General

Adcock and Bankier stun world champions
Date: 1/5/2012 9:46 AM
Published by : Manuel Røsler
Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier got their New Year campaign off to a flying start in Seoul today when they defeated world champions Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei in the first round of the mixed doubles at the Victor Korea Open. Rajiv Ouseph was also celebrating after defeating world and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat, toppling the Indonesian 21-19 21-15.

England's Adcock and Scotland's Bankier, who are No. 16 in the world, won  21-19 21-16 after turning a 13-3 second-game deficit into the 14-13 lead. The Chinese pair, who defeated Adcock and Bankier in the final of the Yonex BWF World Championships at Wembley in August, edged back in front at  16-15 before Adcock and Bankier reeled off six points in a row to take victory in 39 minutes.

The victory, their first in four meetings with Zhang and Zhao, will give Adcock and Bankier a big boost in their bid for Olympic qualification but in tomorrow's second round they must face another Chinese pair, He Hanbin and Bao Yixin.

Ouseph produced England's second win of day two at this opening OSIM BWF World Superseries Premier event of Olympic year when he dominated the first game against Taufik and took control of the match from 9-9 in the second to win on his first match point. It gave Ouseph his first victory over Taufik in three meetings after two straight-game defeats.

Taufik had recently ended his title drought with a Christmas Day win at the Yonex-Sunrise Syed Modi Memorial India Open but Ouseph was too strong today for the world No.12. In the second round Ouseph, who is up to No 24 in the world, will meet another Indonesian, eighth seed Simon Santoso.

Click here to follow the results of the Victor Korea Open 2012.

Story by William Kings, Photo by BadmintonPhoto
©badmintoneurope.com. All rights reserved.

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