Chong Wei, Mew Choo smash their way into the semis

PETALING JAYA: Lee Chong Wei and Wong Mew Choo continued to stay on top of their game to book tickets to the semi-finals of the Super Series Masters Finals at the Bandaraya Stadium in Johor Baru yesterday.

Defending champion Chong Wei took only 27 minutes to blow away Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia 21-6, 21-13 in a lopsided Group A match.

The world No. 1 will complete his group matches today against China’s Bao Chunlai, who is also through to the semi-finals after also having won two matches.

In Group B, Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana, South Korean Park Sung-hwan and Denmark’s Peter-Gade Christensen will be have do-or-die missions to get into the semi-finals.

National coach Misbun Sidek hoped that Chong Wei would finish as the group winner.

“I had expected him to be involved in a tough match against Taufik but it turned out to be a one-sided affair. He was in total control and played without any pressure at all,” said Misbun.

“Chunlai also defeated Taufik on the first day (Wednesday) and Chong Wei can anticipate a tougher time against the Chinese veteran.

“Hopefully, Chong Wei can continue with his relaxed approach and move into the elimination round with more confidence.”

After losing all her group matches in the inaugural Masters Finals in Kota Kinablu last year, Mew Choo made a breakthrough to seal a place in the last four with a sensational 21-9, 21-7 win over Thailand’s Porntip Buranaprasertsuk in 27 minutes.

She will take on Canada’s Charmaine Reid today and should have little difficulty to emerge as the Group A winner.

“She was in solid form and it was a good breakthrough to reach her first semi-finals in the Masters Finals after a poor outing in Kota Kinabalu last year,” said Misbun.

In Group B, Thailand’s Salakjit Ponsana and Holland’s Yao Jie look good to advance to the semi-finals.

■ MEN’S SINGLES

Group A: Bao Chunlai (Chn) bt Hsieh Yu-hsin (Tpe) 17-21, 21-8, 21-16; Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Taufik Hidayat (Ina) 21-6, 21-13.

Group B: Boonsak Ponsana (Tha) bt Jan O Jorgensen (Den) 21-9, 21-18; Park Sung-hwan (Kor) bt Peter-Gade Christensen (Den) 21-12, 7-21, 21-15.

■ MEN’S DOUBLES

Group A: Guo Zhengdong-Xu Chen (Chn) bt Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif (Mas) 21-18, 21-17; Tan Boon Heong-Koo Kien Keat (Mas) bt Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki-Rian Sukmawan (Ina) 21-15, 21-14.

Group B: Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae (Kor) bt Alven Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan (Ina) 21-19, 21-19; Carsten Mogensen-Mathias Boe (Den) bt Anthony Clark-Nathan Robertson (Eng) 21-15, 18-21, 21-13.

■ WOMEN’S SINGLES

Group A: Saina Nehwal (Ind) bt Charmaine Reid (Can) 21-14, 21-9; Wong Mew Choo (Mas) bt Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (Tha) 21-9, 21-7.

Group B: Salakjit Ponsana (Tha) bt Nicole Grether (Ger) 21-17, 21-7; Juliane Schenk (Ger) bt Yao Jie (Ned) 21-13, 21-10.

■ WOMEN’S DOUBLES

Group A: Charmaine Reid-Nicole Grether (Can-Ger) bt Gabrille White-Jenny Wallwork (Eng) 21-17, 21-13; Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty (Mas) bt Kamilla Rytter Juhl-Lena-Frier Kristensen (Den) 21-19, 21-15.

Group B: Cheng Wen-shing-Chien Yu-chin (Tpe) bt Laura Choinet-Weny Rahmawati (Fra) 21-9, 21-17; Duang Anong Aroonkesorn-V. Kunchala (Tha) bt Chou Chia-chi-Chang Hsin-yun (Tpe) 18-21, 21-16, 22-20.

■ MIXED DOUBLES

Group A: Robert Mateusiak-Nadiezda Kostiuczyk (Pol) bt Ko Sung-hyun-Ha Jung-eun (Kor) 22-20, 21-13; Joacim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) bt Sudket Prapakamol-T. Saralee (Tha) 19-21, 21-18, 21-17.

Group B: Anthony Clark-Donna Kellogg (Eng) bt A. Songphon-V. Kunchala (Tha) 18-21, 21-16, 21-12; V. Diju-Jwala Gutta (Ind) bt Hendra Gunawan-Vita Marissa (Ina) 21-18, 21-17.

Posted by Lucas Liau on 9:24 AM. Filed under News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0