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Danes storm into last eight of World badminton

Defending champion Peter Rasmussen led a Danish quintet into the men's singles quarter-finals at the World Badminton Championships on Thursday night.
All the five Danes, who were in the last 16, advanced further to ensure at least a bronze medal for their country. The five were joined by Fung Permadi of Taiwan, Hendrawan of Indonesia and second seed Sun Jun of China.

Olympic champion Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen, the 33-year-old elder statesman of Danish badminton, showed the way by beating former Commonwealth champion Rashid Sidek of Malaysia 15-6, 15-8. He was followed by Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen, a 17-14, 15-5 winner over Japan's Kaita Masuda. Kenneth Jonassen laster worked hard for a 15-11, 10-15, 15-5 triumph over Indonesian third seed Budi Santoso, before Peter Gade Christensen accounted for Malaysia's Yong Hock Kin 15-9, 15-3 in 43 minutes.

The best was left to the last, however, as Rasmussen showed what champions are made as he rallied from 12-6 down in the third game against China's Chen Gang to snatch a 3-15, 15-6, 17-15 victory and set up an intriguing quarter-final with Gade, in what will be a match-up between the World champion against the world number one.

"It is my dream match," said Rasmussen. "But I shall have to be very sharp otherwise I will be blown off court. We are equal in speed but Peter is a bit sharper.
"If the rallies are long and it is a long match I can win."

It was an incredible display by Rasmussen, who has been plagued by injury since winning the title in Glasgow two years ago, against Sun Jun. He needed many of those 1997 fighting qualities as he saved a match point at 14-12 before winning on his second match point after 65 minutes. Sun Jun, the second seed, also had to do things the hard way against Indonesia's talented teenager Taufik Hidayat. He looked in trouble when he lost the first game, but kept the Chinese flag flying by taking the next two and winning 7-15, 15-6, 15-6. He meets Stuer-Lauridsen in the next round.

Denmark, as if determined to atone for the Sudirman Cup mixed team final defeat by China, have two players through to the last eight of the women's singles.

Third seed Camilla Martin was again the night's quickest winner, with a 24-minute victory over South Korean Kim Ji-Hyin 11-6, 11-1. The other Dane, Mette Sorensen, meets unseeded Kelly Morgan of Wales in the quarter-finals - which guarantees Europe a first singles medal since England's Helen Troke here in 1983.

However, China, despite losing top seed and holder Ye Zhaoying to Morgan in the first round, still have second seed Gong Ruina, Zhang Ning and Dai Yun through to the last eight.

Agencies