MACAU OPEN 2012 SF – Powerhouse rules

The powerhouses of badminton have sealed one number for each as Indonesians rules mixed doubles, China rules men’s singles and Korea rules women’s doubles at the Kumpoo Macau Open Grand Prix Gold.

By Angga Maulana Akbar, Badzine Correspondent.  Photos: Badmintonphoto (archives)

It was a semi-finals day of stacking the deck for three of badminton’s established powerhouses as two doubles titles as well as men’s singles will be contested in-house after Indonesia, China, and Korea managed to take both semi-finals.

China sealed the men’s singles title as Chen Yuekun will meet Gao Huan in the final.  Both players took out Indian youngsters, the former beating Gurusaidutt RMV and the latter Srikanth K.

Chen Yuekun went to final first after defeating Gurusaidutt RMV 21-16, 21-17.  It is his second Grand Prix Gold final as he was runner-up to Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia at this year’s Thailand Open.  Several minutes later, his compatriot also grabbed a berth in the final as Gao Huan won over Maldive International Challenge winner Srikanth K 21-8, 21-19.

Two Koreans won over two Indonesians to make it an all-Korean Macau Open final in women’s doubles for the second straight year.  Top seeds and 2011 runners-up Eom Hye Won / Jang Ye Na showed Pia Zebadiah / Rizki Amelia the exit.

Meanwhile, the other Koreans had a tougher fight against Indonesia’s other pair Komala Dewi / Jenna Gozali.  However, Choi Hye In / Kim So Young (pictured right) finally found the happy ending after 76 minutes, winning the match 15-21, 21-11, 21-12.

Finally, Indonesia is sure to take the mixed doubles title home after Tontowi Ahmad / Lilyana Natsir defeated Thailand Open champions Tao Jiaming / Tang Jinhua in twin 21-18 games.  In the first game, the Chinese challengers led until the first interval, but Tontowi and Lilyana showed their class as they closed the game out 21-18.

In the final, the Indonesian pair will meet their friends Muhammad Rijal / Debby Susanto (pictured top), who beat their younger compatriots Riky Widianto / Puspita Dili Richi in two quick games.

Tontowi/Lilyana have already seized this title twice, in 2010 and 2011, but tomorrow will tell whether or not they will also get lucky a third time in the Asian Las Vegas.

Youngsters on Top

Women’s singles once again shows the new generation of badminton in Macau.  As it was teenagers who ruled the semi-finals, Macau will, in fact, be the fourth Grand Prix title to go to an under-19 shuttler after the Malaysia GP Gold, the Canada Open, and the Chinese Taipei Open.

2011 Asian Junior Champion Sun Yu of China beat her compatriot Deng Xuan to earn a place in the final against seventh seed Busanan Ongbamrungphan (pictured) of Thailand in the final.  The Thai teen bested U.S. Open winner Pai Hsiao Ma of Chinese Taipei 21-11, 21-7.  The 16-year-old Busanan seems to have her eye on a second major title of this year as it was she who grabbed the Malaysia Grand Prix Gold title this past spring.

Europe or Taiwan to take one

Going into Saturday’s action, the last Europeans standing were already Vladimir Ivanov / Ivan Sozonov (pictured below) and they reached the final after putting in a better performance than their more heralded opponents Markis Kido / Alvent Yulianto Chandra of Indonesia.

The Russian top seeds defeated the Indonesians in 17-21, 21-10, 21-19.  Their wish to grab a second Grand Prix title of this year will not be easy granted as they will be up against Chinese Taipei’s Lee Sheng Mu / Tsai Chia Hsin who defeated Shin Baek Cheol / Yoo Yeon Seong of Korea 21-9, 18-21, 21-16 in a battle of the new pairings.

Lee Sheng Mu is, of course, still at world #10 with Fang Chieh Min, but in his new partnership with an older partner, the 30-year-old Tsai, has already posted impressive results, reaching the semi-final of the Hong Kong Open Superseries last week after defeating fourth-seeded Thais Issara/Jongjit and fifth seeds Endo/Hayakawa along the way.  Hence, they were not at all daunted by the Koreans who became Denmark Open champions in their own inaugural outing as a pair.

Click here for complete semi-final results

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