China Open News

[seven]

Nov 14: WONG Choong Hann’s title defence in the US$250,000 (RM950,000) China Open stayed on on track when he advanced to the quarter-finals in convincing style in Guangzhou yesterday.

Choong Hann, the joint third seed, secured a comfortable 15-3, 15-8 over unheralded Hu Yun of China in the third round. However, it was the end of the road for Sea Games-bound Lee Tsuen Seng who found Denmark and Hong Kong Open champion Lin Dan of China too hot to handle and crashed 15-13, 15-6. Lee Chong Wei went down fighting to world champion Xia Xuanze of China who secured a close 17-16, 10-15, 15-12 win against the young Malaysian.

Choong Hann will meet joint fifth see Chen Yu, his third opponent from China in the tournament, in today's quarter-final match and the Malaysian can look forward to another win. In the men's doubles, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah advanced to the quarter-finals when they beat joint fifth seeds Flandy Limpele-Eng Hian of Indonesia 15-4, 4-15, 15-12 in the second round. It was Choong-Lee's third straight win over Flandy-Eng Hian and the Malaysians next take on Ha Tae Kwon-Kim Dong Moon of South Korea for a spot in the semi-finals. Sadly, Malaysia's run in the women's doubles came to an end when Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui and Norhashikin Amin-Fong Chew Yen bowed out in the second round. Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui suffered a 15-8, 15-4 defeat to world champions Gao Ling-Huang Sui of China while Norhashikin-Chew Yen lost 15-3, 15-3 to another Chinese pair Zhang Dan-Zhang Yawen.B Results — Men's singles, 3rd rd: Wong Choong Hann bt Hu Yun (Chn) 15-3, 15-8; Lin Dan (Chn) bt Lee Tsuen Seng 15-13, 15-6; Xia Xuanze (Chn) bt Lee Chong Wei 17-16, 10-15, 15-12. Doubles, 2nd rd: Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah bt Flandy Limpele-Eng Hian (Ina) 15-4, 4-15, 15-12. Women's doubles, 2nd rd: Gao Ling-Huang Sui (Chn) bt Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty 15-8, 15-4; Zhang Dan-Zhang Yawen (Chn) bt Norhashikin Amin-Fong Chew Yen 15-3, 15-3.

[sidek_brothers]

CHOON HAN AND TAN FOOK/WAN WAH GO TO SEMI FINAL!
CONGRAZ!
I HOPE CHOON HAN CAN GO TO FINAL.
YEAH,HE'S DEFENDING CHAMPION.
MALAYSIA BOLEH!

[seven]

By LIM TEIK HUAT

PETALING JAYA: It was a double disappointment for Malaysia when top singles player Wong Choong Hann and the doubles duo of Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah fell in the final hurdle of the US$250,000 China Open Badminton Championships at the Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou yesterday.

Choong Hann's bid to become the only player to win back to back international men's singles title this year came unstuck at the hands of Chinese teenager Lin Dan while Tan Fook-Wan Wah met their match in reigning world champions Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark.

The top seeds and current world number one pair beat the Malaysians 15-12, 15-10 to lift their first title since emerging world champions in Birmingham in July.

For Tan Fook-Wan Wah, it was the second time in three weeks that they appeared in the final after the Hong Kong Open early this month.

However, they could not muster enough firepower to end their four-year-old title drought. But credit deserved to be given to the veterans, who are almost assured of a place in the Athens Olympics next year following their good run.

National doubles coach Yap Kim Hock said earlier that Tan Fook-Wan Wah are set to be among the top four pairs in the world next month.

“They have performed beyond expectations to reach the finals in two six-star meets this year and collected enough ranking points for the Olympics.”

Earlier, Choong Hann, the defending champion and runner-up in the World Championships, put up a gallant fight against the 20-year-old Lin Dan in his bid to win the six-star title to add to his triumph in the Taiwan Open last weekend.

In the battle between the two left-handers, both exchanged lead numerous times in the first game.

Lin Dan, cheered on by the strong partisan support in the packed stadium, eventually prevailed with his fierce attacks to win 17-16 in the first game. The Chinese youngster went on to clinch victory with a 15-12 score after battling for nearly an hour.

Choong Hann, who dispatched former world number one Peter-Gade Christensen of Denmark in three games on Saturday, also repeatedly placed the shuttlecock out of bounds.

Not helping him was the fact that Lin Dan had also had the luxury of an extra day's rest after he was given a walkover in Saturday's semi-final by compatriot Zhu Weilun.

It was the second straight time Lin Dan had beaten the 26 year-old Malaysian. Lin Dan defeated Choong Hann in the semi-finals of



RESULTS (All finals)

# Men's singles: Lin Dan (Chn) bt Wong Choong Hann (Mas) 17-16, 15-12.

# Men's doubles: Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmusen Den) bt Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah (Mas) 15-12, 15-10

# Women's singles: Zhou Mi (Chn) bt Gong Ruina (Chn) 13-10, 5-1 (Rtd)

# Women's doubles: Gao Ling-Huang Sui (Chn) bt Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen (Chn) 15-8, 15-12.

[seven]

S.S. Dhaliwal

CHINA have taken international badminton to a new low following their antics at the China Open held at the Tainhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou.

Not only did they display poor sportsmanship off the court, but also resorted to questionable methods to ensure the much coveted men singles title is won by one of their own.

