CANADA OPEN 2013 Finals – Issara disqualified for attacking Jongjit!

Finals day at the 2013 Yonex Canada Open had a little bit of everything: birthdays, breakthroughs, back-to-back titles and, unfortunately, a brawl.

By Emzi Regala, Badzine Correspondent.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (archives)

It started as a fabulous finals day with the first 2 matches both reaching 3 games apiece until emotions got the better of Thailand’s ex-partners Bodin Issara and Maneepong Jongjit (pictured).  Nevertheless, another Thai, Nichaon Jindapon, successfully rejuvenated the suddenly gloomy mood as she took her first Grand Prix title.

Second final, first title for Chinese teens

Chinese teenagers Huang Yaqiong / Yu Xiaohan, who narrowly lost to their more experienced team-mates in last week’s U.S. Open women’s doubles final, relied on their attacking game this time and overpowered their Dutch adversaries Eefje Muskens / Selena Piek, in a three-game match that took a shade over 50 minutes.

Huang/Yu, who were runners-up at both the Asian and World Juniors last year, have been playing impressive badminton and are already 94 places up the Senior World Ranking, much credit to their 2 consecutive finals appearances in as many tournaments together in 2013.  With their first Grand Prix title in Canada, they have beaten last year’s actual junior champions to the punch as Korea’s Lee/Shin have yet to do better than a Grand Prix runner-up finish.

All I want for my birthday is…a Grand Prix

Malaysia’s Tan Chun Seang (pictured right) couldn’t have celebrated his birthday in a better fashion, as he emerged victorious in a tightly contested men’s singles final.  3^rd-seeded Eric Pang showed great promise when he won the first game 21-15, but the tall Dutch shuttler was unable to find any solution to stop Tan’s domination at the net.

Following Tan’s celebration at the podium was the much anticipated on-court face-off between the now separated ex-partners from Thailand, Bodin Issara and Maneepong Jongjit, who were #7 in the world in 2012.  Issara, with his new partner Pakkawat Vilailak, and Jongjit, who has been inching up the world rankings with his new comrade Nipitphon Puangpuapech.

The crowd saw Jongjit/Puangpuapech surge ahead with their muscular play to quickly take the first game.  At the change of ends, there was also clearly a verbal exchange that provoked Issara to physically confront his ex-partner.  Jongjit retaliated by hitting Issara with his badminton racket.  Before anybody could react, Issara chased Jongjit and when he caught the latter, threw a few punches and tackled Jongjit down to the mat.

The coaches held Issara down to prevent him from physically attacking Jongjit further while Issara’s partner Vilailak calmly escorted the now shirtless Jongjit away from the chaos.  Issara was handed a black card, technically awarding the gold medal to Jongjit/Puangpuapech.

Nichaon joins the Thai women’s singles party

After the tense situation settled down, the women’s singles final resumed featuring one of Thailand’s many sensational young singles players Nichaon Jindapon (pictured above) against Hong Kong’s Yip Pui Yin.  The top-seeded Thai channelled all her energy dominating in all aspects of the match.  She wasted no time in defeating Yip in straight games 21-18 21-16.

Jindapon has now become the last of Thailand’s five top 20 women’s singles players to take a title at the Grand Prix level.  However, she is the only one of the five who will be excluded from the World Championships next month in Guangzhou.

In the final match of the day, the Netherlands was given another chance at the gold through the 3^rd seeds Jorrit De Ruiter / Samantha Barning.  Unfortunately for the Dutch duo, it was Hong Kong that would make good on taking a solo title for the day.

Chau Hoi Wah played exceptionally well at the net, beautifully setting up her partner Lee Chun Hei (pictured right) for the killers to secure the mixed doubles championship in favour of the Hong Kong pair.  With this and their U.S. Open success last week, Lee and Chau were thus the only ones this year to win back-to-back titles on the Pacific North American Coast.

Final results
WD: Huang Yaqiong / Yu Xiaohan (CHN) beat Eefje Muskens / Selena Piek (NED)  13-21, 21-11, 21-13
MS: Tan Chun Seang (MAS) [3] beat Eric Pang (NED) [2]  15-21, 21-11, 21-16
MD: Maneepong Jongjit / Nipitphon Puangpuapech (THA) [2] beat Bodin Issara / Pakkawat Vilailak (THA) [8]  21-12 [Disqualified]
WS: Nichaon Jindapon (THA) [1] beat Yip Pui Yin (HKG) [3]  21-18, 21-16
XD: Lee Chun Hei / Chau Hoi Wah (HKG) [1] beat Jorrit De Ruiter / Samantha Barning (NED) [3]  21-13, 21-10

Click here for complete, detailed results