FRENCH OPEN 2011 SF – Jung/Lee’s streak continues

In-form Koreans Lee Yong Dae and Jung Jae Sung, confirmed for the second consecutive week their Olympic shape, getting rid of world number threes Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen of Denmark in straight games, digging the gap against their Danish rivals. Meanwhile, Kenichi Tago was given a lucky path through to the final.  Despite trailing Lin Dan, the latter, pulled out of the match, citing a toe injury.

By Tarek Hafi, live in Paris.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

The French federation decided to go for original starts in this semi-final day, bringing two falcons as their new shuttle delivery to players in the opening match of the day. The crowd, coming in to pack the hall, quickly raised their voices to support European players, proclaiming again their reputation of highest decibels hitters on this end of the old continent.

Their voices all converged, obviously towards Denmark’s Mathias Boe and Cartsen Mogensen, playing their Korean nemeses Lee Yong Dae and Jung Jae Sung. But things can’t always take the road we want them to take and the Koreans, superb in the past several weeks, confirmed again their majestic form, a few months away from the Olympics. The Danes, for their part, seemed dried out of strength, after their breathtaking match yesterday against compatriots Conrad Petersen and Rasmussen.

Tactically perfect, against a pair they know already so well, Lee Yong Dae and Jung Jae sung, showed off their efficient defence, refused to allow the Danes to show more than a glimpse of their fast and furious game.

“After we won in Denmark last week, we gained a lot of confidence.  Our condition right now is great and reaching the final is once again really delighting,” revealed a smiling Lee Yong Dae, pleased with their straight-game performance today – as they won 21-17, 21-17 – and during their whole week’s journey in Paris.

“They are players we know well. Yong Dae and I know which tactics to use against them.  We had difficulties in the past but now we are more than happy with the way we played them recently,” added Jung Jae Sung in their post-match interview.

For the second straight week, they are now set to meet Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng, the world number one Chinese pair, who on Sunday will be getting ready to avenge last week’s defeat. The Chinese World Champions beat Japan’s Hirata and Hashimoto in three games while the Korean have not conceded a single game so far in Paris.

Lin Dan didn’t seem to have any redemption feelings after yesterday’s match as he decided to pull out of his match against Kenichi Tago, despite leading 25-23, 18-15. The Chinese legend, looking perfectly fine from the start, outmanoeuvring his opponent for their first ever encounter, seemed in complete control to reach the final in Paris. It all went the Chinese star’s way, until Lin Dan started touching his foot, walking a few steps and heading to Kenichi to shake hands, after quickly showing his injured foot to the umpire. This tricky issue once again left the crowd deprived of the sight of Lin Dan at the top of his world class game.

All results HERE

Live Streaming HERE

Photos of the Day HERE
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