Permadi Finds His Focus, Wins Open Championship

Bruce Flockhart of Scotland opened his men’s singles final at the U.S. Open Badminton Championship Saturday at the Orange County Badminton Club against Fung Permadi of Taiwan flying, literally.

In the opening rally, Flockhart, who is ranked No. 32 in the world, leaped into the air from the baseline for a smash that Permadi, who was still tired from a 1 1/2-hour match the previous evening, could not handle.

But Flockhart’s momentum did not last long, as Permadi used consistent play to win the title, 15-8, 15-5, and $2,275.

“I was very tired today and came out slow,” said Permadi, the 20th ranked player in the world. “Later on I had to pay more attention and focus.”

In the second game, Flockhart won the first point, but Permadi built an early 9-1 lead, and won the match when Flockhart plunked an attempted drop shot into the net.

In the women’s singles final, Ye Ping Tang, who won the U.S. National women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles championships in March, lost the first game of her match against Jo Muggeridge of England, but bounced back to take the next two games and the championship, 7-11, 11-4, 11-3. Muggeridge opened the match scurrying from sideline to sideline, tracking down the shuttlecock and returning deceptive shots, which caught Tang out of position. However, Muggeridge ran out of energy in the second game, falling into a 5-0 hole. With a 10-4 advantage, Tang hit a drop serve, which Muggeridge barely waved at, giving the game to Tang.

“I was pretty tired,” Muggeridge said. “Next year I’ll come back in shape.”

Tang opened the final game with seven unanswered points, before watching Muggeridge’s shot hit the net to give Tang the championship, 11-3. “I came out too slow,” Tang said. “I beat her when we played before [at another tournament], so I just came out fast [in the second game].”

Elinor Middlemiss and Kirsteen McEwan of Scotland defeated Robbyn Hermitage and Milaine Cloutier of Canada in the women’s doubles final, 7-15, 15-5, 15-7.

In men’s doubles, the team of Shin-Jeng Horng and Wei-Jen Lee of Taiwan smashed their way to victory over Iain Sydie and Darryl Yung of Canada, 12-15, 15-12, 15-6.

Ending the day was the mixed doubles final featuring champions from earlier in the day as the married couple of Kenny and Elinor Middlemiss defeated Andy Chong and Tang, 10-15, 15-5, 15-8.