BATAM (Indonesia), Aug 30: China’s Chen Hong and Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia will meet on Sunday in the final of the Indonesia Open, exactly one year after the young Indonesian beat Chen in straight games for the title.

It might be a different story at this year’s final at Abdul Jamal Stadium, though, as Chen looks stronger than ever.

But the odds will not be in his favour when he enters centre court as hometown hero Hidayat has the support of the public, hoping to see the him keep his title.

But with what Chen showed on court during the semi-final Saturday, edging out Korea’s Lee Hyun Il, the world number one can be quite confident.

Chen left little chance for Lee to take the attack and played a clever game by not killing the shuttle first and working his way towards each point to avoid Lee’s dangerous defences for a 15-6, 15-5 victory.

Hidayat felt he wasn’t as strong as the previous day, despite his relatively easy 15-8, 15-5 win over China’s Wu Yunyong.

Wu said he felt that he was not quick enough for Hidayat, saying, “He just played faster than me and I couldn’t follow the pace. I think Taufik is faster than Chen Hong, but I don’t know who will win tomorrow.”

Chen and Hidayat have met four times since 1998 and the Indonesian was the winner of each match, the last being the final of the Indonesia Open 2002 in Surabaya.

In the lady’s single event, Wang Chen of Hong Kong recorded a surprise win over former world number one Zhou Mi of China Saturday, taking six match points to wrap it up 11-7, 11-9.

She will take on Xie Xingfang of China, who also broke the winning streak of one of China’s other top players, Gong Ruina, in three games scored 11-9, 8-11, 11-8.

The final of the mixed double event will be a rematch of the world championships final between Zhang Jun and Gao Ling of China and the Korean pair Kim Dong Moon and Ra Kyung Min.

China will take the title in the lady’s double no matter what the outcome, with Gao Ling playing her second final of the day with Huang Sui against compatriots Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen.

In the men’s doubles, local heroes Candra Wijaya and Halim Haryanto bowed to Thailand’s aces Pramote Teerawiwatana and Tesana Panvisvas 15-7, 9-15, 8-15 Saturday.

Zheng Bo and Sang Yang of China could make it a clean sweep for China as they qualified for the final by beating Malaysia’s Lee Wan Wah and Choong Tan Fook in just two games scored 15-9, 15-5.

Semisfinals results:

Men’s singles (semifinals):

Chen Hong (CHN x1) bt Lee Hyun Il (KOR x9): 15-6, 15-5; Taufik Hidayat (INA x5) bt Wu Yunyong (CHN): 15-8, 15-5

Women’s singles (semifinals):

Wang Chen (HKG x4) bt Zhou Mi (CHN x5): 11-7, 11-9; Xie Xingfang (CHN x6) bt Gong Ruina (CHN x2): 11-9, 8-11, 11-8.—AFP