SWISS OPEN 2011 Finals – Saina’s first of the year holds Korea to 3

Saina Nehwal denied Sung Ji Hyun her first international title, while taking her own first for 2011.  Ha Jung Eun won her first Grand Prix title, participating in one of Korea’s three golds.

By Michael Bencova, Badzine Special Correspondent, live in Basel.  Photos: Sven Heise for Badmintonphoto (live)

The final day of the Swiss Open started at noon with women´s doubles between two Korean pairs Ha Jung Eun / Kim Min Jung and Jung Kyung Eun / Kim Ha Na. Even when the audience was still arriving, they could see number of nice rallies and net shots but the match was smoothly going to the better end for Ha Jung Eun and Kim Min Jung, who took it 21-12, 21-13.

While Kim Min Jung won two major titles last year during her brief partnership with star veteran Lee Hyo Jung, for Ha, it was her first time atop a podium since late 2008 and her first time ever winning a Grand Prix title.

The second match – the women´s singles final – had a very good atmosphere.  Saina Nehwal attracted a lot of Indian Swiss spectators and even when Korean Sung Ji Hyun was able to keep the shuttle long time in a play, Saina obviously had more power and energy.  Obviously Indian local crowd helped Saina to keep her concentration through whole match. Both girls were trying to prepare their attacks and most of the time they played safe game with more luck on the side of Saina, who won 3 Super Series titles and one Grand Prix Gold last year but who is just getting started in 2011 with this Gold in Switzerland.

Probably the most spectacular match became men´s doubles even when it was the fight between Korea’s 2^nd and 3^rd seeds. This exhibition match was full of good attacks and even better defense on both sides, long rallies and big speed.  Even the stringing team had a lot of work.  During this match at least 8 rackets had broken strings and one racket didn´t survive the clash of Jung and Lee.

The spectators were happy with almost every rally and all four players deserved the applause at the end of the match. Just a little bit more successful there were Ko Sung Hyun/ Yoo Yeon Seong, who beat German Open winners Lee Yong Dae / Jung Jae Sung 21-17, 21-16.  Switzerland seems to be a lucky place for Ko and Yoo.  Last year, this tournament, then a Super Series, marked both their first international title together and the first time they had beaten Jung and Lee in international play.

The men’s singles final between Park Sung Hwan and Lee Hyun Il was just a little more than a training match – drop, cross, net, clear, drop, cross, net, smash. Unfortunately, the most exciting moment for the spectators came when both Korean players at the end of the match decided to throw their spare T-shirts into the stands.

The last match of the day was the only one without a Korean presence.  In the mixed doubles final, Denmark’s Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen took on Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork of England.  The match featured short reallies and long breaks in between the rallies but had a few nice moments when the spectators woke up from their lethargy.  After an almost equal first game, the Danes were able to keep the shuttle in court area while English kept smashing out or into the net.  From the real beginning of second game the Danes were securely walking to the successful match point.

For complete results from the 2011 Wilson Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold, CLICK HERE