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| July 10, 2005 | Sunday | Jumadi-us-Sani 2, 1426 |
Holder meets world’s number one in final
KUALA LUMPUR, July 9: Defending champion Lee Chong Wei remained on course for a back-to-back Malaysian Open badminton tournament title after sending China’s Bao Chunlai packing in the men’s singles semifinals Saturday.
No 4 seed Lee bounced back from a first game deficit to carve a 11-15, 15-12 and 15-9 victory, which was also his third straight career win over No fifth seed Bao.
Standing between the 22-year old Lee and his second successive title in the four-star tournament is China’s World No 1 Lin Dan, who overcame a stiff challenge from 1998 winner Peter Gade from Denmark in the other semifinal clash.
Lin, a quarterfinalist in last year’s edition but aiming to lift his fourth title this year, took 74 minutes to dispose off Gade 9-15, 15-2, 15-5.
Boosted by a capacity crowd at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Lee found Bao’s deft strokes difficult to cope with in the first game but once he found his rhythm in the second game, there was simply no stopping the Malaysian.
The turning point in the second game occurred when Lee, who upset Olympic Games gold medallist Taufik Hidayat in the quarterfinals Friday, bounced back after a 5-0 deficit to win 15-12.
The deciding game ended with a smash directed at southpaw Bao’s forehand, earning Lee a date with Lin in the final Sunday.
Having stretched Lin to three games in their only meeting so far at the Thomas Cup qualifiers last year, the Penang-born shuttler is optimistic of ending the campaign on a high note before taking on the world’s best in the World Championships in Anaheim, United States, August 15-21.
After all, Lee is attempting to join a select band of shuttlers.
Lin, 20, is also eyeing the championship in his bid to become only the sixth Chinese ace to bag the prestigious title, in the footsteps of Zhao Jianhua (1986), Yang Yang (1987), Guobao Luo Yigang (1999) and Chen Hong (2003).
In the women’s singles, No 2 seed Zhang Ning from China will meet her unseeded compatriot Zhu Lin in the final. Zhang defeated Holland’s Yao Jie 11-3, 11-5 while Zhu beat Li Li from Singapore 11-3, 11-3.
Results:
Men’s singles (semifinals): Lee Chong Wei (MAS) bt Bao Chunlai (CHN) 11-15, 15-12, 15-9; Lin Dan (CHN) bt Peter Gade (DEN) 9-15, 15-2, 15-5
Women’s singles (semifinals): Zhang Ning (CHN) bt Yao Jie (NED) 11-3, 11-5; Zhu Lin (CHN) bt Li Li (SIN) 11-3, 11-3
Mixed doubles (semifinals): Chen Qiqiu and Zhao Tingting (CHN) bt Nathan Robertson and Gail Emms (ENG) 15-8, 15-13; Lee Jae Jin and Lee Hyo Jung (KOR) bt Robert Blair and Natalie Munt (ENG) 8-15, 15-9, 15-6
Women’s doubles (quarterfinals): Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen (CHN) bt Wong Pei Tty and Chin Ee Hui (MAS x7) 15-11, 15-2; Wei Yili and Zhao Tingting (CHN) bt Ella Tripp and Joanne Wright (ENG) 15-9, 15-5; Gao Ling and Huang Sui (CHN) bt Saralee Thungthongkam and Sathinee Chankrachangwong (THA) 15-12, 15-5; Zhang Dan and Zhang Yawen (CHN) bt Gail Emms and Donna Kellogg (ENG) 15-2, 15-4
Men’s doubles (quarterfinals): Luluk Hadiyanto and Yulianto Alven (INA) bt Chan Chong Ming and Koo Kien Keat (MAS) 17-16, 15-7; Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto (INA) bt Yoo Yeon-seong and JeonJun-bum (KOR) 15-4, 15-11; Fu Haifeng and Cai Yun (CHN) bt Thomas Laybourn and Peter Steffensen (DEN) 15-6, 15-6; Sang Yang and Xie Zhongbo (CHN) bt Tan Bin Shen and Ong Soon Hock (MAS)17-16, 9-15, 15-12.—Agencies
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