World number four Wang Chen gave next week's Hong Kong Open a timely boost by returning from Jakarta crowned as the SAR's first-ever Asian champion. Wang defeated surprise finalist Silvi Antarini of Indonesia. 'It's the best result Hong Kong have ever had. I'm very proud,' said the 27-year-old. 'It's the Asian Championships and it's very important.'
Wang comfortably defeated the 19-year-old 11-6, 11-5 to lift the women's singles title and complete Hong Kong's most successful Asian Championships. 'It's good for her and it's good for Hong Kong. I hope this success can let her be more confident in the future and especially in the Hong Kong Open,' said head coach Chan Chi-choi, whose team also brought home four bronze medals from Indonesia.
Agu Hariyanto and Ng Wei both claimed medals after reaching the semi-finals of the men's singles, which was won by Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro. Liu Kwok-wa and Alberto Njoto Susanto did likewise in the men's doubles, with Liu winning a second alongside Louisa Koon Wai-chee in the mixed.
'The four bronze medals were a big surprise, especially in the men's singles. Even though the best Chinese weren't there, Indonesia still had a full team and South Korea were at 95 per cent of their full strength,' said Chan.
The successes in Jakarta, the latest in a string of best-ever performances by the Hong Kong team over the past two years, sets up perfectly next week's Hong Kong Open which has been transformed from a tournament backwater into a US$250,000 event that rivals the China Open in importance, thanks to the backing of the Relaunch Hong Kong project.
'It is history for Hong Kong - our first six-star event,' said Tong Wai-lun, vice-president of the Hong Kong Badminton Association. 'A lot of teams have changed their schedules for this.