JAPAN OPEN 2010 SF – Malaysia boys to prevent China’s clean sweep

China may go for a clean sweep again, but Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei and Koo Kien Keat / Tan Boon Heong will try to forbid what has become a habit lately for the badminton powerhouse.

By Emzi Regala, Badzine Correspondent. Photos: Yves Lacroix, Badmintonphoto (live)

No pressure for Lee Chong Wei

In another semi-final match for the men’s singles title, world #1 Lee Chong Wei proved too fast and too strong for his Thai opponent Boonsak Ponsana.  To the delight of the very proud and loud Malaysian crowd, Lee Chong Wei breezed in with a 21-13, 21-18 straight-game victory giving him the ticket to face Lin Dan in the final of the 2010 Japan Yonex Open.

“He was just too fast and I couldn’t keep up with him. I kept trying to slow the pace down but he dominated me.  I didn’t have enough stamina and in the end all I could do was just raise the shuttle,” said the very disappointed Boonsak after the game, which he admitted he needed to be more confident in order to win.

The very confident and relaxed Lee Chong Wei, on the other hand, said that he will continue to play his best and enjoy the tournament. Observers accredit his very good play to his ‘no pressure attitude’.  When asked at the press conference what it would take to beat Lin Dan, he giggled and answered, “It’s a secret. I’ll let you know after I beat Lin Dan tomorrow.”

To recuperate from his injury, Lee Chong Wei plans to take ten days off and go swimming, after the final match tomorrow against Lin Dan.

World Number #1 Malaysians Koo/Tan breezed through the opposition from Indonesians Mohammad Ahsan/Bona Septano.  The first game showed the feisty Indonesians fighting neck-to-neck against the Malaysian players to no avail.

The Chinese pair of Cai/Fu, on the other hand, proved too strong for their younger counterparts, Chinese Biao Chai/Nan Zhang. The more famous Chinese pair walked away with a straight-game victory, 21-17,21-16 to set up a rematch of the final in Paris last month, where they beat Koo/Tan to take their third World Championship title.

Elsewhere, it will be all-China affairs.  Tine Baun did what she could to beat her nemesis, but once again Wang Xin managed to pull the right shots at the right time and the right place.  21-17, 21-16 and Wang’s sixth straight victory over Baun was all over. Wang will meet Jiang Yanjiao, who saved two game points in the second game against Wang Shixian before edging her younger opponent 22-20, 23-21.

In the mixed and ladies’ doubles, too, China already has its hands on gold and silver as Tao/Tian take on Zhang/Zhao before Zhao teams up with Cheng Shu to play Yu/Wang in an attempt to win back the women’s doubles title they won in 2008 to announce their arrival in the big leagues.

All Results HERE

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