Day 5, the finals, 02-03-2015

Day 5 – finals day - from the Yonex Dutch Junior International 2015! The last day of the tournament. Only the players who have survived have to play today!

At 10 o’clock the semi finals started. On court 1 the Men’s singles and on court 2 the Woman’s doubles.

The men’s singles was first seed June Wei Cheam from Malaysia against Yoshitaka Ogura from Japan. The Malaysian had a great start and won the first set 21-12. After a 18-14 lead in the second set he looked like winning comfortably, but the Japan player got right back into the match edging the second set 22-20. The start of the 3rd set was also for the Japan players, taking a 7-1 lead, but June Wei Cheam turned the match around and won it 21-14 in the deciding set.

Meanwhile on the other court the Japan pair of Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida had a comffortable win over the Korean pair of Ye Jin Choi and Na Ra Jang. After taking the last 8 points in a row in the first set, they never looked in trouble taking the second set 21-15.

The second semi final in the men’s singles was between R. Satheishtharan from Malaysia (seeded 3/4) against Max Weisskirchen from Germany (seeded 5/8). After a close beginning, the German took the lead from halfway and never looked back, upsetting the 3/4th seeded Malaysian 21-16, 21-14.

On court nr. 2 the unseeded Japan men’s double of Kenya Mitsuhashi and Yuta Watanabe were never in real trouble against the German pair of Daniel Seifert and Bjarne Geiss (5/8), taking the semi final 21-14, 21-10.

After two Men’s singles on court 1 they were followed by the woman’s double of Delphine Delrue and Anne Tran from France (Seeded 5/8) against Soo Jung Lee and Min Hee Shon from Korea. The pair from France kept their nose in front during almost the complete 1st set, and started very good in the 2nd and never looked back, taking the match 21-18, 21-11.

On court nr. 2 Ying Ying Lee from Malaysia beat Ye Jin Choi from Korea 21-18, 21-9. After edging out the first set, she kept dictating play in the second set, and looked very impressive.

The last semi final on court 1 was a Men’s double, Jun Su Lee and Kyung Hoon Park from Korea against June Wei Cheam and R. Stheishtharan from Malaysia. Both singles players from Malaysia could never really trouble the Korean pair. After a 3-1 lead for the Malaysians, the Koreans took the lead and kept it throughout the match, finally winning 21-11,21-15. The last semi final on court 2 was the second woman’s single; Saena Kawakami against Nami Matsuyama, both from Japan. Saena Kawakami proved to be the better player. She was never in real trouble as she won 21-11, 21-15.

At 1.30 it was time for the finals! After a short break, the crowd found their way back to their seats and were eager to watch some great badminton again. The first two finals were the mixed- and women’s doubles. In the all Malaysian mixed final it was a close match between scratch pairs Jinn Hwa Tan / Jin Wei Goh and Sze Fei Goh / Ying Ying Lee. After 3 close sets where Ying Ying Lee was obviouslynot saving energy for her singles final, the winners were Jinn Hwa Tan and Jin Wei Goh, 21-18, 18-21, 21-17.

In the woman’s doubles the Frech pair of Anne Tran and Delphine Delrue fought back from 16-10 down to 18 all, but the Japanese Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida took 3 out of the last 4 points to win it 21-19. In the second set it was close till the end, where the Japanese pair pulled away to take the title 21-17.

After the price giving ceremony it was time for the men’s single final. Another Asia-Europe confrontation as the Malaysian June Wei Cheam was hoping to make it third time lucky (this was his 3rd Yonex Dutch Junior) against Max Weisskirchen form Germany. The tall German played very good, but so did the Malaysian as he took the early lead, and never lost it, winning the first set 21-17. In the second set the German looked to delight the crowd and take the match into a deciding game , only to see the Malaysian making 5 straight points from 20-17 down to take the match 22-20.

The next two finals were the men’s doubles and woman’s singles. The Korean team was cheering loudly for their team mates in the final, Jun Su Lee and Kyung Hoon Park, but the Japan pair of Kenya Mitsuhashi and Yuta Watanabe was just too good. As the crowd was really loving the speed and agility of all players the Japan pair kept the lead all the way through the 1st set, and came back from behind in the 2nd set, taking the match 21-16, 21-19. Unfortunately for the crowd no 3rd set in the men’s doubles which saw some really good matches throughout the tournament

In the woman’s single Ying Ying Lee from Malaysia just couldn’t find the answer how to beat Saena Kawakami. She tried everything, but the Japanese player kept retrieving all shots, and when she got the chance played some very good shots to take the title 21-16, 21-17.

Congratulations to all winners, and thanks to all players for making it one of the best Dutch Juniors ever. We saw the future stars of badminton play this week, and it proves there is a good future for badminton.

Hope to see all of you again at the Yonex Dutch Junior International 2016, from 2-6 march!