1.
GV MEN'S DOUBLES FINAL BETWEEN KOBBERO AND HAMMERGAARD (DENMARK) (NRST.CAMERA) AND KHAN (MALAYSIA)
0.17

2.
SV MALAYSIAN SERVING AND IN ACTION
0.28

3.
GV PLAY IN PROGRESS, POINT TO MALAYSIANS
0.40

4.
SV CROWD APPLAUDS
0.45

5.
GV LAST SET - MALAYSIANS SERVING (NRST.CAMERA) POINT TO DENMARK
0.57

6.
SV CROWD
0.59

7.
GV MALAYSIANS SERVE AND GAIN POINT, THEY EMBRACE
1.08

8.
SV CROWD
1.10

9.
GV MEN'S SINGLES BETWEEN TAN (MALAYSIA) AND AKIYAMA (JAPAN) AWAY FROM CAMERA
1.16

10.
SV AKIYAMA IN ACTION, LOSES POINT AFTER LONG VOLLEY
1.36

11.
GV TAN SERVING, WINS MATCH (PLAYERS EMBRACE AND SHAKE HANDS WITH JUDGE)
1.58



Initials DE/V/CR/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: COMPETITORS FROM MALAYSIA HAD A GOOD DAY AT THE ALL-ENGLAND BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LONDON ON SATURDAY. TAN AIK HUANG TOOK JUST 20 MINUTES TO CAPTURE THE MEN'S SINGLES TITLE WHEN HE DEFEATED MASAO AKIYAMA OF JAPAN. THE DANISH VETERANS, FINN KOBBERO AND JORGEN HAMMERGAARD HANSEN FOUGHT HARD IN THE MEN'S DOUBLES FINAL - BUT WERE FINALLY BEATEN BY NG BOOM BEE AND TAN YEE KHAN FROM MALAYSIA.

THE DOUBLES TITLE WAS AN EXCITING TUSSLE. THE DANISH TEAM WON THE FIRST MATCH 15 - 9, BUT THE MALAYSIANS FOUGHT HARD AND EQUALISED BY WINNING THE SECOND MATCH 15 - 9. THE THIRD, AND CRUCIAL MATCH SWUNG BACK AND FORTH AND FINALLY REACHED 14 ALL. THE EXTRA GAMES GAVE VICTORY TO THE MALAYSIANS BY THE NARROW MARGIN OF 17 - 15.

TAN AIK HUANG PROVED FAR TOO GOOD FOR HIS JAPANESE OPPONENT IN THE SINGLES FINAL. CONTINUALLY FORCING AKIYAMA BACK ON THE BASELINE HE BUILT UP EARLY LEADS WITH THE NEAT DROP-SHOTS WHICH HAD THE YOUNG JAPANESE PLAYER GROUPING UNSUCCESSFULLY. WHENEVER AKIYAMA THREATENED TO MAKE INROADS THE MALAYSIAN, ALWAYS PLAYING WITHIN HIMSELF, RAISED THE TEMPO OF HIS GAME, AND NEVER SEEMED EXTENDED. HE WON 15 - 7 AND 15 - 4, TO CONFIRM HIS PLACE AS THE WORLD'S LEADING PLAYER. THIS WAS HIS FIFTH TITLE THIS SEASON - AND NEXT WEEK HE ATTEMPTS THE CANADIAN OPEN - WHERE HE HOPES TO GATHER ANOTHER TITLE.