Hosts Happy with Li Ning BWF Sudirman Cup Draw; China Ready to Defend Title

Hosts Malaysia were in optimistic spirits after this morning’s Li Ning BWF Sudirman Cup 2013 draw, pitting them against Germany and Chinese Taipei in the opening round-robin stage of competition.

Both coaches and players attending the proceedings in Kuala Lumpur declared they will be targeting a quarter-final or better performance in the World Mixed Team Championship to be held at Putra Indoor Stadium in May.

The tournament’s joint No. 3 seeds were placed in Group 1C and the European champions and Chinese Taipei subsequently joined them as the draw progressed. Title holders and top seeds China – bidding for an unprecedented ninth victory in the biennial event – are in Group 1A along with Indonesia and India.

Group 1B features Thailand (also joint No. 3 seeds), Korea and Hong Kong while Group 1D has No. 2 seeds Denmark, Japan and Singapore.

“This draw is very good for Malaysia and we will be looking to get into the quarter-finals,” said Malaysia’s Head Singles Coach, Rashid Sidek. His colleague and Head Doubles Coach, Tan Kim Her, agreed and noted it will be important to do well in their Doubles matches to ensure they advance from the group phase.

Mixed Doubles players, Goh Liu Ying and Chan Peng Soon, were also smiling at the outcome of the draw as was Men’s Singles specialist, Liew Daren. The trio said playing in front home fans should be a help rather than a hindrance.

“We don’t think there will be pressure. There should be more support for us,” reasoned Goh.

Meanwhile, China’s Head Coach Li Yongbo reacted to the draw in nonchalant fashion, stating: “It does not matter who we play. We will try our best to defend our title.”

That defence begins at noon versus India on the first day of the tournament Sunday 19 May. On the adjoining court, Malaysia face Chinese Taipei.

In Group 2A, Russia, USA, Sweden and Scotland will do battle while the Netherlands, France, Canada and Austria will fight for honours in Group 2B.

Ukraine, New Zealand, Turkey and Sri Lanka are in Group 3A and Switzerland, Vietnam, Australia and Lithuania are in Group 3B.

Group 4 only has three teams South Africa, Philippines and Kazakhstan.

A total of 31 teams will compete in this year’s tournament.

N.B. Countries listed according to outcome of the draw.

For further information on the Li Ning BWF Sudirman Cup 2013 draw, please click here.

 

Olympic and World Junior Stars Lead Nominations for BWF 2012 Player Awards

Some of badminton’s best will battle it out for Player of the Year honours for last season!

Among those nominated for the Male Player of the Year for 2012 are two-time Olympic gold medallist, Lin Dan of China (left: BWF home page), and his perennial rival Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei; the current world No. 1 and two-time Olympic silver medallist. Others in that category are Olympic bronze medallist and winner of the BWF World Superseries Finals, Chen Long (China); Men’s Doubles Olympic gold medallists, Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng (China) and Lee Yong Dae and the now retired Jung Jae Sung (Korea), who won the Men’s Doubles bronze medal at London 2012.

In the reckoning for Female Player of the Year is world No. 1 Li Xuerui of China (right: BWF home page) who copped eight titles in 2012, including the Olympic and year-end crowns. Li’s compatriot, Wang Yihan, the Olympic silver medallist, has also been nominated as have India’s Saina Nehwal (Olympic bronze) and the winning Olympic Women’s Doubles pair Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei (China).

Should a pair win either of these categories, they will share the annual award.

Meanwhile, the nominees for the Most Promising Player of the Year are: Tai Tzu Ying (Chinese Taipei); Viktor Axelsen (Denmark); Kento Momota (left: Junior World champion – Men; Japan); Nozomi Okuhara (right: Junior World champion – Women; Japan); Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand) and Busnan Ongbumrungpan (Thailand).

The key criteria for nomination are:

• Exceptional and consistent performance across a calendar year

• Performance at the Olympics, BWF events and Superseries events

• A good role model for the sport which goes beyond on-court performance

• Ranked among the top five in the world in the year of nomination

The 2012 choices for these awards will be made at the sole discretion of the BWF Council. The announcement of the winners and the presentation of prizes will take place at a gala dinner in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday 18 May, this year, following the BWF annual general meeting.

The BWF is pleased to recognise and congratulate recipients of various other awards for 2012.

They are as follows:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Heather Robson (NZL)

Hall of Fame: Ha Tae Kwon (KOR); Gong Zhi Chao (CHN)

Distinguished Service Award: Joao Matos (POR)

Meritorious Service Award: Luis Manoel da Fonseca Barreto (BRA); John C Briggs (ENG); Abby Kumar (ENG); Mrs Linda Alvarez (GIB); Chau Man Tuan (HKG); Hsu Show Hoo (HKB); Iriansyah Busra (INA); Anton Gonadi (INA); Koesdarto Pramono (INA); Chua Soo Hock (MAS) and Barabash Mykola (UKR).

Women in Badminton: Hiromi Murai (JPN)

Certificate of Commendation: Siam Cement Group (SCG)

http://www.bwfbadminton.org

World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei determined to do well this year despite falling ill

