New Zealand's Commonwealth Games badminton squad claimed two titles and made a third final when the West Australian International tournament wound up in Perth today.
Top seeds Dan Shirley and John Gordon won the men's doubles with a tough five set victory over the Japanese pairing of Shuichi Sakamoto and Shuichi
Nakao 5-7 7-2 7-3 4-7 7-5 to follow Rhona Robertson and Sara Runesten-Petersen's success in the final of the women's doubles.
The New Zealanders were assured of taking the women's doubles after Nicole Gordon and Tammy Jenkins also progressed from the semifinals last night.
The top-ranked duo came back from two sets to one down to triumph 7-4 7-8 4-7 7-0 7-5.
Shirley and Runsten-Petersen were unable to secure a third title when they bowed out 1-7 3-7 7-5 7-4 5-7 to Australians Travis Denney and Kate Wilson-Smith in the final of the mixed doubles.
In earlier action Geoff Bellingham exited the men's singles art the semifinals stage last night, losing to Yousuke Nakanishi of Japan in five sets 3-7 7-2 7-1 3-7 1-7.
Nicole Gordon was also eliminated in the semifinals of the women's singles, with Australia's Indonesian born No 1 Lenny Permana starting strongly to complete a 7-0 7-2 4-7 7-2 victory.
Gordon's sister Rebecca had an encouraging return to competitive play after a three-month lay-off with a rib injury taking Australian Kellie Lucas to five sets before succumbing in the quarters.
"She looked reasonable since it was her first game back," team manager Grant Stone said.
Coach Graeme Robson said squad was itching to get to China where they will have an intensive 10-day camp with members of the Chinese national team in Qingtao.
"The standard in Oceania tournaments hasn't been great this year so this was really just the calm before the storm," he said.
The team flew out shortly after the tournament ended for the camp organised by Li Feng, a New Zealand representative at the last Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, who is now on the Badminton New Zealand coaching staff.
The squad then head to Holland for five days where they will spar with the Dutch national side before heading to Manchester on July 23.
- NZPA
