Taufik struggles into second round

Former world and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat turned in another unconvincing performance as he limped into the second round of the Bankaltim Indonesia Open GP Gold on Wednesday.

The second seed, who is the favourite to win this tournament following the withdrawals of China’s on-form player Chen Long as well as 2010 world champion Chen Jin, was given a tough time by Malaysian journeyman K Yogendran before winning in three-games.
The unheralded Malaysian blasted his way to the opening game, winning 21-17 but was then crushed by Taufik, who win 21-7 in the second to force a rubber-game.
In the decider, Taufik continued his attacking play, dictating the tempo to carve out a 21-13 win, which ensured him a second round tie against another Malaysian – Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin.
Iskandar reached the second round when he took out Indonesia’s Sukamta Evert 21-14, 21-14. If Taufik beats Iskandar, he faces the prospect of facing his third Malaysian opponent in Chong Wei Feng in the third round.
Wei Feng beat Indonesia’s Reksy Aureza Megananda 21-12 ,21-12 to set-up a second round meeting with another Indonesian, Rudi Cahyadi Budhiawan.
Also in the bottom half of the draw is 2008 world junior champion Wang Zhengming. The Chinese ace defeated Taufik the last time they meet at the Li Ning Singapore Open Superseries and he reached the second round when he defeated Indonesia’s Ihsan Maulana Mustofa 21-14, 21-18.
He will now take on Malaysia’s Mohamad Arif Abdul Latif, who edged Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen 21-11, 16-21, 23-21.  
In the men’s doubles, brothers Bona Septano and Markis Kido stayed on course to meet to make it an all-Indonesian final when they won their respective first round matches.
Bona and his partner Mohammad Ahsan, who are the top seeds, handed Yogendran his second loss of the day when they beat him and his partner Yeoh Kay Bin 21-13, 21-11.
Olympic and Asian Games gold medallist Markis and Hendra Setiawan whipped Thailand’s Patipat Chalardchaleam-Nipitphon Puangpuapech 21-8, 21-14.
In the mixed doubles, world No. 2 Tantowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir (above), defeated fellow Indonesians Lukhi Apri Nugroho-Ririn Amelia 21-9, 21-14.

Chen Long upsets top seed to clinch second consecutive World Superseries title

China’s Chen Long upset Lee Chong Wei (below), to win his second consecutive OSIM BWF World Superseries crown when he beat the top seed in three games at the Yonex Open Japan on Sunday.

China were the big winners once again, grabbing four of the five titles and producing surprise winners in the women’s doubles for the second straight week.
Last Sunday, it was world junior champions Huan Xia-Tang Jinhua who upset the odds to win the Li Ning China Masters while on Sunday it was Bao Yixin-Zhong Qianxin who triumphed in Tokyo.
Joining them in the winners’ circle were world champions Wang Yihan (women’s singles) and Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (men’s doubles), who clinched their first titles since winning the gold medal at the London World Championships last month.
Taipei’s Chen Hung Ling-Cheng Wen Hsing were the only non-Chinese winners, stopping Denmark’s Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen in three games in the mixed doubles final.
But it was Chen Long’s stunning defeat of Chong Wei which will bring in the headlines, as it was the 22-year-old’s first victory over the Malaysian since beating him at the India Open in 2009 when Chong Wei was stricken by food poisoning.
Since then, the world No. 1 has beaten Chen Long on four separate occasions and many had expected him to collect his seventh title of the year after wins in the Super Series Masters Finals in Taiwan, Malaysia Open, All-England, India Open, Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold and Indonesia Open.
But the Chinese ace, who received a walkover in the semi-finals as world champion Lin Dan couldn’t play after the skin on his left foot came off after a tough match against Chen Jin in Friday’s quarter-finals, had other ideas.
He dominated the first game with some stunning smashes to win it 21-8 only to see Chong Wei hit back to take the second game 21-10.
The decider could have gone either way but it was Chen Long who held his nerve, coming back from 19-18 down to win 21-19 to win back-to-back OSIM BWF World Superseries titles for the first time in his career.
“It’s exciting. I didn’t think about anything during the match. I’m younger and he is strong. I was just lucky to win,” Chen Long told the media after winning his first Yonex Open Japan title.