World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei’s participation in next week’s Australian Open Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament in Sydney from April 2-7, is hanging in balance.
Since returning from the All-England in Birmingham, Chong Wei had been sick for the last 10 days.
Chong Wei, who will turn 30 in October, had been battling flu and fever. He turned up for training yesterday at Stadium Juara in Bukit Kiara but only did a quick work-out to ensure that he does not lose his momentum.
“Since I got back home from Birmingham, I have been sick. This is one of the longest stretch that I have been ill,” said Chong Wei in a hoarse voice.
At Birmingham, Chong Wei was denied his third All-England title and third Super Series crown after crashing to China’s Chen Long in the final of the oldest tournament.
The two-time Olympic Games silver medallist had started the year with a bang after winning the Korean and Malaysian Opens.
Chong Wei admitted that lethargy had set in but he had no plans to take a long break – as how his nemesis Lin Dan of China had done. Lin Dan had been missing from action since beating Chong Wei for the gold medal at the London Olympic Games in August.
“I was rather tired after all the hard work at the All-England but I am still determined to do well this year. I will be happy if I can maintain a semi-final or final finish in every tournament that I compete in this year,” he said.
“My next tournament is the Australian Open but I am not sure whether I will be ready for it. We will see how it goes in the next few days.
Chong Wei is the top seed in the Australian GP Gold but he should nick it without much problem as all the top players from China, Indonesia, Denmark and South Korea are giving the tournament a miss.
Second seed Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam has withdrawn from the tournament and his closest rivals could be fellow Malaysians Liew Daren and Chong Wei Feng.
Chong Wei’s participation in the next two tournaments – India Open Super Series from April 23-28 in New Delhi and Malaysian Open GP Gold from April 30-May 5 at Kuantan are also pending. His wife Wong Mew Choo may give birth to his first child during that time.
Chong Wei, however, is committed to one thing right now – and that is to turn up and support his team during the return leg of the Axiata Cup, starting this Thursday at Putra Stadium.
“Our team have a chance of making the semi-finals and I will be there to support them. Hopefully, our men singles players (Daren and Wei Feng) will be able to give rousing performances,” added Chong Wei, who has decided to give his younger team-mates a break to prove themselves in the mixed team event.
Meanwhile, national coach Tey Seu Bock, is monitoring Chong Wei’s performances and is more focused on preparing the Malaysian for the Sudirman Cup in Kuala Lumpur from May 19-26 and the World Championships in Guangzhou.
“Chong Wei is focused in what he wants to achieve. It is just that he has been ill since returning from Birmingham. We are just re-looking at his training programme,” said Seu Bock.
“Almost all the singles players will be out for tournaments next week (Vietnam Open and Australian Open) and there may not be anyone to train with Chong Wei. Sometimes, going for tournament is good as it gives him some quality matches and I treat is as part of the training. Let’s hope he will recover quickly.”
Courtesy of The Star

Under-performers to be axed

Underachievers at the forthcoming Ciputra Hanoi International Challenge badminton tournament starting today with the qualifying tournament, are expected to face the axe.
With the bulging number of players in the national team – mostly the graduates from the Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) – the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) are looking at trimming the team by keeping only potential players.
There are currently 52 players in the national team (elite and back-up) and 60 under the BJSS banner.
National doubles chief coach Tan Kim Her (pic) said that some of the men’s doubles players have to go.
“There are just too many men’s doubles players in the squad right now. We have to drop those without future of going far. The players’ performances in the next two tournaments will give us coaches an idea of who to drop,” said Kim Her.
“We have to be fair to the players and not give them false hopes.”
In the Hanoi International Challenge, Malaysia have named Khang Tai An-Tan Chee Tean, Goh Jian Hao-Yew Hong Kheng, Shen Low Juan-Tan Yip Jiun, Jagdish Singh-Roni Tan Wee Long and Ong Jian Guo-Teo Kok Siang in the men’s doubles.
Jian Guo-Kok Siang are the more senior ones and they are expected to go far in the tournament. They will take on second seeds Ronald Alexander-Selvanus Geh of Indonesia in the first round.
In men’s singles, the focus will be on two players – Tan Kian Meng and Choong Yee Han – who are under a three-month probation with the national team. They have been sparring with world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei since January.
Both Kian Meng and Yee Han are unseeded and will take on Thailand’s Boonyakom Thumpanichwong and Indonesia’s Akbar Panji respectively in the opening round.
The other singles players hoping to make their mark are Goh Giap Chin, Chiang Jiann Shiarng, Soo Teck Zhi, Soong Joo Ven, Loh Wei Sheng, Mohd Azriyn Nur Ayub and Cheam June Wei. Several other club players are also taking part including former internationals Chan Kwong Beng and K. Yogendran, who currently enjoy the benefit of training under China’s Li Mao at the Kawasaki Badminton Club.
In women’s singles, Malaysia will be relying on Yang Li Lian. She is the top seed and will be taking on Shuo Yun-sung of Taiwan in the opening round. The other singles players are Lim Chiew Sien, Yii Lee Zii, Yap Rui Chen, S. Kisona, Lim Yin Fun and Ho Yen Mei.
With the lack of talents coming through in women’s singles, it is important for the second echelon of women singles players to step up.
Courtesy of The Star

Home crowd silenced as strong Indonesian side held to a draw

In control: Malaysia’s mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon and Goh Liu Ying in action against Europe All Star’s Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork at the Axiata Cup Surabaya, Indonesia yesterday. Peng Soon-Liu Ying won 19-21, 21-16, 21-14. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN / The Star

