Chong Wei-Taufik final, Saina inches closer

Posted by Lucas Liau News 10:36 AM

Chinese Taipei's Fang Chieh Min-Lee Sheng Mu also stayed on track for back to back titles when they beat England's Nathan Robertson-Anthony Clark to secure their place in the men's doubes final. Chieh Min-Sheng Mu will take on South Korea's Cho Gun Woo-Kwon Yi Goo in the final.
The Koreans beat Japan's Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata, who had beaten World No 1 Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong in the quarter-finals, 19-21, 21-12, 21-14 to cap a bad day for the Japanese.
But all eyes will be on the men's singles final as awaiting Chong Wei in the final is local favourite and six-time Indonesia Open winner Taufik Hidayat.
In fact, it will be a repeat of last year's final where Chong Wei emerged triumphant but Taufik vowed to pull out all stops to contain the Malaysian.
"Chong Wei is the favourite and he is in really good form and as such, I have to plan well for the match tomorrow (Sunday)," said Taufik after is 21-17, 21-12 win over Vietnam's Nguyen Tienh Minh.
Chong Wei, on the other hand, was in his element against Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro and hardly looked like the player that lost to the Indonesian in the quarter-finals of the Singapore Open last week. Earlier this year, Chong Wei bagged the Korea Open, Malaysia Open and All England titles.
Quick at the net and showing great anticipation, the Malaysian was an easy winner, scoring a 21-13, 21-9 win over Sony.
"It was easier than I expected but I am happy to get through the semi-finals. I won the title last year and I want to defend it tomorrow (Sunday)," said Chong Wei.
"We have played against each other many times and we both know the strengths and weaknesses as well. I have to defend and attack well tomorrow."
It is a match that is bound to attract the interest of local fans especially so as Taufik is the sole Indonesian left in the tournament apart from Hendra Setiawan, who is partnering Anastasia Russkikh from Russia, in the mixed doubles.
The Indonesia-Russian combination qualified for the final after they beat South Korea's Ko Sung Hyun-Ha Jung Eun 19-21, 21-13, 21-17 in the semi-finals. Hendra-Russkikh will take on Poland's Robert Mateusiak-Nadiezda Zieba who stunned Indonesia's top seeds Nova Widianto-Lilyana Natsir in three games.
In the women's singles, Saina will start as the overwhelming favourite against Sayaka Sato of Japan in Sunday's final.
Saina, winner of the India Open Grand Prix Gold and Singapore Open Super Series, beat Japan's Eriko Hirose 21-9, 21-10 in the semi-final while Sayaka defeated Indonesia's Ana Rovita 22-20, 21-17.
In the women's doubles, South Korea's Kim Min Jung-Lee Hyo Jung beat top seeds Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna of Japan 21-16, 21-18 and will play Chinese Taipei's Cheng Wen Hsing-Chien Yu Chin. Wen Hsing-Yu Chin beat the Indonesia-Thailand pair of Vita Marissa-Saralee Thoungthongkam 21-15, 21-15.