Wang Yihan (above), meanwhile, outplayed Germany’s Juliane Schenk, who was playing in her first Superseries final.
The eighth seeded European, who upset second seed Wang Shixian of China in the quarter-finals and fourth seed Indian Saina Nehwal in the semis, ran out of steam in the title decider to lose 21-16, 21-14.
In the men’s doubles, Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng used their vast experience to defeat Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan-Bona Septano (right),  in straight games.
The Indonesians were chasing their first Superseries crown but found the world champions too hot to handle and fell 21-13, 23-21.
For full results, click here.  
Results
Men
Singles: Chen Long (China) bt Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia) 21-8, 10-21, 21-19.
Doubles: Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (China) bt Mohammad Ahsan-Bona Septano (Indonesia) 21-13, 23-21.
Women
Singles: Wang Yihan (China) bt Juliane Schenk (Germany) 21-16, 21-14.
Doubles: Bao Yixin-Zhong Qianxin (China) bt Cheng Wen Hsing-Chien Yu Chin (Taipei) 13-21, 25-23, 21-12.
Mixed doubles
Chen Hung Ling-Cheng Wen Hsing (Taipei) bt Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Denmark) 21-19, 16-21, 21-15.

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.

Japan Open: Lee Chong Wei overcomes sore shoulder and local star Kenichi

World No. 1 men’s singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei walked onto the court with a strap on his shoulder – casting doubts on his condition.
But even the sore shoulder could not stop the defending champion from bouncing back from a first game setback to dispose of local star Kenichi Tago 21-23, 21-7, 21-18 and storm into the semi-finals of the Japan Open in Tokyo yesterday.
The 29-year-old Chong Wei will seek to get the better of Denmark’s Peter-Gade Christensen today to maintain his perfect record of having reached the final in every individual tournament he has competed in this year.
Except for the defeats in the recent World Championships and South Korea Open, Chong Wei has won all the other finals he has played in – the Super Series Masters Finals, Malaysia Open, All-England, India Open, Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold, Indonesia Open.

In fact, Chong Wei has only dropped a game to three other players beside Kenichi this season. He lost one game to Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark in the first round of the Malaysia Open; to Christensen in the final of the India Open and, of course, to China’s Lin Dan.

National coach Tey Seu Bock brushed aside Chong Wei’s shoulder pain as “nothing serious” while giving due credit to Tago for his spirited display yesterday.
“Chong Wei was leading 16-11 in the opening game but lost focus towards the end of that game. I am glad he got back into the groove after that. He felt some pain on his shoulder yesterday (Thursday) but it is not serious and there is nothing to worry about,” said Seu Bock.
“Kenichi played much better. I guess he did not have any pressure and playing in front of his home fans surely gave him a huge lift.”
Seu Bock said that Chong Wei would not have it easy against Christensen although the Malaysian holds an impressive 13-1 record against the Dane. The only blemish came in his defeat at the 2009 Korea Open final.
“Peter has been playing well of late and is looking good in this tournament. It is important for Chong Wei to stay focused on his mission to reach the final.”
The other men’s singles semi-final will be an all-China affair between Lin Dan and Chen Long.
On Lin Dan’s hard-fought 20-22, 21-14, 22-20 win over Chen Jin, Seu Bock said: “Lin Dan lost to Chen Jin last week, but this time he won. I feel that it was an easy workout for him although the score says otherwise. Lin Dan looked relaxed.”
In the all-Malaysian men’s doubles quarter-final yesterday, top pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong checked into the semi-finals after a hard-fought 21-16, 19-21, 21-17 win over younger compatriots Goh V Sham-Lim Khim Wah in a 44-minute match.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong will take on four-time world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China today and a win will certainly boost their morale as they seek to restore their battered pride after their quarter-final exit at the world meet in Wembley last month.
The Malaysians had beaten Cai Yun-Haifeng in the semi-finals of the All-England this year.
National doubles chief coach Tan Kim Her said: “Our back-up pair went down fighting to Koo and Tan. They are playing better in every tournament and that is good for our men doubles department.
“Koo and Tan look determined and stand a chance if they go all out against Cai Yun-Haifeng, who have not been in top form after the world meet.”
Indonesia have secured a place in the final when former Olympic and world champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan and younger compatriots Mohd Ahsan-Bona Septano won their semi-final matches in straight games.
Courtesy of The Sta

