World top Lin, Xie clinch titles at All-England Open
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-01-23 09:33

BIRMINGHAM, England - Lin Dan made it a romantic double when he regained the men's singles title on the same day that his girlfriend Xie Xingfang retained the women's singles at the All-England Open championships.

Number one seed Lin Dan of China smashes a return during his men's singles final match against South Korea's Lee Hyun-il at the All England Open Badminton Championships at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2006. Lin went on win the match 15-7, 15-7. [AP]

The world number one from China did that with another superbly impressive display, overcoming Korea's Lee Hyun-Il and a growing list of injuries which saw him finish the match with strapping to his left ankle and knee and both thighs.

Lin's 15-7, 15-7 win was all the more creditable for coming after he had saved a match point on Saturday in a gruelling 97-minute semi-final against Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei.

It also followed a 11-6, 4-11, 11-2 win earlier in the day by Xie over her compatriot Zhang Ning, which made up for the disappointment when Xie won the 2005 All-England title only for Lin to lose in the final.

"We made a promise before that tournament that if we both won we would go up the big wheel (in Birmingham's main street). We decided to go anyway, though I felt it was a pity. This time we can do the same thing again and it can be in the right mood."

Lin's win also ensured that China would equal its open era record of four of the five titles.

However that became a real possibility when Zhang Jun and Gao Ling saved five match points to regain the mixed doubles title in a 99-minute thriller which was both the longest and most exciting match of the tournament.

The fourth-seeded Chinese pair's 12-15, 17-14, 15-0 win over the third-seeded English pair of Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms repeated the result of the Olympic final in Athens two years ago but reversed the result of the last three meetings between the pairs.

It also surprisingly ended the title defence of Robertson and Emms, who had been unofficial favourites to triumph again before their home crowd and looked as though they would do so when they came from 10-13 down in the second game to lead 14-13.

China's Xie Xingfang celebrates after winning against China's Zhang Ning during the women's singles final match at the All England badminton championships in Birmingham, England January 22, 2006. [Reuters]

But the Chinese fought with great courage, especially when the crowd were booing Zhang for his dissent at a questionable line decision, and with increasing skill.

Gao's defence was superb, and Zhang's attack, though prone to occasional important lapses in the first two games, proved a revelation when it really mattered.

Lin was equally outstanding in the singles, for he had finished the previous day apparently suffering from several minor injuries.

But Lin down-played them.

"It's just that with all the tournaments going on my muscles have become strained and tired," he said, though there was one worrying moment at 8-5 in the second game when he landed so awkwardly he could not resume without several minutes treatment.

Lin won because he was the master of disguise with sudden, ambushing, brilliantly angled smashes and slices.

His girlfriend Xie also exhibited an exhilarating range of strokes in her win over Zhang, the world number one.

But this match, between two players who face each other do often, inevitably lacked the edge of the men's singles final.

"But it is still special to win it even if it is for the second time," Xie said.

"Though I still think Zhang Ning is the best player on the planet. She is much more consistent than I am and that is something I have to learn."