than a year after qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Olympics.

“It’s not my biggest achievement as I was in the quarter-final of the Olympics. But frankly, reaching the quarter-final of a Super Series is much tougher, so I’m just delighted. I can’t believe it,” said Konon, who is only 19 years old and has been touring Europe to get some good coaching opportunities, with a peak during her practice time at the BWF World Training Centre in Saarbrucken.

“This win is even more special as I thought I didn’t have a chance to beat her. I had seen her results and they’re way more impressive than mine. There was no one to coach, me, but I felt there was someone out there. God was there. I was actually talking with him. Who else ? Did you see anybody else to help me ?” added Konon.

After losing the first game 15/21, she probably thought it would be mission impossible. But she hung in there and found the energy to come back and win the second game. And then again, she fought hard, and in spite of trailing 3/7 in the third, she managed to come back and take a comfortable lead in the last game, getting her first match point at 20/15.

It was then that the young Chinese started climbing back, erasing one, two, three, four match points. On the fifth one, her drive went in the net and Olga was alone standing shedding tears of joy.

Konon wasn’t the only one surprised at her win. Pi Hongyan, about one hour later, started commenting on her next opponent : “I think she’s very strong and she’s beaten me before, so I will be aware of her tomorrow. But the French was mistaken, as she didn’t look at Konon’s game- she just assumed that Wang Shixian would be her next opponent.

“What ? Wang lost ? I can’t believe it. Wow, this is a big surprise for me,” explained the French, who was obviously expecting to meet the Chinese teenager for the third time after each had won a game. For Pi, however, it was a much easier battle to reach the quarter-final stage : the French, in front of the usual ecstatic crowd, had a smooth run against her good friend Anu Nieminen of Finland.

She even led 15/0 in the first game, in what looked like a tennis score rather than a badminton – which could have been familiar to Nieminen, whose husband is no less than Tennis Star Jarko Nieminen.

But for Pi, what seemed to be a stroll in the park actually puzzled her. “I have led from quite a big margin; so, I started asking myself what was wrong. She’s a good friend and I kind of felt bad,” said the soft spoken Pi.

Nimienen scored her first point and then it was a more balanced match which still ended in Pi’s favour, 21/9 – 21/16

Oddly enough, during the whole last part of Pi’s game, Peter Gade was playing on the adjacent court, and he was getting just a much attention and cheering than the home favourite, as another proof of his popularity in Paris. And he finished just in the same exact time as the French, against Tago of Japan, clearly enjoying his run in Paris.

“It just feels like home here, and tomorrow, I will need the public support as I have to play Bao Chunlai who is in great shape. He will be very, very tough to beat,” hinted the Dane. Bao indeed looked in great shape, wearing a brand new purple outfit, and beat Sony Dwi Kuncoro in straight games 21/14 – 21/12.

One other man was delighted today, which saw many upsets, Joachim Persson, who has had a terrible year, was out for his last tournament of the year, hoping for a nice farewell before taking a break from badminton.

Little did he expect that he would beat last week’s champion in Denmark – Simon Santoso. The Dane showed some of the glimpses he had shown few years ago when he climbed up the world ladder to win 21/15 – 21/12.

“It just feels great, to, at last, produce the kind of game I’m capable of. It’s been a real tough year for me, with many downs. I’ve lost confidence mostly, and winning a game like this before a break is perfect. Last time I had a long break – which I intend to do after this French open – I had a good year, so I hope 2010 will bring me better things than 2009,” added Persson.

Tine Rasmussen just like Simon Santoro, had won the Denmark Open last week. And just like the young Indonesian wonder, was sent packing on Day 2 of the French Open, by Indonesia’s Adriyanti Firdasari. The No 4 seed was too unstable with highs and downs, and finally bowed out 21/13 – 13/21 – 21/11.

The doubles events were also very exciting, with the last match giving England one of their best victory in the women’s doubles, with Jenny Wallwork and Gabrielle White, who stunned Irawati and Jauhari, after saving no less than four match points in the second game, before finally edging the Indonesians 13/21 – 25/23 – 21/11.

Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Lena Frier Kristiansen of Denmark were very close to ending their partnership on Thursday when they were taken to overtime by Anastasia Russkikh and Petya Nedelcheva, winning only 22/20 in the decider.

It was also a good time for the French Federation to launch the World Championships in front of the local media, in the presence of Thomas Lund, BWF’s Chief Operating Officer, 300 days before the event in Paris, from August 23^rd to 29^th.

The French President Paul André Tramier hinted that the challenge was to make this event the event of a whole nation. Some events through out France will happen all year long to lead to this amazing competition, which will be held in the very same Stade Pierre De Coubertin , named after the Baron, who gave the Olympic Games a second life.