KOREA OPEN 2011 Day 2 – Another week, another upset for young Koreans

Korea’s Eom Hye Won and Kim Ha Na beat the world #6 pair to start off a perfect 3 for 3 morning for the home girls on Day 2 of the 2011 Victor Korea Open Premier Super Series.

By Don Hearn, Badzine Correspondent live in Seoul.  Photos: Yves Lacroix for Badmintonphoto

For a second week in a row, Eom Hye Won and Kim Ha Na (pictured) upset a pair of Indonesian veterans to earn a possible shot at the world #1’s.  The Koreans took an early lead in the first game against Greysia Polii / Meiliana Jauhari – who are fresh off their first appearance in the Super Series Finals – but it was their finishing kick that did it.  In the second, the rallies became much longer but although the stronger Indonesians were given plenty of opportunities to attack, it was the young Koreans who remained more consistent and managed to hold on to win it 21-14, 21-16.

“The Indonesian women have very good wrist action and that makes them very difficult to play against,” said Kim Ha Na after the match.  “It allows them to move the shuttle, and us, around the court so much so the match today came down to fitness.”

“Their defense is so good that we found every time we tried to attack the shuttle they would get it back.  We felt they weren’t as mobile so we might have an edge if we kept moving them around to the back corners.

The Koreans will very likely be facing top seeds Cheng Wen Hsing / Chien Yu Chin of Chinese Taipei in the second round tomorrow for a repeat from their second round match last week, where the Koreans only barely missed creating the upset of the day.

“If we play the Taiwan pair again we just hope to reduce our errors all the while continuing to do well the things we did well last week.”

Their win was followed immediately by two victories in singles as Sung Ji Hyun and later Bae Youn Joo (pictured) were dominant in their first round matches.

For complete results from Day 2 of the 2011 Victor Korea Open Premier Super Series, CLICK HERE

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