Health Upgraders

Quite a number of local shuttlers fell at the New Zealand Badminton Open as the tournament moved nearer and nearer to the finals. It proved not to be a very good start for the Kiwi men.

Bjorn Seguin (Waikato), albeit having massive potential and talent in the game, lacked patience which led him and his Wilson badminton racket, to lose to Aditya Elango of India. The archrival played against each other and while Seguin led at the first set 21-19, Elango overtook swiftly and beat Seguin.

A loss to French, veteran shuttler Simon Maunory had Pravenn Tayalan from the Counties Manukau not reaching the finals. Australian native James Paybody continues onto the next round after defeating Reon McFarlane. Another Kiwi that did not make it past the first round is Leck S Tham.

Advancing through to the early stages of the finals is Michelle HK Chan, also from Counties Manukau. She defeated Poh Lin Teo and Sheen Kwan Two and Kwan who also happen to be Kiwis in successive match ups. Chan earned a well-deserved spot in the main draw with World No. 29 Megumi Taruno of Japan as the opponent.

Linda Fanteri is an Indonesian shuttler that caused Melissa Yin and Maggie Chan, Kiwis, to lose the spot for the main draw. Fanteri defeated both girls in two successive matches. Fanteri is up against Clare Chapple from Auckland at the beginning, the first round, of the main draw.

Rounding the five draws in the women’s singles of the 2008 New Zealand Badminton Open is Rachel Hindley who will be playing against Maria Febe Kusumastuti. Kusumastuti happens to have won the Australian Grand Prix held in Melbourne last week. She is currently the tournament’s fourth seed.

No 1 seed Indian seed rounds the men’s doubles.