GERMAN OPEN 2013 QF – Olympic champions bite the dust

Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei certainly are not used to going down before the semi-finals, especially not in Grand Prix Gold tournaments. Yet on Friday, the love birds were shown the exit, playing with different partners – respectively Tang Jinhua and Qiu Zihan. Li Xuerui was also sent packing.

By Raphael Sachetat. Photos: Sven Heise, live in Mulheim

Changes are sometimes not as efficient on the Chinese squad. Sometimes, it works. Today, in Mulheim, the split of Olympic champions Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei (pictured left) didn’t work out as both new pairs went down in the quarter-final stage.

Zhang and Tang were beaten by England’s own couple of Chris Adcock and Gabrielle White (pictured below right), while Qiu and Zhao were edged by Anders Kristiansen and Julie Houmann (pictured bottom). Both pairs will meet in the semi-final on Saturday, while Shin/Jang of Korea take on Poland’s Mateusiak/Zieba.

So long Marc

Marc Zwiebler was shown the exit by top seed Chen Long of China, not without giving a fight. The European Champion bowed to the Asian Champion logically, but in three games.

“It was a hard fight for nearly 80 minutes but in the end he was just better today! Sometimes you have to accept that, but I tried my very best so I can’t blame myself,” said Zwiebler on his Facebook page, after his 10-21, 21-19, 12-21 defeat in the longest match of the day. Chen will play his compatriot Qiao Bin in the semi-final, while Tommy Sugiarto will face Boonsak Ponsana in the other half.

Li Xuerui was taken long distance against Japan’s Takahashi, and the Olympic Champion also failed to deliver as the young Japanese was just too strong for her today. Takahashi will play Juliane Schenk, who has been in full confidence lately, and who trounced Taipei’s jewel Tai Tzu Ying 21-14, 21-16. Sung Ji Hyun and Wang Yihan will meet in the other semi-final.

All top four pairs progressed in the women’s doubles while China created a double upset in the men’s doubles, edging both top seeds from the draw.  The scratch pariing of Chai Biao and Hong Wei beat second seeds Endo/Hayakawa from Japan. Ko Sung Hyun and Lee Yong Dae were also beaten, in the last match of the day 21-14, 21-14 by China’s Liu/Qiu.

Click here for complete quarter-final results