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Korea tops in Uber Cup qualifiers

February 19, 2006 20:28 IST

Top seed South Korea blanked unseeded Chinese Taipei 3-0 to win the Uber Cup Asian Zone qualifiers in Jaipur on Sunday.

Chinese Taipei, who upset second seed Hong Kong 3-1 to storm into the final earlier in the day, failed to match the guile and prowess of the nimble-footed Koreans.

The finalists and semifinalists, Hong Kong and Singapore, reached the main draw of the Uber Cup slated to be held in Tokyo in May.

Chinese Taipei's task became tougher as their top player Cheng Shao Cheih, ranked 13th in world, was indisposed and could not play.

Her absence meant that they could not pose any serious resistance to Korea. Seo Yoon Yee, world number 11, took only half of an hour to beat Huang Chia Hsin 21-13, 21-13 to give a 1-0   lead to Korea.

In the second singles, World number 35 Korean Lee Yun Hwa comfortably pulled off 21-8, 21-14 win against Chiu Yi Ju in 27 minutes.

But the doubles pair of Lee Kyung Won and Ha Jung Eun were stretched in their 21-17, 29-27 win against Chen and Yu Chin.

Korean coach Jin said, "We know the final round in Tokyo is more important. Here we can enjoy without exerting much. But our task was made easier by the absence of their top-ranked player Cheng who did not play in the match."

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