YONEX-SUNRISE BWF WORLD SUPER SERIES 2009 - Defending champs shown the exit

Knowing that only a win will put him in the semi-finals, Gade displayed great tenacity and determination to shrug off the challenge from Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana to check into the semi-finals of the YONEX-SUNRISE BWF World Super Series Masters Finals 2009 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia on Friday.

The fans were treated to some exhilarating badminton with delicate net shots, long rallies, great defence and strong smashes but Gade finally prevailed to take the match 21-13, 20-22, 21-15.

“He played some incredible shots but he also gave away some easy points. But having said that, I am really pleased with my performance as I am an old man compared to him (Boonsak),” said Gade, who at 32 is five years older than the Thai.

“It was a long and tough match but I got through and qualified for another semi-final which is a great achievement for me.

“I am prepared for both players (Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei or China’s Bao Chunlai) but I prefer to play Bao as Chong Wei will have the home support.”

In Group A, Chong Wei was a comfortable winner as Bao was comprehensively outplayed 21-13, 21-11.

In Saturday’s semi-final, Chong Wei will take on Gade while Bao will play Park.

Having qualified for the semi-finals both Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae (Korea) and Carsten Mogensen-Mathias Boe (Denmark) did not go the full distance obviously reserving their energies for Saturday’s semi-finals.

The Koreans won 21-16, 21-16 and top Group B and will play the runner-up of Group A.

But in Group A, the outcome was far from certain until Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong took to court in the penultimate match of the night. With three pairs in the running for the two semi-final spots, the fans were entertained to a dazzling display of attacking badminton.

First up was Malaysia’s Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari who needed a straight games win over Indonesia’s Rian Sukmawan-Yonathan Dasuki to keep their hopes alive. The Malaysians did just that, winning 21-13, 21-13 and with Koo-Tan falling to China’s Guo Zhendong-Xu Chen 21-7, 16-21, 21-12, checked into the last four.

“We prefer to meet Mogensen-Boe as we have a better track record against them,” said Zakry.

“Their (Mogensen-Boe) game is similar to ours and our chances are definitely better against the Danes than the Koreans.”

Results:

Men’s singles: Group A: Lee Chong Wei (MAS) bt Bao Chunlai (CHN) ; Group B: Peter Gade (DEN) bt Boonsak Ponsana (THA) 21-13, 20-22, 21-15; Women’s singles: Group A: Wong Mew Choo (MAS) bt Charmaine Reid (CAN) 21-6, 21-13; Group B: Yao Jie (NED) bt Nicole Grether (GER) 21-18, 21-15; Salakjit Ponsana (THA) bt Juliane Schenk 22-20, 9-21, 23-21; Men’s doubles: Group A: Guo Zhendong-Xu Chen (CHN) bt Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (MAS) 21-7, 16-21, 21-12; Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari (MAS) bt Rian Sukmawan-Yonathan Dasuki (INA) 21-13, 21-13; Group B: Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae (KOR) bt Carsten Mogensen-Mathias Boe (DEN) 21-16, 21-16; Women’s doubles: Group A: Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty (MAS) bt Jenny Wallwork-Gabrielle White (ENG) 21-17, 21-13; Group B: Cheng Wen Hsing-Chien Yu Chin (TPE) bt Duang Anong Aroonkesorn-Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (THA) 21-10, 21-13; Mixed doubles: Group A: Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (DEN) bt Ko Sung Hyun-Ha Jung Eun (KOR) 21-17, 21-15; Group B: Anthony Clark-Donna Kellogg (ENG) bt Hendra Gunawan-Vita Marissa (INA) 21-15, 16-21, 21-15;