Shuttlers Deng, Riichi win New Zealand Open

Auckland, April 14 (IANS):

Japanese shuttler Riichi Takeshita and Deng Xuan of China won the men’s and women’s singles titles, respectively, at the New Zealand Open Grand Prix here Sunday.

Eleventh seed Takeshita beat Xue Song of China 21-16, 16-21, 21-17 in one hour and two minutes at the North Shore Events Centre. Among the women, Song’s third seeded compatriot Deng overcame unseeded Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in a marathon battle which lasted one hour and eight minutes. The Chinese emerged victorious 21-17, 18-21, 22-20.

In an all-Indonesian mixed doubles final, fifth seeds Praveen Jordan and Vita Marissa upset top seeds Riky Widianto and Puspita Richi Dili 21-18, 21-8 in 31 minutes.

The women’s doubles saw the longest match of the day lasting one hour and 13 minutes where unseeded Chinese pair Dongni Ou and Yuanting Tang upset top seeded Malaysians in three games. Ou-Tang beat Vivian Kah Mun Hoo and Khe Wei Woon 21-15, 11-21, 21-19.

In the last match of the day, top seeded Indonesian men’s doubles pair of Angga Pratama and Ryan Agung Saputra beat unseeded Chinese Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen 21-6, 22-20 in 27 minutes.