[originaltext] A week ago few would have predicted that India’s Pullela Gopic

A week ago few would have predicted that India’s Pullela Gopichand would be the mall to win what was probably badminton’s hottest ever singles tournament.
   All 16 of the world’s top ranked players battled for the All England Championship. They included the three medal winners from the Sydney Olympics and current No. 1 Peter Gade of Denmark.
   But it was the quiet thoughtful 27-year-old from Bangd-lore who lifted the trophy on March 11 after beating Ching’s Chen Hong 15 -12, 15 -6 in the final.
   It was the first Indian victory in the men’s singles tournament since Prakash Padukone, now Gopichand’s national coach, won the title in 1980.
   Copichand, a typical Asian mixture of power and touch, played consistently at the top of his game. He disposed both Gade and Olympic champion Ji Xinpeng of China along the way.
   Sunday’s loser Chen can look back with satisfaction on an event in which compatriot Ji and Xia Xuanze, the defending champion, both were disappointed.
   But generally, China had good championships.
   The women’s single’s title went to Olympic Champion Gong Zhichao. She defended her All England crown with a comfortable 11-7, 11-3 success over compatriot Zhou Mi. Then Gao Ling teamed up with Huang Sui to win the women’s doubles after earlier lifting the mixed doubles title with Zhang Jun.
   The mixed doubles victory was agony for the top seeded Danish pair of Michael Sogaard and Rikke Olsen, who failed to convert two match points and lost 13 - 13, 15 - 12, 17 - 14.