Top seeds upset in international badminton

Top seeded players, Japan’s Sho Sasaki (No 1) and German Conrad Huickstadt (No 2) among the male and Finland’s Anu Weckstrom (No1) and Canada’s Charmaine Reid (No2) among the female were knocked out the keenly-contested semi-finals of the Caribbean Regional Badminton Confederation (CAREBACO) International championships at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo yesterday. It was the biggest turn around of fortunes at the most exciting and high calibre badminton competition ever staged in the country. The premier annual Caribbean tournament attracted world-ranked players from 20 countries. The world-ranked number 29 Sasaki was highly favoured to win his second major title in the Caribbean after he won the Cuba Giraldilla International on May 1 and followed up with the gold medal at the Noumea New Caledonia International twenty-two days later. And his lesser-ranked compatriot Tooru Matsumoto (No 63), who defeated Trinidad and Tobago’s three-time champion Anil Seepaul earlier in this tournament, created the first major upset by whipping southpaw Sasaki 15-7, 5-15 and 15-8.

Matsumoto will clash with another Japanese warrior in Yuichi Ikeda (No 70) who outlasted Germany’s Huickstadt (No 46) in another thrilling three-setter at 15-5, 8-15, 15-12. It was similar story and upsets among the top female racquet wielders. Japanese Miyo Akao (world ranked No 105), who defeated TT’s runner-up Zeudi Mack (11-0, 11-8), pulled up the biggest shock when she smashed out top seeded player Weckstrom (No 22) by a 11-8, 11-6 margin. Canada’s Jody Patrick (No 89) made light work of her compatriot Charmaine Reid (No 27) and advanced to today’s final with an 11-9, 11-1 victory. The International finals will start at 2 pm at the same venue while the regional top juniors will face off from 10 am.