BITBURGER OPEN 2013 Finals – Of repeats and firsts

The Bitburger Open provided a lot of firsts for some very happy players this past Sunday in Saarbrucken.  In particular, Germany’s Michael Fuchs / Birgit Michels (pictured above left) were elated to win their first major title on home soil when they beat England’s Chris Adcock / Gabrielle White.

Photos: Sven Heise (live)

Just as excited were Denmark’s Mads Conrad-Petersen / Mads Pieler Kolding (pictured above right) and Eefje Muskens / Selena Piek (pictured below) of the Netherlands, who both took their first ever Grand Prix titles at the Gold level.

The Dutch pair did one better than their last outing in a Grand Prix final, when they finished as the runners-up in the Canada Open.  The women’s singles champion on that occasion, Nitchaon Jindapon of Thailand did one better this time, adding a Grand Prix Gold to that Grand Prix victory.  She beat Bulgaria’s Linda Zetchiri (pictured above with the winner), who was playing in her first Grand Prix final in just over five years.

While the mixed doubles champions Fuchs/Michels were repeating their victory from their last Grand Prix Gold tournament, in London, men’s singles champion Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei had seen his last major success at none other than this very tournament last autumn.  Once again, he denied home favourite Marc Zwiebler in the final.

Final results
WD: Eefje Muskens / Selena Piek (NED) beat Ng Hui Ern / Ng Hui Lin (MAS) [4]  22-20, 21-15
MS: Chou Tien Chen (TPE) [4] beat Marc Zwiebler (GER) [1] 13-21, 21-18, 21-15
XD: Michael Fuchs / Birgit Michels (GER) [1] beat Chris Adcock / Gabrielle White (ENG) [2]  21-19, 21-15
MD: Mads Conrad-Petersen / Mads Pieler Kolding (DEN) beat Kim Astrup Sorensen / Anders Skaarup Rasmussen (DEN)  21-11, 21-16
WS: Nichaon Jindapon (THA) [1] beat Linda Zetchiri (BUL) [5]  21-13, 21-13

Click here for complete, detailed results