Sunday, 23 August 2009
K.M. Boopathy
IF only this was the World Championships held in Hyderabad last week.
That could be the thought of the national shuttlers as the men's singles and men's doubles will feature all-Malaysia finals in the Macau Open today.
World No 1 Lee Chong Wei, who crashed out in the quarter-finals of the world meet in Hyderabad, was unruffled as he snatched a 21-18, 22-20 win over former Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia in the semi-final encounter which lasted 38 minutes.
Wong Choong Hann seems to have turned back the clock when he toppled a tired-looking Chen Jin of China, silver medallist in last week's World Championships, 21-13, 6-21, 21-11 in 40 minutes to set up a clash with Chong Wei.
Wong Choong Hann surprised Chen Jin.
Wong Choong Hann surprised Chen Jin.
It was revenge for Choong Hann who was given a thrashing by Chen Jin in the third round last week.
Men's doubles World No 2 Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, who fell in the semi-finals in Hyderabad, secured an easy 21-14, 21-16 win over Chai Biao-Zhang Nan of China. They will meet compatriots Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah in the final.
Tan Fook-Wan Wah, dumped in the first round in Hyderabad, defeated Indonesia's back-up pair Wifqi Windarto-Afiat Yuris Wirawan 21-13, 21-15.
National team manager Hau Kim Tho, in a telephone interview from Macau, said Chong Wei looked exhausted but the title should be in his bag today.
"Chong Wei should not have problems although the two weeks probably have taken a toll on him. Choong Hann will be boosted by the win but an upset doesn't look possible tomorrow (today)," said Kim Tho.
"Chen Jin really looked exhausted and it is good that Choong Hann took advantage. The good thing is that we have already confirmed both titles and the only surprise we can expect is in the men's doubles which can go either way."
Tan Fook-Wan Wah started the event by beating the United States' Tony Gunawan-Howard Bach who had sent the Malaysian pair packing in the World Championships.
They won the India Open but lost in the Thailand Open last month. Wan Wah is looking forward to taking the fight to Kien Keat-Boon Heong.
"This is our third final of the year and hopefully, we can go on to win the title. However, Kien Keat-Boon Heong are playing very well here and have secured their victories so far in straight games and it is going to be tough," said Wan Wah in a telephone interview from Macau.
"We played them in the final twice in 2007 where we won at the Asian Championships but lost in Macau. We will try to turn it around this time."
RESULTS -- (all S-Finals) Men's Singles: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Taufik Hidayat (Ina) 21-18, 22-20; Wong Choong Hann (Mas) bt Chen Jin (Chn) 21-13, 6-21, 21-11.
Doubles: Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) bt Chai Biao-Zhang Nan (Chn) 21-14, 21-16; Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah (Mas) bt Wifqi Windarto-Afiat Yuris Wirawan (Ina) 21-13, 21-15.
Women's Singles: Jiang Yanjiao (Chn) bt Wang Chen (HK) 21-9, 21-14; Wang Yihan (Chn) bt Juliane Schenk (Ger) 23-21, 21-7.
Doubles: Du Jing-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Zhang Dan-Zhang Zhibo (Chn) 21-10, 21-17; Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen (Chn) bt Gao Ling-Wei Yili (Chn) 21-13, 21-18.
Mixed Doubles: He Hanbin-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Mikkel Delbo Larsen-Mie Schjott Kristensen (Den) 21-14, 21-10; Hendra Gunawan-Vita Marissa (Ina) bt Chen Zhiben-Zhang Jinkang (Chn) 24-22, 17-21, 21-13.
Courtesy of New Straits Times
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