The Asia All Stars upset the form-book at the US$1mil Axiata Cup after staging an impressive performance to hold defending champions Indonesia to a 2-2 draw at the DBL Arena yesterday.
Indonesia came into the tournament as the team to beat, having the fanatical home crowd behind them and having an impressive record in team tournaments.
But Hong Kong No.1 Yip Pui Yin, had other ideas as she silenced the noisy crowd by beating Aprillia Yuswandari in women’s singles.
The world No.27 was in inspired mood to defeat Yuswandari, ranked a spot higher than her, 21-14, 21-12.
Retired South Korean shuttler Lee Hyun-il then showed that he still has what it takes at the highest level to beat Simon Santoso in the men’s singles tie.
Hyun-il took a closely contested first game, and despite Santoso forcing a deciding rubber, was just too good in the end, winning 21-19, 14-21, 21-17.
Asia All Stars then had the chance to deal a demoralising defeat to Indonesia but mixed pair Tarun Kona-Ashwini Ponnappa failed to get the better of world No.8 Muhammad Rijal-Debby Susanto, losing 11-21, 21-19,14-21.
Young Indonesian pair Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra then sealed the comeback by beating Zheng Bo-Bao Chunlai 21-12, 21-14.
“It’s not exactly disappointing, getting held here, but I would have preferred if we had won,” said Indonesian team manager Bambang Roedyanto.
“Aprillia had a slight injury while Simon was up against an opponent who played superbly despite his age. A draw though is better than nothing and we’ll look forward to the second leg with a full strength squad.”
The likes of All-England mixed doubles champion Tontowi Ahmad-Liliyana Natsir, and world No.4 Sony Dwi Kuncoro could play in the second leg from March 29-31.
Thailand also showed just how serious they are in this tournament after recording a 4-0 win over Vietnam.
It was their third win in four matches and the Thais currently lead the eight-team tournament with a total of 13 points.
“I’m really happy because the team performed well above expectations,” said team manager Udom Luangphetcharaporn.
“What is really surprising is how well the whole team rallied together despite losing several regulars, like doubles player Bodin Isaara who is injured.
“Our target is first to make the semi-finals and then the final and we hope to maintain our position in the top four next week,” added Udom.
The tournament will take a one-week break before returning for the second leg in which half will be held in Kuala Lumpur. The other half then will continue to be held at Surabaya.
Meanwhile, Malaysia will head home for the second leg on a high after beating Europe All Stars 3-1.
Tee Jing Yi as expected, lost the women’s singles tie 12-21, 21-17, 13-21 to Spanish teenager Carolina Marin but world No.14 Liew Daren put Malaysia back on equal terms by beating Scott Evans 22-20, 21-19.
World No. 5 mixed pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying once again came back from a game down to beat Nathan Robertson-Jenny Wallwork 19-21, 21-16, 21-14 to hand Malaysia a 2-1 lead.
Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong then wrapped up the win by beating Russians Ivan Sozonov-Vladimir Ivanov 21-14, 21-17.

The Star

Axiata Cup: Bizarre point to Koo-Tan earns draw with Indonesia

Digging deep: Malaysia’s Chan Peng Soon (left) and Goh Liu Ying in action against Indonesia’s Muhammad Rijal-Debby Susanto during their Axiata Cup match yesterday. The Malaysians won 18-21, 21-16, 21-19 — KAMARUL ARIFFIN / The Star

Malaysia were once again lucky as they escaped with a 2-2 draw against Indonesia in the US$1mil Axiata Cup at the DBL Arena here yesterday.
After only managing a draw against Thailand on Friday, the Malaysians had an even tougher task taking on the hosts and defending champions.
Indonesia started well with Bellaetrix Manuputri storming to win the women’s singles tie, easily beating Tee Jing Yi 21-10, 21-18.
It was a really poor performance by world No. 51 Jing Yi, who was nowhere near her usual fighting self, as displayed against Thailand’s Ratchanok Inthanon on Friday.
In the men’s singles, world No. 16 Chong Wei Feng started for Malaysia, replacing Liew Daren in the line-up.
But that move did not inspire the team as Wei Feng had no answer to world No. 18 Tommy Sugiarto’s impressive attacking play, losing 16-21, 11-21.
It was then down to mixed pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying to turn it around once more but they found themselves trailing a game down early on.
But Peng Soon-Liu Ying managed to dig in and held their nerves before beating Muhammad Rijal-Debby Susanto 18-21, 21-16, 21-19.
World No. 2 Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong then completed the comeback by beating scratch pair Hendra Setiawan-Ryan Agung Saputra 21-12, 26-24 in the men’s doubles.
But it could have easily gone Indonesia’s way as the umpire awarded a bizarre point to Kien Keat-Boon Heong when the score was 20-20.
“We knew it wasn’t really nice to lose, so we just kept going and gave our best,” said Boon Heong.
National singles head coach Rashid Sidek admitted that his side was really lucky to get a draw.
“Indonesia were very strong and we were quite lucky to draw. I think it’s quite satisfying that we managed to come from behind to level the tie,” said Rashid.
Doubles head coach Tan Kim Her also admitted that the match could have easily gone in Indonesia’s favour.
“Right now, Indonesia are definitely stronger than us. But it was always a 50-50 game and we were hoping that Wei Feng could win his match,” said Kim Her.
To the team’s credit, they managed to stay strong and rally from behind.
“It also helped that the umpire gave Kien Keat-Boon Heong the point although I do not know why.
“The toughest matches in this tournament were always against Thailand and Indonesia and, luckily, we didn’t do too badly. Hopefully, the best is yet to come from the remaining matches,” said Kim Her.
Malaysia will wrap up their final match in the first leg against the Europe All Stars today while Indonesia will face Asia All Stars.
In other matches, Vietnam got their first win of the tournament by beating Philippines 3-1.
Courtesy of The Star

Axiata Cup: Daren and Jing Yi a big letdown in draw against Thailand

Saviours: Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong in action against Thailand Boonsak Ponsana and Songphon Anugritayawon at the Axiata Cup in Surabaya. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star

Malaysia’s weakness in mixed team events was painfully exposed as they could only draw 2-2 with Thailand in the US$1mil Axiata Cup here yesterday.
And it was the singles – both the men’s and women’s – that let Malaysia down.
World No. 51 Tee Jing Yi was handed a tough task in the first match, taking on All England runner-up Ratchanok Inthanon.
To her credit though, Jing Yi gave it a good fight before going down 17-21, 20-22 to the Thai teenager.
Liew Daren, however, was a big disappointment in the men’s singles as he had trouble finding his feet against Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk.
The KL shuttler never looked comfortable against the lanky Thai and committed far too many errors in a meek 15-21, 17-21 defeat.
That put mixed pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying under intense pressure to deliver against world No. 6 Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thoungthongkam.
The Malaysians had lost to the Thai pair in their last three meetings.
But this time Peng Soon-Liu Ying delivered an excellent performance to win 20-22, 21-14, 21-14 before men’s pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong rescued the tie by beating Boonsak Ponsana-Songphonm Anugritayawon 21-13, 21-14.
National singles head coach Rashid Sidek prefers to look at the draw as a positive result.
“We knew Thailand were strong, and without (Lee) Chong Wei, a draw is quite a good result,” said Rashid.
“The downside was that Daren was too defensive against Tanongsak, who was excellent at the net.
“But there were some positives from the match, such as Jing Yi’s performance and the team’s fighting spirit.”
Malaysia, however, will definitely need to step it up a notch if they aim to gain anything when they take on hosts and defending champions Indonesia today.
The Indonesians were on fire as they whipped high-flying Singapore 4-0 in an earlier match.
“They are the hosts and definitely have the advantage. They also have more options in their line-up ... but I believe we can get something from that match,” said Rashid.
Earlier, Indonesia team manager Bambang Roedyanto warned Malaysia that they’ll be looking for a win.
“Malaysia will be a strong challenge but we are more than ready to face them. We want to win,” he said.
In other matches, Asia All Star bounced back from an opening day loss to the Thais by beating the Philippines 4-0.
The Europe All Stars also regained their winning ways – beating Vietnam 3-1.
Courtesy of The Star