And against such odds it was little wonder that Wong Choong Hann lost the final to Lin Dan with a 17-16, 15-12 scoreline.

But the Chinese players and officials should try to pick up a thing or two from Choong Hann who refused to blame anyone for his defeat.

“I lost to a better player today. Despite the defeat, I am happy with my performance in the final,” said Choong Hann.

“I am disappointed but I did not lose for lack of effort but just that I could not match Lin Dan today.

“This is the second time I have lost to him but I dare say it will be a different story the next time.

“He had an advantage with the one day rest as he received a walkover in the semifinal.

“Whether that was planned or not is for others to judge but it gave him a distinct advantage and he used it.

“That is sport and we just have to accept defeat, though for me it was a bitter pill to swallow.

“I am proud of my game here and hope to build on it and do well at the SEA Games.”

Choong Hann, who won the Taiwan Open last week, however, has a chance for revenge as he lines up against the Chinese armada in a friendly between Malaysia and China today.

Choong Hann must be credited for his display in the tournament as he showed why he is still the nation’s top singles player.

But even the best sometimes fall victim to questionable decisions and it was no different for Choong Hann in the final.

Choong Hann was incensed at being faulted twice in the second set when the score was 13-11 in favour of Lin Dan.

“That affected my concentration and there was just no coming back after that,” said Choong Hann.

“But that one incident did not cause my defeat and I will just learn to remain more focused next time.”

The despicable methods employed by the Chinese were apparent even before the final got under way.

While Choong Hann had to labour in the semi-finals against Denmark’s Peter Gade Christensen, Lin Dan was given a walkover by his compatriot Zhu Weilun.

It seemed Zhu Weilun had mysteriously picked up a shoulder injury after his quarterfinal exploits.



Choong Hann trailed Lin Dan 7-8 at one stage but manage to draw level at 10-10.

He then took three points for a 13-10 lead but Lin Dan started smashing more and caught up to level at 13 all.

Despite edging forward at set point, Lin Dan failed to get the winning point and this allowed Choong Hann to tie at 14 all.

The two players were neck to neck and once again Choong Hann foiled Lin Dan’s attempt to gain the winning point by drawing level at 16-16.

But Choong Hann failed to get the winner and that handed the advantage to Lin Dan who needed no second chance to win the first set 17-16.

In the second set Choong Hann led 7-2 at one stage but failed to take advantage allowing Lin Dan to draw level and forge ahead 11-8.

Choong Hann narrowed the deficit to 10-11 but Lin Dan won the next two points to surge ahead 13-10.

It was then that Choong Hann was faulted and that allowed Lin Dan to do what Chen Hong had failed to do last year, to keep the singles title in China.

[seven]

K.M. Boopathy

GUANGZHOU, Nov 17: THERE was no joy for national singles star Wong Choong Hann and doubles pair Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah as their winning runs in the China Open came to grinding halts in the finals in Guangzhou last night.

Choong Hann, who has been in blistering form over the last fortnight, had to concede that China's Lin Dan is the shuttler in form currently as the Malaysian fell to a 17-16, 15-12 defeat.

Tan Fook-Wan Wah, whose form has been on an upswing since the Singapore Open in August, also found world champions Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen too much of a stumbling block as they lost 15-12, 15-10.

Lin Dan earlier denied Choong Hann a rare back-to-back World Grand Prix circuit victory when he showed that he, at 20, leads the new generation of shuttlers that China seem to churn out non-stop.

The title, worth US$20,000 (RM76,000), was Lin Dan's third of the year, having won the Denmark Open last month and the Hong Kong Open three weeks ago.

Choong Hann picked up US$10,000 (RM38,000) for his efforts but hopes had been high that he would, after last week's Taiwan Open crown, add what would have been only his second title of the year.

He was playing in his third consecutive China Open final, defending the crown he won last year and last night's final was on the back of an 11-match winning run but Choong Hann had to ultimately concede that Lin Dan is currently the best player on the international circuit.

The China Open was Lin Dan's fourth consecutive final and he was in no mood to be denied the title before his home fans.

Still, world championships runner-up Choong Hann can take heart from the fact that his run over the last fortnight is the most consistent he has probably ever been and two consecutive finals is still something to shout about.

In the men’s doubles final, Tan Fook-Wan Wah once again fell at the last hurdle to world champions Paaske-Rasmussen.

Tan Fook-Wan Wah were aiming for their first title in six years but could not overcome a gritty Paaske-Rasmussen whose victory yesterday was only their second title after the world championships crown in Birmingham three months ago.

The Malaysians came close to winning the Hong Kong Open but were beaten in three games by South Koreans Lee Dong Soo-Yoo Yong Sung.

Lin Dan’s victory gave the hosts four titles as the women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles finals were all-Chinese affairs.

RESULTS - (All finals) Men’s singles: Lin Dan (Chn) bt Wong Choong Hann (Mas) 17-16, 15-12.

Doubles: Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen (Den) bt Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah (Mas) 15-12, 15-10.

Women’s singles: Zhou Mi (Chn) bt Gong Ruina (Chn)13-10, 5-1 rtd.

Doubles: Gao Ling-Huang Sui (Chn) bt Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen (Chn) 15-8, 15-12.

Mixed doubles: Zhang Jun-Gao Ling (Chn) bt Chen Qiqiu-Zhao Tingting (Chn) 15-13, 15-6.