Winning start by Gopi Chand

BRUNEI, AUG. 8. India's Pullela Gopi Chand made a winning start to his campaign at the World Grand Prix badminton finals as he overcame initial resistance from Welshman Richard Vaughan before clinching a 1-7, 7-4, 7-0, 7-3 victory here on Wednesday.

Seeded fourth in this tournament and the favourite to make it to the semifinals from Group C, Gopi Chand started slowly, taking his time in adjusting to the stiff breeze while his powerful opponent took full advantage of the Indian's tentativeness. Vaughan, ranked 17th in the world to Gopi's 7, came out with a plan and he executed that superbly, as he forced the All England champion to lift the shuttle while the Welshman lay in wait for the kill from the backcourt.

With the Indian unable to get the correct length on his tosses, Vaughan had no difficulty in taking the opening game. In the second game though, Gopi Chand began much more strongly, even though he still had problems in getting the correct length and direction. But slowly, he began to settle down.

Despite trailing 2-4 in the second game, the Indian kept his composure and a beautiful cross-court dribble at that point changed the direction of the match. From that point on, Vaughan, who had till then been reading the Indian's usually deceptive net-play pretty well, began to step back a little, allowing Gopi Chand to take control at the net.

Suddenly the match turned and a powerful down-the-line smash gave Gopi Chand the second game 7-4. From 2-4 in the second game, to 3-0 in the fourth, the Indian played near flawless badminton as he reeled off 13 points in a row.

The Welshman struggled desperately to find an answer to the Indian's touch.

The biggest upset of the day was the capitulation by defending champion and top seed Peter Gade of Denmark, who lost to Indonesia's Budi Santoso 4-7, 6-8, 5-7.

Other results: Hendrawan (Ina) bt Anders Boesen (Den) 7- 1, 7-1, 7-1; Roslin Hashim (Mal) bt Luo Yigang (Chn) 7-1, 7-3, 7- 6. Ong Ewe Hock (Mal) bt Kenneth Jonassen (Den) 2-7, 7-2, 7-3, 7- 0; Marleve Mainaky (Ina) bt Ji Xinpeng (Chn) 7-2, 7-0, 5-7, 7-4;

Xia Xuanze (Chn) bt Wong Choon Hann (Mal) 8-6, 6-8, 8-6, 7-8, 8- 6; Chen Hong (Chn) bt Vladislav Druzchenko (Ukr) 7-5, 7-1, 8-6.

- PTI

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