BWF Breaks New Ground with ‘Major Events’ Partners

Badminton World Federation (BWF) has broken new ground, announcing partnerships with sport apparel and equipment company, Li Ning, and energy drink company, Redbull China, for BWF Major Events for the next four years.

The sponsorship deals, which run from 2013 to 2016 inclusive, start with this year’s Sudirman Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and extend to the annual BWF World Championships – the next of which takes place in Guangzhou, China, in August – and the biennial Thomas & Uber Cup tournaments.

It’s the first time the world-governing organisation has negotiated global sponsorships for its Major Events and to have secured “these collective long-term agreements is a significant achievement”, said BWF Secretary General Thomas Lund, explaining that previously hosts were given the right to secure sponsors in their domestic markets for whichever Major Event they were hosting.

“BWF is pleased to partner with Li Ning and Redbull China in showcasing some of badminton’s premier tournaments with these seven Major Events throughout the four years from 2013-2016. These events are some of the most prestigious competitions in our sport and for any individual or country to win them is traditionally and undoubtedly a moment of great pride and honour,” noted Lund.

“The interest shown by these corporate entities underlines the fact that badminton has been growing in recent years and is now capable of attracting global attention and, as a result, such partnerships.”

Part of the deal with Li Ning is that all Major Events being played during the four years will use Li Ning top shuttlecocks and Li Ning court mats, beginning with the Sudirman Cup – or World Mixed Team Championships as it’s also known – for which Li Ning is also the title sponsor (left: tournament logo). This tournament will be held at Putra Stadium in Malaysia, from 19-26 May. A total of 32 countries, including defending champions China, will vie for the title.

“Badminton’s steady rise on the international sports landscape has been impressive and it’s clearly enjoying considerable popularity now. BWF events are currently televised in more than 160 countries and that number is constantly increasing. The Major Events are an attractive prospect for Li Ning in terms of global brand visibility and recognition, especially as these are the tournaments in which more countries compete and therefore their nations have an interest,” noted Li Ning’s General Manager of Li Ning Indoor Sports,  Mr. Hong YuRu.

Meanwhile, Redbull China’s Sports marketing director, Mrs. Joan Zhang said: “These Major Events are BWF’s signature collection and Redbull China’s official association with them signifies our regard for these tournaments and the high stature which we recognise they have among fans.

“This partnership fits into our strategy of aligning our company with some of the world’s best sporting events.”

Swiss Open: Vivian-Khe Wei shown the exit in semi-finals

End of the road: Vivian Hoo (top) and Woon Khe Wei found South Koreans Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan too strong and went down 21-17, 21-19 in the semifinals of the Swiss Open GP Gold in Basel Saturday.

Malaysians Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei’s gallant run in the Swiss Open GP Gold came to an end in the semi-finals after losing to South Koreans Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan in Basel yesterday.
Vivian-Khe Wei, ranked No. 25 in the world, found the world junior champions simply too strong and went down 21-17, 21-19 in 42 minutes in the women’s doubles.
But the pair can return home with their heads held high after a highly productive European campaign. They reached the quarter-finals of the All England for the first time last week.
Playing in only their second tournament together since Khe Wei suffered a knee injury three months ago, they defeated world No.15 Anneke Feinya Agustin-Nitya Krishinda Maheshwari of Indonesia in the first round.
On Friday, Vivian-Khe Wei did even better. They stunned world No. 10 Duanganong Arookesorn-Kunchala Voravichitchaikul of Thailand 21-16, 21-19 in the quarter-finals.
Unfortunately, their lack of competitive matches showed yesterday as the young Koreans demonstrated superior speed and power to take the first game.
Vivian-Khe Wei briefly held the upper hand when they led 7-1 in the second game.
But the Koreans, the world No. 19, stepped it up once more. Taking an aggressive approach, they reeled off 10 straight points and then surged to a 19-12 lead.
The Malaysians tried to stage a fightback but So-hee-Seung-chan stood firm to book a place in the final.
“We knew it was going to be a tough match. It’s disappointing to lose in the semi-finals,” said Vivian.
“This means that we still have a lot of work to do.
“Overall though, I’m quite happy with our performance in the All-England and Swiss Open. Hopefully, it’ll get better in the next few tournaments,” added Vivian.
With Vivian-Khe Wei out, Malaysia now have no more interest in the championships.
Courtesy of The Star

Rashid: Daren still has a long way to go

National singles head coach Rashid Sidek is not happy with shuttler Liew Daren’s (pic) recent performances and has urged the world No. 13 to keep his head down and work hard in order to become a better player.

Despite reaching the quarter-finals of the Malaysian Open in January, Daren suffered an opening round defeat at the All-England last week.
On Wednesday, the 26-year-old was once again uninspiring, falling to compatriot Mohd Arif Abdul Latif 15-21, 17-21 in the second round of the ongoing Swiss Open GP Gold.
It was Daren’s second defeat to Arif in the international scene and Rashid has warned that the former still has a long way to go before he can become a quality shuttler.
He was ranked world No. 10 recently, but has now dropped to 13th spot.
“Daren’s recent performances have not been good at all, especially with that latest defeat to Arif,” said Rashid.
“He still has a lot to learn and he needs to improve the quality of his play.
“Although his ranking is high, his play suggests that he is not matured enough to take on opponents who have an extra trick up their sleeve.
“But there’s still hope for him because I believe he has what it takes to go up.
“He must, however, be aware of his flaws and give more attention to his training and work extra hard in order to follow in the footsteps of (Lee) Chong Wei,” added Rashid.
Meanwhile, the lack of quality singles shuttlers in Malaysia was apparent as KLRC’s Zulfadli Zulkiffli and Nusa Mahsuri’s Misbun Ramdan Misbun both failed to get past the second round in Basel.
Courtesy of The Star

All England 2013: Day 6 - ‘Queen Tine’ Reigns in All England Farewell

Hollywood could not have conjured up a more enduring script as Tine Baun bade goodbye to professional badminton today, crowned the 2013 Yonex All England Women’s Singles champion.

