Zhou twits Jiang, reaches RP Open finals

MANILA, Philippines – Hong Kong’s world No. 2 Zhou Mi battled back from a set down and survived four match points to pull off a pulsating 13-21, 21-14, 22-20 victory over Jiang Yanjiao of China and reach the women’s singles finals of the Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open Badminton Championships at the Philsports Arena yesterday.

Pushed to the edge by the prolific fourth seeded Jiang, Zhou leaned on her power game, deft touch and experience as she rose from the clutches of defeat and survived the toughest challenge thus far in her title-retention bid in the $120,000 tournament sanctioned by Badminton World Federation.

Staring at defeat at 16-20 in the deciding set, Zhou scored six straight points on winners and drop shots while forcing her talented Chinese rival to a couple of errors to complete the stirring come-from-behind triumph before a highly-charged, big weekend crowd.

The 30-year-old Zhou, the 2002 Busan Asian Games gold medal winner and 2004 Athens Olympics bronze medalist, also foiled an all-Chinese finale after Wang Xin tripped compatriot Wang Shixian, 21-13, 21-6, in the other semis duel in the event sponsored by Bingo Bonanza and organized by International Management Group.

A qualifier, Wang showed she’s ripe for the picking, overwhelming her namesake with a vast repertoire of shots to wrap up the straight-set romp and gain a first-ever crack at a Gold Grand Prix crown worth $8,280.

But the vaunted Chinese shuttlers proved unstoppable in other divisions as up-and-coming Chen Zhiben and Zhang Jinkang, and Zhang Nan and Lu Lu dumped their respective opponents to set up an interesting showdown for the mixed doubles title.

The tournament is backed by PLDT Business Solutions, The Philippine STAR, the Philippine Sports Commission, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Solar Sports.

The Chen-Zhang pair downed Muhammad Rijal and Debby Susanto of Indonesia, 21-15, 22-20, while the Zhang-Lu tandem, coming off a marathon 18-21, 25-23, 21-17 win over Tri Kusharjanto of Indonesia and Minarti Timur of the Philippines late Friday, whipped compatriots Qui Zihan and Deng Yuting, 21-13, 21-12.

Chinese Chen Long likewise zeroed in on the top $9,600 purse in the men’s singles as he edged countryman Zhou Wenlong in another thrilling three-setter, 21-14, 10-21, 21-14.

Chen, the former world junior champion who is seeded seventh here, thus arranged a title clash with No. 8 Hu Yun of Hong Kong, who posted another three-set triumph over another China bet Du Pengyu, 17-21, 21-14, 21-13.

Currently competing in the men’s doubles Final Four are top-seeded Mohammad Ahsan and Bona Septano of Indonesia against No. 6 Chen Zhiben and Shen Ye of China, as well as No. 7 Sun Junjie and Tao Jiaming of China against No. 5 Alvent Chandra and Hendra Gunawan of Indonesia.

Men’s doubles top pick Shendy Irawati and Meiliana Jauhari of Indonesia are also aiming for a finals ticket against Japanese Rie Eto and Yu Wakita, while Chinese players Wang Siyun and Zhang Jinkang are up against Hong Kong’s Chan Hung Ling and Chau Hoi Wah.

Meanwhile, for reaching the quarterfinals, Malvinne Alcala, who bowed to Jiang, 5-21, 16-21, last Friday, received $1,080 while the men’s doubles team of Kelvin Panganiban and Gabriel Villanueva, who lost to Ahsan and Septano, settled for $1,680.

Indonesia, however, owned the doubles event as top seed Mohammad Ahsan and Bona Septano arranged a men’s title duel with No. 5 Alvent Chandra and Hendra Gunawan.

Ahsan and Septano downed No. 6 Chen Zhiben and Shen Ye of China, 21-18, 21-17, while Chandra and Gunawan defeated No. 7 Sun Junjie and Tao Jiaming also of China, 18-21, 21-10, 21-11.

In women’s doubles, No. 1 Shendy Irawati and Meiliana Jauhari of Indonesia slammed Japan’s Rie Eto and Yu Wakita, 21-15, 21-19, to clinch the first finals berth.

Irawati and Jauhari will face China’s Gao Ling and Wei Yili, who dumped Hong Kong’s Chan Hung Ling and Chau Hoi Wah in this event watched by legitimate Philippine Badminton Association president former First Lady Amelita “Ming” Ramos.

The finals in five divisions will be held starting at 1 p.m. today. For updates on Bingo Bonanza RP Open, log on to www.philopenbadminton.com.