Gade eases past Jonasson to lift Singapore title

SINGAPORE, June 11 (Reuters) An inspired Peter Gade roared to victory in the Lion City today, winning the Singapore Open at a canter over fellow Dane Kenneth Jonasson.

The world number three was irresistible at the city state's Indoor Stadium, charging home 21-10 21-14 in only 35 minutes.

Jonasson had no answer to Gade's ruthless tactics as the top seed repeatedly drew his opponent to the net with a series of short flicks before slamming the shuttlecock straight at his head.

The five-star Singapore tournament had been a happy hunting ground for Gade in the past, but he had never before managed to win the title.

He can now add the 2006 title to his 1999 runner's-up finish.

In the women's singles, Chinese-born Frenchwoman Pi Hongyan twice came from behind to overhaul Dutch top seed Mia Audina Tjiptawan 22-20 22-20.

Both shuttlers took to the court with their knees heavily strapped, but world number five Pi was the more nimble and athletic throughout the 45-minute contest.

Audina, an Olympic silver medallist in 1996 for Indonesia before switching nationality, stretched into an early lead in both games before seeming to run out of energy each time.

Panting heavily at the end of long points, the world number six allowed Pi back into the contest.

Willowy 27-year-old Pi took full advantage, mixing feather-light drop shots with whipped smashes to triumph.

England's Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms blew three match-points in a scintillating mixed doubles final as they went down to world number two pairing Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir of Indonesia.

The English pair -- silver-medallists at the Athens Olympics in 2004 -- saved a match-point in the second game and held three of their own in the third, before relinquishing their grip and the Indonesians won 21-16 20-22 23-21 after 67 minutes of see-saw action.

Indonesia also mopped up the men's doubles, Flandy Limpele and Sigit Budiarto beating Danes Thomas Laybourn and Lars Paaske 21-8 21-16.

China took full honours in the women's doubles, Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen beating compatriots Zhang Dan and Zhao Tingting 21-18 21-18.

REUTERS PDS BST1540