Giantkillers continue to shine in Singapore
News 8:52 AM
Tai Tzu Ying and Singapore’s Shinta Mulia Sari-Yao Lei continued their dream run in the Li Ning Singapore Open when they stormed into the final while India’s P. Kashyap’s gallant run came to an end when he was stopped by Sony Dwi Kuncoro.
Tzu Ying, only 16, qualified for her first ever major final when she beat South Korea’s 19-year-old Bae Youn Joo 21-16, 21-18 to get a crack at playing India’s top seed Saina Nehwal in the final. 
Saina, persevered a three-game encounter against reigning world champion Lu Lan to qualify for her second final appearance in as many weeks with a 8-21, 21-17, 21-8 victory.
“Too many mistakes in the first game but I am happy that I recovered later to score this win,” said the Indian who won the India Open Grand Prix Gold title last week.
Another Indian Open winner – the women’s doubles pair of Shinta Mulia Sari-Yao Lei from Singapore delivered another confident and determined display to qualify for the final.
Shinta-Yao Lei beat the more experienced pair from Chinese Taipei – Cheng Wen Hsing-Chien Yu Chin 11-21, 21-18, 21-19 – and will play South Korea’s Kim Min Jung-Lee Hyo Jung in the final. The South Koreans, the fifth seeds, disposed off Indonesia’s Meiliana Jauhari-Greysia Polii 21-8, 21-15.
“Qualifying for the final in our own home tournament makes the win more meaningful and we want to do our best in the final,” said Shinta.
“Winning the Indian Open was a boost for us and it has given us more confidence now.”
But there was no more dream run for Kashyap as the Indian bowed out to Indonesia’s Sony Dwi Kuncoro in a closely contested match.
Sony won 21-19, 22-20 and will battle it out against Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana for the men’s singles title. The Thai edged favourite Peter Gade of Denmark in the second semi-final 20-22, 21-17, 21-16.
In the men’s doubles, the United States-Indonesia combination of Howard Bach-Tony Gunawan will take on giantkillers Fang Chieh Min-Le Sheng Mu who ousted Olympic champions Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia 21-19, 21-9.
The Chinese Taipei pair had in the earlier rounds accounted for the scalp of Denmark’s Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen as well.
In the mixed doubles, Denmark’s Thomas Laybourn-Kamilla Rytter Juhl will renew their rivalry against Indonesia’s Nova Widianto-Lilyana Natsir in the final.
Posted by Lucas Liau
on 8:52 AM.
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