SINGAPORE OPEN 2010 QF – Taipei pair creates upset

By Timothy Chan, Badzine Correspondent, reporting live from Singapore Indoor Stadium. Photos: Badmintonphoto (live)

Following the upsets of men’s doubles first seeds Koo Kien Keat / Tan Boon Heong from Malaysia and fifth seeds Alvent Yulianto Candra / Hendra Aprida Gunawan of Indonesia in yesterday’s second round, today’s quarter-finals saw another seeded pair crashed out when pinkishly-attired third seed Mathias Boe / Carsten Mogensen of Denmark lost to relatively unknown Fang/Lee 21-16, 17-21, 18-21. Though Fang/Lee lost their first game 16-21 to the third seeds, they managed to fight on to take the second game at 21-17.

It was tough for both sides as they contested furiously to tie 11-11 just after the rubber game interval. They were still evenly matched until at 18-18, then Fang/Lee started to fire up to clinch the next three crucial points to take the match at 21-18, ending this almost one-hour-long encounter and securing the first ever semi-final berth at the Singapore Open.

“We were under a lot of pressure from the Danish pair in the third game,” said Fang. “But we didn’t care, just keep playing and absorbing. And we won.”

The fans will be  waiting and looking forward to see if these giant-killers will continue to register another upset when they meet second seed Markis Kido / Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia, who did not have it easy but still won their match against Singapore’s  Chayut Triyachart (photo) and Danny Bawa Chrisnanta 21-17, 21-17.

“Whoever we play in the semi-final, I think we stand a good chance,” said Lee. “I hope whoever from Chinese Taipei enters the semi-final will do well.”  In fact, it was this same Chinese Taipei pair that also sent the Indonesian pair of Candra/Gunawan packing yesterday when they won quite easily 21-14, 21-13 in just 22 minutes. 

Chinese Taipei became the only nation today to attain a 100 per cent achievement when all their quarter-finalists were victorious in their matches. Beside Fang/Lee, mixed doubles Chen Hung Ling / Cheng Wen Hsing upset fourth-seeded Robert Mateusiak / Nadiezda Zieba of Poland 22-20, 16-21, 21-13.  Cheng later partnered Chien Yu Chin in women’s doubles to beat Indonesians Shendy Puspa Irawati / Nitya Krishinda 21-10, 21-17.  Cheng is looking forward to capture her second Super Series title, after winning one at the 2009 Korea Open. Surprsingly and unexpectedly, Chinese Taipei will be represented in the women’s singles semi-final, after giant-killing teen Tai Tzu Ying, who has laboriously progressed from qualifying round till today, defeated Linda Zechiri of Bulgaria 21-10, 16-21, 21-15.

In another men’s doubles match, ex-world champs Howard Bach / Tony Gunawan of USA had to work very hard to withstand the powerful challenge from Songphon Anugritayawon / Sudket Prapakamol of Thailand in a three-game tussle. Having lost the first game at 21-23,  the Americans strengthened up their defense and gradually it paid off and they won the next two games 21-19, 21-18 to make it to the semi-final. Their opponents in the semi-final will be Swiss Open champions Ko Sung Hyun / Yoo Yeong Seong of South Korea.  The two 23-year-olds had already upset top seeds Koo Kien Keat / Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia in the second round before going on to beat another Malaysia pair Gan Teik Chai / Tan Bin Shen to make it to the semi-final. Ko/Yoo won quite easily 21-17, 21-10.

Nova and Lilyana survive a scare

Three-time mixed doubles champions and top seeds Nova Widianto / Lilyana Natsir (photo)  ended the hopes of Danish  pair Rasmus Bonde / Christinna Pedersen for a place in the semi-final. But the Indonesians had to come from behind to endure a three-game match to win at 10-21, 21-19, 21-4. In the semi-final, they will face Chen Hung Ling / Cheng Wen Hsing of Chinese Taipei. Nova/Lilyana who lost to Xie Zhongbo / Zhang Yawen in the semi-final at last year’s Singapore Open, will be hoping that history will not repeat itself.  As for their opponents, Chen Hung Ling has yet to win a Super Series title is hoping this mixed doubles semi-final chance, with a new and very capable partner, will give him that kind of glory for the first time.

No. 2 seeds Thomas Laybourn / Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark, sticking to their highly seeded status, successfully overcame 6th seeds Diju Valiyaveetil / Jwala Gutta of India 21-13, 21-10. In the semi-final they will be meeting third seeds Hendra Aprida Gunawan / Vita Marissa of Indonesia.

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