BITBURGER OPEN 2016 Finals – Chen duplicates doubles double

China’s Chen Qingchen pulls off a doubles double for the second consecutive week as she won the Bitburger Open both with Jia Yifan and Zheng Siwei.

By Don Hearn.  Photos:  Sven Heise for Badmintonphoto (live)

Well, we still remember Zhao Yunlei, even China already seems to have a new doubles queen.  Zhao was still the first to achieve a doubles double at the Olympic Games and the first woman to do it twice at the World Championships but not 2 months have passed since she announced her retirement from international competition and already 19-year-old Chen Qingchen has made the doubles double her own trademark.

Just last week, Chen made the French Open her first Superseries doubles double.  As that added to the two she achieved at the World Junior Championships and the one she did at the Brazil Open last year, she arrived in Saarbrucken with a Grand Prix Gold version missing from her collection.

Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan came out firing in the first match of the afternoon, schooling Thailand’s Jongkolphan Kititharakul / Rawinda Prajongjai (pictured) and beating them 21-12.  The Chinese teens were a little slack at the beginning of the second game but they tightened it up before long and had the edge as it closed out 21-19 and left the Thais with their second Grand Prix Gold runner-up finish this autumn.

The afternoon ended with Chen Qingchen mixed doubles partner Zheng Siwei (pictured above) taking on two-time runners-up Chris and Gabrielle Adcock in an attempt to duplicate their run as champions in the 2014 edition.  Gabrielle Adcock served long the entire match and the English serves gave away both points on error and ample attacking opportunities for the Chinese youngsters.

The second game, in particular, was still very close but at the end, the Adcocks added return errors to their gifts to their opponents as they were unable to convert any of their three game point opportunities and Chen and Zheng finished it 23-21.

For Zheng, it was the fourth Grand Prix Gold title of the year but Chen tied Ko Sung Hyun’s 2011 record for five such titles in a single calendar year.  She also became the first player since the great Gao Ling to win a doubles double in major tournaments in two consecutive weeks.  Gao achieved both of hers in the first two Superseries tournaments ever, in January 2007.

No fairy-tale ending for Germans

Tine Baun did it three years ago at the All England.  Lee Yong Dae did it last month at his home Superseries event.  In the last international tournament for Michael Fuchs and Johannes Schoettler (pictured), though, the Germans were unable to give their home fans in Saarbrucken the same thrill.

It was a very exciting match but Malaysia’s Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi just stayed one step ahead of the home favourites and closed out the match in straight games to take their first Grand Prix Gold title.

Singles streaks

Apparently, what happens in Paris doesn’t always stay in Paris.  Like their doubles counterparts, China’s Shi Yuqi and He Bingjiao continued their success from last week at the French Open.

19-year-old He Bingjiao (pictured bottom) went one better than she did when she was Bitburger runner-up in 2014.  She beat 2013 champion Nitchaon Jindapon to take her fourth title of 2016, which she adds to the Swiss Open and two Superseries events, including France last week.

Shi Yuqi (pictured) had a harder time of it than He did.  Shi saw off his second Verma brother in as many days, following up his semi-final win over Sameer Verma by besting his older brother Sourabh in the final.  Shi had to save one game point before he won the second game narrowly 22-20.

Most of the finalists – apart from the men’s doubles quartet – will be taking a week off and then playing the China Open Superseries Premier but Sourabh Verma is hanging around or returning to Europe for the Scottish Open, the last of the regular Grand Prix events for 2016.

Final results
WD:  Chen Qingchen / Jia Yifan (CHN) [1] beat Jongkolphan Kititharakul / Rawinda Prajongjai (THA) [2]  21-12, 21-19
MD:  Ong Yew Sin / Teo Ee Yi (MAS) beat Michael Fuchs Johannes Schoettler (GER) [8]  21-16, 21-18
WS:  He Bingjiao (CHN) [1] beat Nitchaon Jindapol (THA) [4]  21-11, 21-18
MS:  Shi Yuqi (CHN) [4] beat Sourabh Varma (IND)  21-19, 22-20
XD:  Zheng Siwei / Chen Qingchen (CHN) [2] beat Chris Adcock / Gabrielle Adcock (ENG) [1]  21-16, 23-21

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