Now a three-time winner of her favourite tournament, the Dane could barely believe her hard-fought success when the final point was won inside the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham before hundreds of cheering fans, some jumping to their feet and waving Baun’s national flag in celebration.

The fact that the veteran withstood the challenge of arguably the most talented of her sport’s next-generation sensations – Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand – made her last conquest before retirement all the sweeter.

The scoreline 21-14 16-21 21-10 will forever be seared into her memory.

“It’s such a great feeling…I’m so proud. Mentally it was very tough but physically not as hard as yesterday (Saturday’s semi-final). I gained so much power and motivation from winning yesterday. I felt I was doing my best and playing my game today. It’s fantastic,” said an ecstatic Baun (BWF home page).

All week she defied the odds, making her way through the draw at the expense of younger rivals in her last hurrah on court. The question was could the 33-year-old do it once more and against an 18-year-old versus whom she had a losing 1-3 record. After tight and tense early exchanges, Baun began to dictate, showcasing her powerful and skilful repertoire as Intanon was under fire in the first game. Though the Dane lost the second game, mainly due to errors at crucial stages, she re-established her dominance early in the third game and romped to an impressive victory; mixing winners from the deep with delicate net strokes that caught Intanon off-guard.

The tears in Baun’s eyes as the magnitude of her achievement sunk in said it all. Amid triumph, she spared a hug for the vanquished Intanon of whom she spoke glowingly.

“Ratchanok will definitely win this tournament, maybe many times. She is so talented. She has had some great results already and it is only the beginning of her career. She will be a big star,” predicted the woman who won All England titles in 2008 and 2010 also.

Intanon admitted wilting under the weight of expectation and pressure – not to mention the formidable occasion and the seasoned campaigner standing tall across the net.

“Tine played very good and her shots were winning a lot. She is very experienced and I was nervous playing her. I am upset to lose but I love this tournament,” said the runner-up.

Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei was in search of his third All England championship too but fate and circumstances were not as kind to him. He faltered 21-17 21-18 under an unwavering onslaught from China’s Chen Long (top left).

Clearly not at his best, Lee struggled from the outset to keep up with his rival in the Men’s Singles final. Looking tentative and unlike his normally aggressive self, he was quickly down 0-7 in the opening game. What hurt him most was that he was unable to get his tosses deep enough to prevent Chen from firing big smashes. The second game began similarly, with Lee trailing 1-6, but the Malaysian slowly worked his way back in, getting his length right and able to match Chen’s pace and power. The most engrossing period of the match unfolded and scores were level until 18, but an explosive shot from Chen gave him the advantage at 19-18 and he won the next two points to taste his maiden All England glory.

“The All England is very important. It is a world-class competition,” noted Chen Long. “This win gives me a lot of confidence. It’s great to be here and the crowd has been very supportive and passionate.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli (bottom right) took just 27 minutes to dismantle the challenge of compatriots Cheng Shu/Zhao Yunlei 21-18 21-10 in the Women’s Doubles final. Yu and Wang’s title was China’s 16th win in that category over the last 18 years at the All England Open.

• Fresh young Chinese pair, Liu Xiaolong and Qiu Zihan (bottom left), flattened Japan’s Hiroyuki Endo/Kenichi Hayakawa (4) with an awesome display of big hitting in the Men’s Doubles final. The unseeded Qiu and Liu won their first Superseries 21-11 21-9 in 39 minutes.

• Mixed Doubles partners, Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir (Indonesia, 2; top right), defended their All England crown and secured their first Superseries title in almost a year with a 21-13 21-17 triumph over Olympic champions Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei (China, 5). Their record against the Chinese fifth seeds improved to 3-4 overall.

Chong Wei storms into fifth straight final in Birmingham

WORLD No. 1 Lee Chong Wei coolly marched into his fifth straight men’s singles final of the All-England – with a promise that he’s ready to nail his third title.
Yesterday, the 30-year-old Chong Wei held back his punches but his calm and cautious approach was still good enough to knock out feisty Tanongsak Saensamboonsuk of Thailand 22-20, 21-8 in 33 minutes in the semi-final.

It was his seventh win over Tanongsak in as many meetings.

He will face second seed Chen Long of China in the final. Chen Long defeated Jan O Jorgensen of Denmark 21-19, 22-20 in the semis.

Two-time All-England champion Chong Wei was pleased that his game plan worked against the 23-year-old Tanongsak, who had made heads turn with his amazing run from the qualifying tournament.

“He thrives on fast-paced attacking game and I didn’t want to give him that pleasure ... I slowed it down,” said Chong Wei.

“I just kept close to him and, when the time was right, I pulled away. He is a player with promise, though.”

The match started with a subdued Chong Wei playing a cautious game – assessing what the left-handed Tanongsak had to offer.

And the Thai youngster, vowing to be the next Boonsak Ponsana, showed that he meant business when he dominated the baseline, slamming home winners at every opportunity and even playing cleverly at the net to reach 11-10.

But that probably was the only period that Tanongsak showed his superiority over Chong Wei.

While trying his best to subdue the Malaysian with his jumping smashes, it eventually wore him out and he lost 20-22.

In the second game, Chong Wei stepped up a gear – just enough to hold the Thai by the jugular – and the first-timer cracked.

He took advantage of Tanongsak’s inexperience en route to his 21-8 win.

Chong Wei does not plan to hold anything back in today’s final.