Japan Open: Chong Wei's road to London begins

IT is not easy for a player to perform at his best after narrowly failing to win a major title but Lee Chong Wei can use the Japan Open, beginning today, to overcome his frustration after missing out on the world crown in London last month.
Winning the Japan Open is no consolation for someone who was really hoping to nail the big one but Chong Wei has gone through such setbacks before and the only thing he can do is to not lose faith and continue working towards finally clinching a major title.

The London Olympics gold is the ultimate aim and in order to achieve victory next year, Chong Wei must continue to hold his own against his rivals.
China's Lin Dan, his main rival, was the top shuttler for three years before the 2004 Olympics but lost in the first round in Athens and then failed to capture the world title in Anaheim, the United States, a year later.
Lin Dan's first success in a major event was achieved in 2006 when he secured the world crown and since then, he has conquered all.

It is sheer bad luck that Chong Wei is in the same era with Lin Dan, clearly the best men's singles player of all time, but perseverance will ensure the former will be rewarded at some point of his career.
However, Chong Wei must maintain his pedigree until that point arrives and a new cycle of victories should start with the Japan Open and climax with gold in London next year.

Rajiv Ouseph of England, Wang Zhengming of China, Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia and Peter Gade Christensen of Denmark are the players Chong Wei would probably have to beat to reach the final.

The final could be another tussle with Lin Dan but it remains to be seen if the China ace is up for the challenge after having lost in the semi-finals of the China Masters on Saturday.
Though the Japan Open is not the world championships, Chong Wei must beat Lin Dan as every victory against his greatest rival is a plus factor as he closes in on his Olympic dream.

Men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong face a different challenge as they will be in Japan without a coach with Tey Seu Bock likely to provide some tips, but this is a test of the duo's character.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong, on paper, are expected to reach the semis and if they hit their target, it is a sign that they are serious about turning around their poor form.

Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah are the only other Malaysian entry in the tournament and they should target the last eight where they are likely to meet Kien Keat-Boon Heong.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

Japan Open:Lin Dan eyes revenge

THOUGH Lin Dan beat Lee Chong Wei in last month's World Championships final, the Chinese super star will still look for revenge against the Malaysian in the Japan Open starting today.

Chong Wei, who bagged the All England crown for the second straight year in March, overcame Lin Dan in last year's Japan Open final.

Chong Wei and the men's doubles of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong should have an easy ride but back-up pair Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah face a tricky first round in the Japan Open.
Chong Wei, the top seed, begins his opening match against England's Rajiv Ouseph and it should be a stroll.
However, Lin Dan is in for a stern test against the experienced South Korean Lee Hyun Il in his opening match.

Hyun Il, although past his prime, has always been a handful for any top player when he is fresh and the Korean wouldn't mind playing Lin Dan in a first round match.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong don't have to sweat much as they will be meeting raw Japanese pair Hiroyuki Saeki-Ryota Taohata in the first round.

V Shem-Khim Wah are expected to be tested severely by South Korea's Kim Ki Jung-Shin Baek Cheol as they have the tendency to fare poorly against lower ranked pairs.

Having changed his name from Goh Wei Shem to Goh V Shem after consulting a Feng Shui expert, he would be hoping for better luck.
No other Malaysians are involved in the Japan Open because of low world ranking.
Courtesy of New Straits Times

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