Badminton: Strong NZ performances in Greece

New Zealand badminton players performed strongly in the just-finished US$50,000 ($73,164) Greece Open, registering final and semifinal spots.

The mixed doubles pair of Dan Shirley and Sara Runesten Petersen lost to a German duo 11-15, 16-17 in their final and Runesten Petersen backed that up when she teamed with Nicole Gordon to make the women's doubles final, going down 6-15, 5-15 to another German pair.

Shirley and John Gordon reached the men's doubles semifinals, losing to an English pair 7-15, 11-15.

The New Zealanders now travel to Germany for next week's Bitburger Open where the players will chase ranking points to qualify for next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.


- NZPA