“I skipped the German Open and Swiss Open to give my unwavering focus to the All-England. I’m just one step away from doing it. Malaysians used to find it difficult to win here but, now, I want to win as many times as possible,” he said.

If Chong Wei wins, it will be also his third Super Series title of the year. He had won the Korean Open and Malaysian Open in January.

But 18-year-old Thai sensation Ratchanok Intanon made up for Tanongsak’s disappointment when she crushed Saina Nehwal’s dream of a first All-England title with a sensational 21-15, 21-19 win in 40 minutes.

It was, by far, Ratchanok’s most impressive achievement in her young career.

She’ll take on the Tine Baun of Denmark in the final. The Dane beat Sung Ji-hyun of South Korea 24-22, 19-21, 21-19 in the semis

The Star

Misery for China, joy for Thailand

Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon is now in the final after beating Saina Nehwal in the semi-finals. — AFP

CHINA’S misery and Thailand’s emergence have been the highlights of the All-England so far.

Badminton powerhouse China took a massive blow in the women’s singles when none of their players made it to the semi-finals following the 21-23, 21-19, 16-21 loss of 2011 All-England champion Wang Shixian to Saina Nehwal on Friday.

Their other top guns – Li Xuerui and Wang Yihan – were blown away in the early rounds.

China’s women have been a dominant force in the All-England, having made every final since 1982 – except for 1991, 1993 and 1995.

National singles coach Rashid Sidek believes that China’s fragility in the women’s singles has made the game more interesting.

“They used to be so dominant ... now others have shown that they can be beaten. The women’s singles event is no longer a boring affair. Even the quality of the game has improved,” said Rashid.

China also suffered several other disappointments in the All-England with the defeats of mixed doubles top seeds Xu Chen-Ma Jin and singles players Chen Jin and Du Pengyu against lower ranked shuttlers.

While China are taking a beating, Thailand are making inroads in a game where they used to be the minnows.

They can revel in having their biggest representation in the All-England semi-finals after Tanongsak Saen­som­boonsuk, Ratchanok Intanon and Maneepong Jongjit-Nipitphon Puang­puapech won their men’s singles, women’s singles and men’s doubles events respectively on Friday.

Veterans Sudket Prakamol-T. Saralee almost made it a grand day but went down fighting to siblings Markis Kido-Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth of Indonesia 21-18, 20-22, 20-22.

Ratchanok then provided more joy for Thailand by beating Saina 21-15, 21-19 to reach the final.

“Ratchanok is a three-time world junior champion but she’s not the only women’s singles player the Thais have. They have another three or four good ones waiting in the wings. They have the depth,” said Rashid.

“Tanongsak’s breakthrough also showed that they have an able replacement for their aging senior shuttler Boonsak Ponsana.

“Thailand used to be below us in the SEA region. Now, I see them as favourites at the Myanmar SEA Games in December.

“They have certainly made their presence felt on the international scene.”

The Star

Chong Wei hampiri gelaran hatrik

CHONG WEI melangkah ke final buat kali kelima berturut-turut pada Seluruh England sekali gus berpeluang mencipta kejayaan hatrik.

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JAGUH badminton negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei menepati ramalan selaku pilihan pertama kejohanan apabila mengesahkan slot ke final dalam pemburuan gelaran ketiga pada Kejohanan Badminton Siri Super Premier Seluruh England 2013 di Birmingham hari ini.
Pada aksi separuh akhir semalam, pemain No. 1 dunia itu menewaskan Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk dari Thailand dengan kemenangan 22-20, 21-8 untuk beraksi di pentas final buat kali kelima secara berturut-turut sejak 2009.
Pertarungan antara kedua-dua pemain itu dilihat terlalu sengit pada set pertama sehingga perlawanan diheretkan sehingga ke mata penentuan.
Begitupun, Chong Wei seperti mendapat suntikan semangat baharu untuk mendominasi set kedua apabila mendahului 13 mata sekali gus menewaskan pemain No. 37 dunia itu dalam tempoh 33 minit.
Berdasarkan laman web Persekutuan Badminton Dunia (BWF), rekod pertemuan bagi kedua-dua pemain itu sentiasa memihak kepada Chong Wei yang tidak pernah tewas dalam tujuh pertemuan sejak 2008.
Pada kempen tahun lalu, Chong Wei yang tampil selaku penyandang juara edisi 2010 dan 2011 terpaksa melepaskan peluang untuk melakukan hatrik apabila terpaksa menarik diri daripada pentas final selepas mengalami kecederaan bahu kanan ketika menentang pemain China, Lin Dan.
Chong Wei kini menggalas tugas sebagai pemain tunggal negara yang masih meneruskan perjuangan di bumi England sejak memulakan kempen pusingan pertama pada 6 Mac lepas.
Sementara itu, pada aksi suku akhir kelmarin, beregu daripada Kuala Lumpur Racquet Club (KLRC), Mohd. Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd. Tazari kalah kepada Liu Xiaolong dan Qiu Zihan dari China 12-21, 10-21.
Kekalahan itu turut dialami satu lagi pasangan negara, Hoon Thien How dan Tan Wee Kiong selepas tewas kepada beregu pilihan kelapan, Mohammad Ahsan dan Hendra Setiawan dari Indonesia 12-21, 16-21 dalam masa 24 minit.
Turut mempamerkan persembahan hambar ialah pasangan beregu wanita negara, Vivian Hoo Kah Mun-Woon Khe Wei yang ditunjukkan jalan keluar oleh beregu pilihan keenam, Miyuki Maeda dan Satoko Suetsuna dari Jepun 16-21, 13-21.
Semua pemain perseorangan wanita Malaysia kalah dalam pusingan kelayakan manakala dua beregu campuran negara gagal meneruskan saingan apabila kalah kepada lawan masing-masing pada pusingan kedua.
Peminat sukan tanah air turut dikejutkan dengan kekalahan beregu utama negara, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong kepada pasangan Thailand, Maneepong Jongjit-Nipitphon Puangpuapech 17-21, 18-21 pada pusingan kedua, Khamis lalu


Kosmo!

Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships 2013 Trailer

Lee atonement carries him into semis

Lee Chong Wei moved to within two wins of regaining the men’s singles title at the Yonex All England Open , but was so disappointed with the success which got him there that he claimed he would forget it.

The world number one from Malaysia was never in difficulties in a 21-17, 21-19 win over Tienh Min Nguyen, the seventh-seeded Vietnamese player, but reckoned his performance fell below his usual very high standards.
There were some moments of exceptional brilliance from Lee, sometimes with agile defence, sometimes with airborne attack, and twice with spectacularly dismissive brushed kills at the net.
However he appeared oddly distracted at others, notably when he let slip four match points in a row, before concluding a superb attack-defence-attack combination on the fifth with a flying jump smash.
“I made some simple mistakes,” he said, shaking his head. “I just have to forget about it and move on. I must do that because no next opponent will be dangerous.”
He will also be unusual. Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk is a qualifier who has worked his way diligently all the way to the semi-finals, scattering some notable opponents along the way.
He squeezed past the sixth-seeded Chinese player Hu Jun in a thriller, then outplayed Sho Sasaki, the top 20 Japanese player, and now proved consistently too good for Tommy Sugiarto, the son of former world champion Icuk Sugiarto, winning 21-17, 21-11.
Despite the emergence of theThai surprise packet, it is Chen Long who appears to be the biggest threat to Lee, with his great movement and control, and increasing patience and maturity.
Chen won a match full of deft rallies with mesmerising patterns against Kashyap Parupalli, the top ten Indian, who led 13-11 but could make no further headway.
Chen was denied the expected semi-final with his compatriot Chen Jin however, when the former world champion was well beaten 21-7, 21-14 by Jan Jorgensen.
The unseeded Jorgensen had never previously been beyond the second round but was admirably quick and assertive, though he appeared to benefit for the second match in a row from an opponent  with less than adequate fitness.
Yesterday, the fourth seeded Sony Dwo Kuncoro retired against him with a bad back; now Chen Jin’s movement was so laboured that he lost 15 of the first 18 points and was hardly in contention. At the end the Dane placed his hand on the Chinese player’s arm by way of consolation.
Although it is good for the tournament to have a European in the men’s singles semi-finals he may find Chen Long, the winner of the World Super Series finals in Shenzhen in December, a rather different proposition.
Chen Long gives that impression too. “I played really well,” he said. “I feel pretty good about how I am playing in the tournament so far.”

Doubles – The sequence of surprises

They don’t come much more wide open than this year’s men’s doubles. The number one seeds Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen got no further than the second round; the Olympic champions Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng didn’t even get that far – Cai’s bad back prevented it – and neither did the titleholder Lee Yong Dae, whose new partnership with Ko Sung Hyun fell at the first hurdle

So did the former titleholders, Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong, who are the second seeds. This left only two seeded pairs in the semi-finals with the most notable giant-killers being the rising Chinese combo of Liu Xiaolong and Qiu Zihan.
They were the conquerors of the top-seeded Danes, and they reached the semi-finals with an emphatic 21-12, 21-10 win over the Malaysians, Zakry Abdul Latif and Mohammed Tazari.
The match of the day though was that in which the fourth seeded Japanese pair, Hiroyuki Endo and Kenichi Hayakawa, came back from 12-14 and 14-15 down in the final game to win 21-19 in the decider against the two Kims, Ki Jung and Sa Rang, the sixth seeded Koreans.
There were even better comebacks in the mixed doubles. Xu Chen and Ma Jin, the top seeds from China, were 18-16 up in the final game but were upset 16-21, 21-13, 21-18 by Muhammad Rijal and Debby Susanto, the seventh seeded Indonesians.
Then Sudket Prapakamol and Saralee Thoungthongkam, the winners of Super Series title in Tokyo, Paris and Jakarta, looked odds on to make the semis when they led 19-17 in the second game and 20-18 in the third game – two match points – only to lose 19-20, 22-20, 22-20 in an extraordinary match against the unseeded Markis Kido and Pia Bernadeth. The Indonesians rolled around the court as if they had won the tournament.
They now play their compatriots Tontowi Ahmad and Lilyana Natsir, who are the only players in this year’s All England who can still achieve a complete retention a title.
Only the women’s doubles appears to have followed a more orderly pattern, with three of the four semi-finalists coming from China who have won this title eleven times in the last 12 years.
The top seeds, Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli are among them,with Yu is going for her third title in four years.

By Richard Eaton

Baun closer to big farewell

Former world number one Tine Baun remained on course for a big farewell when she reached the semi-finals of the All England Open in the last week of her unusual career.

