STUER-LAURIDSEN FINALLY A CHAMPION AGAIN
by Mike Grossman (from a report filed by YANG YANG Badminton Equipment)

October 20, 1996 (New Shuttlenws) - Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen of Denmark has finally won a major badminton tournament title again after suffering a severe ankle injury in May, 1995.

In today's men's singles finals of the Danish Open at Middlefart, Stuer defeated Ong Ewe Hock of Malaysia 6-15, 15-7 and 15-12.

The match started out badly for the tall Danish player as Ong used his quickness and leaping smashes to outpoint Stuer-Lauridsen.

The Dane managed to equalize the match in the second as Ong seemed to tire and as Stuer used his height and reach to good advantage.

In the decider, the two played even early on but Stuer soon gained control of the match with fine touch shots and steeply angled overheads.

The victory ends many frustrating months for Stuer-Lauridsen who was well on his way to a world championship title last year in Switzerland when he landed badly after a jumpsmash during the semifinals and severely injured an ankle.

In women's singles, the rising Chinese star Gong Zhichao took the Danish Open title with a finals victory over Marina Andrievskaya of Sweden.

The Russian-Swedish player was in the match in the first game as she battled Gong for every point, only to lose 11-12 in setting or overtime.

The second game belonged to the Chinese player as she romped to an 11-4 win over the tired and demoralized Swede.

In the men's doubles finals, the up-and-coming Danish pair of Thomas Stavngaard and Jim Laugesen followed their upset win yesterday over top-seeds Thomas Lund and Jon Holst-Christensen with a second straight upset victory. Stavngaard and Laugesen beat the second-seeded pair of Chris Hunt and Simon Archer of England 17-15, 10-15 and 15-7 to capture the Danish Open championship.

In women's doubles, top-seeded Helene Kirkegaard and Rikke Olsen of Denmark claimed top honours when they demolished Julie Bradbury and Joanne Goode of England 15-6 and 15-2 in the finals.