Team YONEX saw a victory in men’s doubles, with Mohammad Ahsan (NANORAY 900, SHB87LTD)/Hendra Setiawan (NANORAY 900, SHBF1NLTD) proving once again to be a dangerous duo, meeting Danish YONEX shuttlers Mads Pieler Kolding (ARCSABER 11, SHB-87EX)/Mads Conrad-Petersen (DEN) in a tight semifinal match. Coming back from a game down, the Indonesian pair made a comeback in the match’s second game, commanding a strong lead over their opponents from their seventh point until the end. The decider also proved to be a challenge for the Indonesian doubles experts at the beginning, but they managed to take control of the game after the ninth point, and continued to lead with Hendra deciding the match with a pin-point return into the Danes’ court. Despite the large gap in height between the Indonesians and their Dutch rivals, Mohammad and Hendra were able to return sharply angled smashes while remaining calm, cool, and collected. Their performance surprised even their trainer, who watched the match proceed in awe. The Indonesian pair closed out the match at 21-16, 15-21, 21-19.
The two went on to meet 2013 YONEX All England Badminton Championships winners Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan in the final for a heated hour-long outing. The two Indonesian shuttlers played under the severe pressure of loud cheers for the opposing pair, but managed to come out with a win after a tight opening game. While the two came out short after a see-saw second game, they made a stunning return in the decider, taking the lead at 13-12, and maintaining it splendidly until the end. The final score was 21-16, 17-21, 21-15.
In women’s doubles, Ayaka Takahashi (VOLTRIC 80)/Misaki Matsutomowere runners up after a straight set win against Indonesia’s Greysia Polii (NANORAY 900)/Nitya Krishinda Maheswari in the semifinal. In mixed doubles, Chris Adcock (VOLTRIC Z-FORCE Ⅱ, SHB01LTD) and Gabrielle Adcock (VOLTRIC Z-FORCE Ⅱ, SHBSC4LX) made it to the semifinals after a 37-minute straight-sets match against Korea’s Lee Yong Dae/Lee So Hee in the previous round. In men’s singles, Jan O. Jorgensen (VOLTRIC Z-FORCE Ⅱ, SHBSC6iEX) made it to the semifinals after defeating China’s Wang Zhengming in the quarterfinal, and in women’s singles Carolina Marin (NANORAY Z-SPEED, SHBF1NLTD) also placed as a semifinalist after a confident quarterfinal win over Malaysia’s Jing Yi Tee that lasted under 30 minutes.
With the YONEX-SUNRISE Hong Kong Open Superseries concluded, YONEX shuttlers set their sights on the BWF Destination Dubai World Superseries Finals, commencing on December 17th. The tournament should prove to be an explosive battle between some of the finest badminton talents from around the world, so be sure to keep an eye on Team YONEX and the gear that backs them up every step of the way.
YONEX-SUNRISE Hong Kong Open Superseries Tournament Results
Men’s Doubles (Final)
[2]Mohammad Ahsan (NANORAY 900, SHB87LTD)/Hendra Setiawan (NANORAY 900, SHBF1NLTD) )(INA) def. Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan (CHN) 21-16, 17-21, 21-15