FAVORITES TROUNCE OPPONENTS TO QUALIFY FOR SEMIFINALS
China, Denmark, Indonesia and Korea Go Through

May 20,1996 (D.Shuttlenws) - The four favorites in the world women's
team championships of badminton, known as the Uber Cup, all overwhelmed
their opponents in today's ties to make their way through to the
semifinals of the competition being held at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium
in Hong Kong.

The defending champions Indonesia walloped Russia 5-0 to set up a repeat
of the 1994 semifinals with Korea on Thursday. The Korean ladies were 5-0
conquerors of England in their encounter today.

Hot favorite China, featuring Ye Zhaoying, the world singles champion and
world number one, and the pair of Ge Fei and Gu Jun, the world number ones
in women's doubles, whipped Japan 5-0 and will face Denmark in the other
semifinal.

The Danes demolished host Hong Kong also at 5-0 to qualify for the Uber
Cup final four for the first time since 1984.

In the Indonesia-Russia tie, Susi Susanti of Indonesia defeated Marina
Yakusheva 11-2 11-5. Mia Audina made the tie score 2-0 with an 11-7 11-0
win over Elena Suchareva and Yuliani Sentoso clinched the tie for
Indonesia with a quick 11-1 11-1 defeat of Ella Karachkova.

Eliza and Rosiana Zelin beat Yakusheva and Nadezda Chervakova 15-9 15-4,
and then Lili Tampi and Denyana Lomban completed the rout with their
15-3 15-6 victory over Suchareva and Karachkova.

In the Korea-England encounter, the Koreans opted to rest singles ace
Bang Soo Hyun and to try out a new doubles combination in Kim Shin Young
and Park Soo Hyun.

The Koreans were still too strong for the English women despite the Korean
moves and demolished the English 5-0.

Ra Kyung Min, playing first singles in place of Bang, took just 6 minutes
to defeat Julia Mann 11-2 11-1. Gil Young Ah and Jang Hye Ock disposed of
Gillian Gowers and Jo Muggeridge 15-3 15-11 in the ensuing doubles match.

Lee Joo Hyun clinched the tie for Korea with an 11-5 12-10 win over Allison
Humby.

Kim Shin Young and Park Soo Hyun defeated Joanne Davies and Sarah Hardaker
15-8 15-7, and Chung Jae Hee beat Tanya Groves in the final match 11-3 11-4.

In the China-Japan tie, Ye Zhaoying beat Hisako Mizui 11-8 11-6 to open the
scoring for China. Ge Fei and Gu Jun defeated Tomomi Matsuo and Masako
Sakamoto 15-2 15-7 followed by a Han Jinga victory over Yasuko Mizui 11-4
11-7.

Chen Ying and Peng Xingyong got some Uber Cup match play in, substituting
for Tang Yongshu and Qin Yiyuan. Chen and Peng bested Aiko and Akiko
Miyamura 15-10 15-6.

Zhang Ning then finished for China with an 11-2 11-3 romp over Takako Ida.

In the Denmark-Hong Kong setto, Camilla Martin breezed past an outclassed
Ng Ching 11-1 11-1. Lotte Olsen and Ann Jorgensen then beat Chan Mei Mei
and Chan Oi Ni 15-3 15-8.

Anne Sondergaard clnched the tie and the semifinal berth for Denmark when
she beat Koon Wai Chee 11-2 11-6.

Ng Ching and Tung Chau Man gave the Hong Kong audience something to cheer
about when they battled Lisbet Stuer-Lauridsen and Marlene Thomsen for
every point. Ng and Tung took the Danes to a three-point setting in the
first game before losing 14-17, and then actually won the second game
15-7.

The Danes settled down after a talking-to by the Danish coaches and beat
Ng and Tung 15-7 in the third.

Mette Pedersen closed out the hosts with her 11-7 11-2 win over Chan Mei
Mei.

The Uber Cup standings at the conclusion of the round-robin stage are:

                                  Ties
                Played  Won     Lost    Points
Group A
China              3     3        0        6
Indonesia          3     2        1        4
Japan              3     1        2        2
Russia             3     0        3        0
Group B
Korea              3     3        0        6
Denmark            3     2        1        4
England            3     1        2        2
Hong Kong          3     0        3        0


COPYRIGHT (c) 1996 by D.Shuttlenws@genie.com.

PERMISSION GIVEN to redistribute electronically in whole or in part.