Fu ends the jinx by Low Lin Fhoong 04:46 AM Aug 29, 2011 SINGAPORE - Shuttler Fu Mingtian ended her four-year title drought yesterday at the US$50,000 (S$60,150) Vietnam Grand Prix Open 2011 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Japan's Kaori Imabeppu in the women's singles final in Ho Chi Minh City. Ranked 41st in the world, the 21-year-old Singaporean stormed to a 21-18 lead in the first game before her Japanese opponent (No 49) rallied to clinch the second 21-16. But Fu, who last won an international singles title at the 2007 Ballarat International & Australian Junior Championships, steadied her nerves in the rubber to post a 21-8 victory. In a telephone interview last night, Fu said: "It was not an easy match to win, but I feel I played really well today. I'm very happy to win a title for the first time after a long while, and it will give me confidence in the lead-up to the SEA Games in November." But team-mates Yao Lei and Shinta Mulia Sari were not as lucky in their bid for the women's doubles title, as the second-seeds were routed 2-0 (23-21, 26-24) by Indonesians Anneke Feinya Agustin and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari, the fifth seeds. The Singapore men's doubles pair of Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Chayut Triyachart also lost their final, going down 21-12, 16-21, 21-19 in 45 minutes to the Indonesian duo of Angga Pratama and Ryan Agung Saputra. Fu climbs to next level The Straits Times August 29 2011 Singapore shuttler wins first women's singles title on the Grand Prix stage By Lin Xinyi Singapore shuttler Fu Mingtian claimed the biggest victory of her career at the Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Grand Prix Open yesterday. The world No.41 defeated Japan's Kaori Imabeppu 21-18, 16-21, 21-8 to win her first women's singles title at the Grand Prix level. "The last time I won a title was long time ago," said fu, who had won a couple of international series events - a tier lower than Grand Prix events - in 2007. "This feels special. It's a small break through for me." The US$50,000 (S$60,150) Vietnam Open might be a third-tier event on the Badminton World Federation (BWF) calendar, behind the Super Series and BWF events like the Olympics and World Championships. But it attracted a 48-strong field, including Japan's Sayaka Sato (N0.17) and Ai Goto (No.24) and Chinese Taipei's Tzu Ying-Tai (No.19). "Mingtian was not even expected to get through to the quarter-finals, so for her to win it is beyond our expectations," said Singapore Badminton Association chief executive Bobby Lee in a telephone interview from Ho Chih Minh City. The player, who was unseeded, also admitted that she had not expected to go deep into the tournament. But, once she made the final, she found the self-belief to go all the way. Despite a blip in the second game, Fu - a cousin of China's former Olympic and world diving champion Fu Mingxia - stormed back to defeat her opponent, who is ranked eight places below her. "Towards the end of the second game, I started to rush things because I was so eager to win," said the 21-year-old Hubei native, who came to Singapore in 2004 under the Foreign Talent Scheme. "I was more steady in the third game and managed to get into a good lead. That helped me to loosen up and go for my shots." [TABLE] [TR] [TD][TABLE] [TR] [TD][TABLE] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel"]Profile Gender : Female (now 21) [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel, colspan: 2"][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel"]BirthDate:27/06/1990 Height( m /in):1.65/5'4'' Weight ( Kg /lbs):55/121 Formerly from Hubei, China Foreign Talent scouted and came to Singapore in 2004 [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel, colspan: 2"][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel"][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel, colspan: 2"][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel"]Interests : [/TD] [TD]I like surfing the internet, shopping and watching movies with friends [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel, colspan: 2"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD="width: 365"][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel, colspan: 2"][TABLE] [TR] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: athlabel, colspan: 2"][TABLE] [TR] [TD]"I was looking for a sport to keep fit and healthy. Badminton fit the bill and I have been playing it since 1997." [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
Fu Mingtian down higher-ranked opponent Larisa Griga Published on Aug 8, 2011 By May Chen SINGAPORE'S shuttler Fu Mingtian needed just 30 minutes to down her higher-ranked opponent Larisa Griga of Ukraine on Monday in the opening round of the World Championships. The world No. 48 defeated Griga (No. 29) 21-10, 21-10 at the Wembley Arena Indoor Stadium, the same venue that will host the London Olympics next year. Fu, 21, will play world No. 4 Jiang Yanjiao of China on Tuesday. Meanwhile, mixed doubles pair of Chayut Triyachart and Yao Lei came back from a game down to take their opening match against Switzerland's Anthony Dumartheray and Sabrina Jaquet 17-21, 21-12, 21-6. They play Thailand's world No. 2 pair of Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam next.
Oh no, not the first pic! I think that must be a Japanese player. The second pic is the real Fu when she was around maybe 16?
No problem, but you should see Fu in person! She is strikingly fair and beautiful! That's why our young man asks for more pics of her.
Fu Mingtian in Singapore Open 2011 I managed to locate some pics of Fu from my own album when she played Wang ShiXian in R1 of the Singapore Open this year. As expected Fu lost to the World No.1 (?)
I must say I was rather disappointed with that naughty word. It is uncalled for and I hope our young reporter will strive to learn and use a more reasonable description.