Baun, a late starter at the top level but the only woman to deny China a singles title in the past decade, was often at her commanding, emotionally intense best during a 21-7, 21-13 against Lindaweni Fanetri, the world number 19 from Indonesia.
The weight of her smashing and the power of her presence in an arena where she has won two All England titles made it difficult for a young opponent who was only briefly got into the match, when she battled hard to reach a 10-8 second game lead.
But after that it was again one way traffic, accompanied by one-sided crowd support as the popular Dane increasingly put together a wider variety of attacking combinations to win the rallies.
“I was looking at her and I could see that she was not that confident and a little nervous,” said Baun. “And I played really well.”
“I was willing to work hard for victory, and my strokes were working well and I was confident that I was going to win.”
“I am very happy with the ending I am going to have here in this, my last tournament.”
Baun is helped by the fact that the other semi-final place in her half will not be filled by Li Xuerui, the top-seeded Olympic and defending champion, who was beaten on the opening day.
She had also been helped by the first round defeat in her quarter of Wang Yihan, the world champion who has several times been her major rival here.
The exit of these two Chinese greats was followed by the defeat of another former All England champion, Wang Shixian, which means that for only the third time in 16 years the sport’s most powerful nation will not win the women’s singles. It is also the first time since 1995 that China has not had a semi-finalist in this event.
Wang was beaten in the other half of the draw by Saina Nehwal, who moved nearer to becoming the first Indian woman ever to win the All England title after a long drawn-out battle.
Her 23-21, 19-21, 21-16 win over Wang was a long, fluctuating and tense affair, in which mistakes were mixed with well constructed rallies, with Nehwal chiselling out a match-winning lead after the interval in the third game.
Always bearing a heavy burden of expectation from the world’s second most populous nation, Nehwal also has extra pressure of expectations from being the highest seed left in her event.
The second-seeded Commonwealth champion also remained wary, right to the last point, of her mobile opponent’s capacity to recover, even from a big deficit.
“She has the kind of game which makes it possible to come back, and I’ve seen her do that before,” Nehwal said. “I tried to make sure I kept my focus right to the end and I think I did that.”
“I have to handle the pressure of expectations from the Indian fans and hopefully I am doing that. I’m just happy to get through this.”
It was only when Nehwal played the more consistent badminton in the third game, whilst still moving the shuttle around well, that she extended a small lead to 15-8 at its maximum.
Wang’s problems in the final game began to grow with two line decisions which annoyed her, first to put her 7-8 down and then to go 7-11 down.
On the first of these she stared and then tilted her head back in frustration; on the second she dropped her racket and glared at the umpire.
She had 60 seconds mid-game interval and her coach’s calming words to help her get over that, but by then Nehwal had built up some momentum and her capture of four of the next five points gave her a cushion which was never pulled from under her.
 Baun now plays Sung Ji-Hyun, the fifth seeded Korean, who avenged the loss of her compatriot Bae Yeon Ju with a 21-13, 21-12 win over Eriko Hirose, the former finalist from Japan while Nehwal faces Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand.
Intanon produced a minor upset in the seedings by getting past a tiring Juliane Schenk in three games but she may well find Nehwal a tougher proposition.
A Baun-Nehwal final would be a crowd favourite, and may also be the most likely scenario. But both semis are too close to call with confidence.
By Richard Eaton

Nehwal nearer All England Open dream

Saina Nehwal took a step nearer becoming the first Indian woman ever to win the All England Open title when she reached the semi-finals after a long drawn-out battle with a former champion.

Her 23-21, 19-21, 21-16 win over Wang Shixian, the 2011 winner from China, was a long, fluctuating and tense affair, in which mistakes were mixed with well constructed rallies, with Nehwal chiselling out a match-winning lead after the interval in the third game.
Always bearing a heavy burden of expectation from the world’s second most populous nation, Nehwal also has extra pressure of expectations from being the highest seed left in her event. The top-seeded titleholder Li Xuerui was beaten on the first day.
The second-seeded Commonwealth champion also remained wary, right to the last point, of her mobile opponent’s capacity to recover, even from a big deficit.
“She has the kind of game which makes it possible to come back, and I’ve seen her do that before,” Nehwal said. “I tried to make sure I kept my focus right to the end and I think I did that.
“She plays a rallying game, and that make it difficult to play against. I do too, so it was a tough match, and it is important to recover well.”
“I have to handle the pressure of expectations from the Indian fans and hopefully I am doing that. I’m just happy to get through this.”
It was only when she played the more consistent badminton in the third game, whilst still moving the shuttle around well, that she extended a small lead to 15-8 at its maximum.”
Her mistakes were often accompanied by a loud yelp, something which happened more frequently in the first game, in which he came back from 16-19 to snatch it, and in the second, in which she let slip a lead of 18-15.
Wang showed what a fine fighter she was all through, and even nosed ahead at 7-6 in the decider. But her problems began to grow with two line decisions which annoyed her, first to put her 7-8 down and then to go 7-11 down.
On the first of these she stared and then tilted her head back in frustration; on the second she dropped her racket and glared at the umpire.
She had 60 seconds mid-game interval and her coach’s calming words to help her get over that, but by then Nehwal had built up some momentum and her capture of four of the next five points gave her a cushion which was never pulled from under her.

Richard Eaton

Chong Wei bergaya, beregu utama merana

Datuk Lee Chong Wei melepasi pusingan kedua Seluruh England untuk meneruskan buruan kejuaraan ketiganya, malam tadi.
Pemain nombor satu dunia itu menewaskan pemain muda China Wang Zhengming 21-17, 21-19, malam tadi.

Sementara itu penyakit lama pasangan utama negara Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong berulang lagi apabila tewas mengejut kepada lawan kurang ternama dari Thailand pada pusingan kedua Seluruh England, semalam.

Status selaku beregu nombor dua dunia itu langsung tidak menggentarkan gandingan Thailand, Maneepong Jongjit-Nipitphon Puangpuapech apabila mereka mudah menundukkan Kien Keat-Boon Heong 21-17, 21-18 hanya dalam tempoh 34 minit.

Apakah Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) akan terus mempertahankan gandingan emas itu masih menjadi tanda tanya namun jika persembahan sama dipamerkan dalam misi mara ke final Kejohanan Dunia di Guangzhou, Ogos ini, sudah pasti ia sangat mengecewakan.

Setiausaha BAM, Ng Chin Chai yang juga pengurus skuad negara di Seluruh England berkata, Kien Keat-Boon Heong tidak beraksi pada tahap terbaik.
“Mereka tidak banyak melakukan serangan dan lambat untuk bertahan. Oleh itu lawan mereka banyak melakukan serangan,” katanya ketika dihubungi semalam.

Sementara itu, ketua jurulatih beregu negara, Tan Kim Her pula berkata, Jongjit-Puangpuapech sememangnya layak dipuji.
“Hari ini (malam tadi) beregu Thailand itu bermain lebih pantas di depan jaring berbanding Kien Keat. Walaupun Kien Keat dapat membalas pukulan lawan tapi malangnya mereka buat kesilapan yang memberikan mata mudah,” katanya.

Satu lagi pasangan negara, Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong bagaimanapun layak ke suku akhir selepas menewaskan beregu Jerman, Ingo Kindevater-Johannes Schoettler 21-15, 21-15.

Beregu campuran negara, Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying tersingkir selepas tewas kepada Fran Kurniawan-Shendy Puspa Irawati dari Indonesia 15-21, 17-21.

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