Fook90 said:
Kendrick Lee's lucky man ! He experienced such luck at the Singapore Satellite too. But the US Open and Singapore Satellite are just A-grade tournaments. And he didnt claim full credit for his US Open win. I really wonder how tomorrow's paper will report about him.
With due respect and in all fairness, I don't think one should classify both of Kendrick's win as 'lucky'. Despite having to serve National (military) Service, this young man of 19 going on 20, has put in a lot of hard training with the rest of the national team and his mentor and sparring partner, Ronald Susilo.
At the Satellite, he beat Kuan Beng Hong in straight games. Kuan is no newcomer having earned his place as Malaysia's Thomas Cup 3rd Singles reserve after Lee Chong Wei. Remember Kuan beat compatriot Yeoh Kay Bin, who was top seed. Although Peter Rasmussen is a much higher ranked player and former World Champ, his is already 30 and the first game may have proven too much for him to cause an injury. Even if he succeeded in taking the first game despite Kendrick's strong recovery from 1-12 down as reported, it doesn't necessarily mean he will win comfortably in straight games. We have seen many a time how another great Dane, Peter Gade, lost when extended to the rubber by a younger player such as Lin Dan or Taufik. So Kendrick deserved his win.
Yes, we celebrate Singapore's singles double and sports journalist, Marc Lim of the Straits Times took the opportunity to report it today as follows:
SEPT 27, 2004
BADMINTON
Singapore's singles double
Teens Kendrick and Aiying win men's and women's titles at US Open
By
Marc Lim
THEY are teenagers considered second-rung compared to Singapore's top badminton players Ronald Susilo and Li Li.
But yesterday, Kendrick Lee, 19, and Xing Aiying, 15, showed there is more to Singapore badminton than their more illustrious team-mates.
The pair clinched the men's and women's singles titles at the US$30,000 (S$50,000) US Open in California to join Susilo, winner of April's five-star Japan Open, as Singapore's only Grand Prix champion.
Although the US Open is a one-star event - the lowest ranked on the circuit and usually without the top names - they had to overcome higher-ranked finalists in Denmark's ex-world champion Peter Rasmussen and American Zhou Lili.
And it was evident from telephone interviews hours later that, one-star or not, nothing was going to take away the gloss from their wins - although they celebrated in contrasting styles.
For 2002 World Junior runner-up Lee, it completed his transition from satellite tournaments to the Grand Prix circuit.
And the first people he shared his happiness with were his parents.
Said Lee, who was declared winner after Rasmussen retired with an injured ankle despite leading 12-7 in the first game: 'They are the ones who have been encouraging me all along, supported my decision to quit my studies.
'Hearing them say 'well done' means a lot to me.'
His success is extra special - as Susilo is Indonesian-born, Lee becomes the first Singapore-born winner on the international circuit.
Ranked 46th in the world, the former Singapore Polytechnic student scalped All-England quarter-finalist Aamir Ghaffar en route to a US$2,400 showdown with 1997 world champion Rasmussen.
Lee had never faced the 30-year-old Dane and sought advice from Susilo, his team-mate turned part-time coach.
Susilo's tip was to employ a quick game and move the ageing Dane about. And it was such a rally, with Lee trailing 6-12, that turned the match.
Said Lee: 'I forced him back and won the point at the net and that was when he stopped. He said that he heard a 'click' from his ankle and could not continue.'
Asked if he could have won if Rasmussen had stayed fit, the Singapore and Thailand satellite winner said: 'Possibly, because I was fighting back. But I'll take it.'
Like Lee, Xing also wanted to share her joy with her parents in China's Jiangsu province. But the Singapore permanent resident could not.
She explained: 'I had used up the credits on my calling card the previous night when I spoke to my parents.
'Before I hung up, my dad said that, since it was my last day, there was no point buying a new one. So, I guess the good news will have to wait until I borrow someone's card.'
Having never progressed past the second round on the circuit, her 9-11, 11-6, 11-2 win over Zhou came as a surprise.
And the inexperience of playing in a final cost her the first game.
Although up 9-5, her anxiety and eagerness saw her hand the American the opener.
But, with coach You Guangli's advice to use her better fitness and move her opponent around, she fought back to take the winner's cheque of US$2,070.
Yet, as she and the Singapore team head for the Denmark Open today, she will have one regret.
She said: 'The badminton hall is near Disneyland and I keep seeing this giant Mickey Mouse every time we drive past.
'It's a pity I can't go, but I'd rather win the tournament than go to Disneyland.
'Maybe with the prize money, I will settle for a soft toy.'