China took home their ninth women's world team badminton trophy Uber Cup after a convincing 3-1 victory over South Korea in the final played at the Bung Karno Indoor Stadium Saturday evening.
The Chinese team fielded the best line-up -- with world's number one, two and three in singles and world's number one and two in doubles -- to win their fifth title in a row.
In the first match of the tie, All England champion Gong Ruina of China took on Asian champion Jun Jae Youn.
The South Korean quickly led 7-0 without service exchange in the opening game, but Gong managed to narrow the gap to 7-9. However, Jun, who never won over Gong in previous five matches, sealed the game 11-7 by playing precisely in the net.
Jun again led 4-0 in the second game, but the 23-year-old Gong coped with the pressures very well and accelerated the rhythm with many crossing smashes to stop Jun 11-5.
In the deciding game, Gong sharpened her attacks and it was Jun who was first trailing behind. Gong finally put China in the lead after closing the third game 11-7.
Lee Hyo Jung/Hwang Yu Mi put South Korea back in the tie when they surprisingly made a straight 15-7, 15-10 win over world's top duo Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen. The victory is the first for the South Koreans in seven matches against the Chinese, and the only defeat of 20 overall matches played by the Chinese girls in the tournament.
China took the lead when second singles Zhang Ning showed her world-class standard to outplay South Korea's youngster Seo Yoon Hee 11-1, 13-10.
With the trophy was only one match away, world champion Gao Ling/Huang Sui played in full speed and gave no chance to their South Korean opponents Lee Kyung Won/Lee Yun Hwa to play time-consuming rallies.
Gao/Huang attacked with full confidence and kept the shuttlecock at the net level when took the first game 15-6.
In the second game, the Chinese pair were facing the trophy laid on a table behind their opponents and that possibly further motivated them to increase speed. Huang raised her hands after her smash landed on the other side of the net and received a hug from Gao as they rapidly ended the second game 15-2 to win the prestigious trophy.
"We should have made a clean sweep against South Korea. But Zhang Jiewen had injury in her elbow and that's why the first doubles could not perform their usual play," China's coach Li Yongbo said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2004)
