LI NING CHINA MASTERS 2009 - China seal three titles, Lin Dan-Chong Wei rematch
Friday, September 18, 2009
With three titles signed, sealed and delivered, the question now is who can stop China from adding the Li Ning China
That enormous task will fall on the shoulders of Malaysia ’s Lee Chong Wei and Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, Thailand ’s Boonsak Ponsana and Korea
Thanks to an all-China semi-final in the women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles, Lin Dan and Chen Jin will be eager to make it an all-China final in the men’s singles while Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng and Guo Zhendong-Cheng Xu will aim to do the same in the men’s doubles.
All of which point to an exciting Saturday for the home fans, especially in the men’s events.
First up will be Ponsana, who will take on Chen Jin in the men’s singles semi-final. Having shocked Denmark
On Friday, Ponsana took 69 minutes to subdue the challenge from Gade in his 21-16, 19-21, 21-18 win while Chen Jin had a relatively shorter time against compatriot Chen Long, scoring a 21-16, 8-21, 21-16 win over the former world junior champion.
The Ponsana-Gade match was only overshadowed by another titanic battle between three-time world champion Lin Dan against Korea
Lin Dan took one minute longer than Ponsana to edge out Park with a thrilling 21-15, 13-21, 23-21 win to set up an exciting clash against arch rival Lee Chong Wei. The latter beat China
In the men’s doubles, favourites Cai-Fu will play Korea ’s Cho-Yoo while Malaysia
No high drama in the other events with Lu Lan the only odd one out in the women’s singles line up – all the other three players share the same surname – Wang.
The fifth seed will play Wang Shixian while Wang Lin and Wang Xin will decide the other finalist. Lu Lan upset Hong Kong top seed Zhou Mi 21-10, 21-17 in the quarter-finals while Wang Shixian stopped Wang Yihan in straight games as well, winning 21-18, 21-18.
Wang Xin ended Pi Hongyan’s run in the tournament with a clinical 21-11, 21-10 win while Wang Lin wore down Korea
In the women’s doubles, part-timers Gao Ling-Wei Yili proved they were still a force to be reckoned with when they beat Korea
Gao Ling-Wei Yili, who have retired from international competition, face another test in the form of Olympic champions Du Jing-Yu Yang in the semi-finals. The second semi-final will feature top seeds Cheng Shu-Zhao Yunlei and Pan Pan-Qing Tian.
In the mixed doubles, the semi-final line up reads Chen Ziben-Zhang Jinkang against Tao Jiaming-Wang Xiaoli and Xie Zhongbo-Zhang Yawen against He Hanbin-Yu Yang.
Chong Wei, Lin Dan on different missions in semi-finals
KUALA LUMPUR: One is out to regain the faith of his fans while the other is hoping not to let his home fans down again.So, expect a fiery duel when Malaysia’s world number one Lee Chong Wei takes on world champion Lin Dan of China in the men’s singles semi-final in the China Masters at Changzhou today.
Malaysia’s Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah also kept Malaysia’s hopes alive in the men’s doubles when they marched into the semi-finals. The duo who beat Li Tian-Shen Ye of China 21-13, 22-20 yesterday, will take on Guo Zhengdong-Xu Chen next.
Yesterday, Chong Wei survived a fierce first game assault from China youngster Du Pengyu before prevailing 21-19, 21-15.
Home favourite Lin Dan, who failed to make it to the final last year, also did not have it easy and had to come back from the brink of defeat to beat South Korean Park Sung-hwan 21-15, 13-21, 23-21.
This year, Lin Dan has beaten Chong Wei at the All-England final (March) and the Sudirman Cup (May) while Chong Wei pulled the rug from under the China ace at the Swiss Open final (March).
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