INTERNATIONAL BADMINTON
Japan dominates

By Peter Martin

EAST LONDON -- As expected the visiting Japanese badminton players annexed most of the titles on offer at the SA International badminton tournament which ended at the Nutting Hall here yesterday.

In the men's singles final top seed Hidetaka Yamada (ranked 14th in the world) battled in vain as his fellow countryman, Shoji Sato, ranked 49th, prevailed 11-15, 15-12, 15-7 in a hard-fought encounter.

Hong Yan Pi of France took the honours in the women's final, beating Kanako Yonekura of Japan 6-11, 11-4, 11-3.

The Japanese women's doubles team of Chikako Nakayama and Keiko Yoshitomi came out tops in their section, while the German pairing of Kristof Hopp and Thomas Tesche were successful in the men's doubles.

Australia won the mixed pairs event, with Travis Denney and Kate Wilson-Smith outgunning Bjoern Siegemund and Nicol Pitro of Germany.

The tournament was a huge success and a feather in the cap for hosts the Border Badminton Association as events ran smoothly throughout, proving again that East London is able to host such international prestigious sports events.