Hahaha, you're asking for trouble for you have the mad and bad competitor as your fierce rival. But as they say "beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
I don't think this reporter really understood the term he/she had used. But of more concern is why the editor(s) didn't pick up on this? The reporting in The Star is particularly annoying. If you read their articles enough, you'll see them recycle a few phrases and terms like they're going out of fashion. Lazy, sloppy journalism. Can I even call it journalism?
Agree with you, what "routed"? Such a close match that could go either way with both games into many deuces. Maybe the journalist knows nothing about badminton and simply, carelessly and lazily, used a standard phrase.
Haha, this reporter will be in a bit of white wash if her editor discovered the gross injustice did to Shinta and Yao. And if she's not careful she may be demoted.
Vietnam Open - Mixed day for Singapore star BWF website: http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=52475 Friday, August 26, 2011 - Semi-Finals Fu Mingtian went through a rollercoaster of emotions on quarter-finals day at the US$50,000 Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Open Grand Prix at Phan Dinh Phung Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday. The Singaporean was on top of the world after reaching the women’s singles semi-final, but was then brought down to earth with a bump when she and partner Xing Aiying were shown the door in the women’s doubles. The unseeded Fu Mingtian had to work hard against unheralded Indian Aditi Mutatkar before booking her place in the last four. After going down 21-18 in the first game, the Singaporean shuttler upped the tempo to take the next two games 21-14, 21-17 to end the match in 64 minutes. She will now face South Korean Hwang Hye Young for a place in Sunday’s final. Hye Young reached the semi-finals after taking out Japan’s Ayumi Mine 21-14, 15-21, 21-15. The other semi-final will see US Open champion Tai Tzu Ying of Taipei taking on Japan’s Kaori Imabeppu after they both defeated Indian opponents in the last eight. The third seeded Tzu Ying, the sole seeded player in the women’s singles quarter-finals, was forced to fight tooth and nail before overcoming P.V. Sindhu 11-21, 21-11, 21-19. It was the third consecutive match that Tzu Ying was stretched into a rubber game. Japan's Kaori Imabeppu was also taken to the limit by Arundhati Pantawane before prevailing 18-21, 21-13, 21-12. Meanwhile, the women’s doubles will see semi-finalists from four different nations in the fray. South Korea’s Choi A Reum-Yoo Hyun Young were the pair responsible for Fu Mingtian-Xing Aiying’s defeat, taking out the Singaporeans 21-10, 21-12 and will meet second seeded Singaporeans Yao Lei-Shinta Mulia Sari. Yao Lei-Shinta reached the final four when they defeated Taipei’s Chou Chia Chi-Yang Chia Chen 21-19, 9-21, 21-19. The other semi-final is between Indonesia’s Anneke Feinya Agustin-Nitya Krishinda Maheswari and Taipei’s Chiang Kai Hsin-Tsai Pei Ling. Tired Tzu Ying crashes out http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=52499 Saturday, August 27, 2011 Third seed Tai Tzu Ying of Taipei was knocked out of the US$50,000 Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Open Grand Prix at Phan Dinh Phung Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday. The 17-year-old third seed, who was forced the distance in her three earlier matches in the tournament, simply ran out of steam against an inspired Kaori Imabeppu, who only took 40 minutes to carve out an emphatic 21-15, 21-18 victory. It was sweet revenge for Imabeppu, who was lost her only other encounter with Tzu Ying earlier this year at the Wilson Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold. The unseeded Japanese shuttler will meet Singapore’s Fu Mingtian in Sunday’s final after the latter ousted South Korea’s Hwang Hye Youn in the other semi-final. Fu Mingtian, like Imabeppu, had lost her only other match to Hye Youn, but that took place three years ago at the Aviva Singapore Open. On Saturday, the Singaporean turned on the style to register a 21-19, 21-15 victory in 38 minutes to reach her first Grand Prix final of the year. BWF Website http://www.bwfbadminton.org/news_item.aspx?id=52530 Sunday, August 28, 2011 - Finals Meanwhile, Indonesia went home with two titles while Singapore, who had a chance to win three, ended with just one. In the women’s singles, Fu Mingtian gave Singapore their lone gold medal when she outplayed Japan’s Kaori Imabeppu in three games. She took the first game 21-18 but Imabeppu then turned the tables on her opponent to take the second 21-16. However, she ran out of steam in the decider and lost 21-8 to end the 67-minute contest. Singapore’s luck ran out in the doubles competition, however, when Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Chayut Triyachart and Shinta Mulia Sari-Yao Lei lost the men’s and women’s doubles finals respectively. The second seeded Shinta-Yao Lei suffered a surprise loss to fifth seeds Anneka Feinya Agustin-Nitya Krishinda Maheswari of Indonesia who scored a 23-21, 26-24 victory. The unseeded Danny-Chayut, meanwhile, nearly pulled off an upset when they took fifth seeds Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra the distance before losing 21-12, 16-21, 21-19. BadmintonPhoto (Archives)
Cheer ! Cheer! Hope its a start to greater achievements....... then next tournament (tis morning taiwan GP), 1st round exit :crying: