Lin Dan suffers another injury

The dream final everyone was expecting at the Yonex Open Japan failed to materialise when world, Olympic and Asian Games champion Lin Dan pulled out of another semi-final due to an injury.

The Chinese superstar said the skin on his left foot came off after a tough match against Chen Jin in Friday’s quarter-finals and he had no choice but to give a walkover to teammate Chen Long.
The fourth seed will now meet top seed and defending champion Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, who beat Denmark’s Peter Gade (right), in the other semi-final.
“I was disappointed that I could not continue playing, but we have more tournaments for the race for the London Olympics, so I don’t want to take a risk now,” Lin Dan, champion here in 2004 and 2005, told AFP.
“This is not the only event that counts towards the Olympics. The race continues until May next year. I'm going to play solidly in each tournament. I promise that I will come back next year in better form.”
While Chen Long had a free ride into the eighth OSIM BWF World Superseries tournament of the year, Chong Wei was in brilliant form against Gade, who received a warm sent off from the crowd in his final appearance in this tournament.
Chong Wei set the tone for the match by winning the first 10 points in the opening game before finally sealing a 21-13, 21-16 victory.
The world No. 1, who beat Lin Dan in last year’s final, said he was disappointed not to be playing his arch rival Lin Dan in Sunday’s final.
“I wanted to play against Lin Dan in the final but it was not to be,” said Chong Wei. “I have only one more match to go tomorrow. I'll try to do my best and win because this is the 30th anniversary of the Japan Open."
Asked about his performance in the semi-final, he added: “Peter is a veteran player. I think it was a bit difficult for him physically. I just played patiently and tried to attack when I had a chance.”
In the men’s doubles, world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng reached their fourth consecutive OSIM BWF World Superseries final when they defeated Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (left), 21-17, 19-21, 21-19.
Waiting for them in the final is Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan-Bona Septano , who beat compatriots and Olympic champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan 15-21, 21-16, 21-18.