Shuttlers Koo-Tan and Lee in in Japan Open semis, youngsters pack up

Posted by Lucas Liau News, Top News 9:53 AM

PETALING JAYA: It was a sad end for Asian Games-bound doubles shuttlers Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong as they crashed out in the quarter-finals of the Japan Open in Tokyo yesterday.
But usual suspects, and world No. 1s – Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Lee Chong Wei – kept the Malaysian flag flying high in the men’s doubles and singles events respectively.
Yesterday, back-up shuttlers Hee Chun-Wee Kiong squandered a healthy six-point lead in the opening game to lose 19-21, 14-21 to China’s Chai Biao-Zhang Nan.
Ironically, their defeat came on the day that the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) officially endorsed the youngsters’ participation in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, during their council meeting in Kuala Lumpur here yesterday.

National coach Tan Kim Her said that Hee Chun-Wee Kiong would have to be more steady as they gear up for their maiden Asiad outing.
“It is unfortunate that they lost today ... they had a good chance of reaching the semis. They took a good 12-6 lead in the first game but Mak was unable to stay focused,” Kim Her said in a telephone interview from Tokyo.
“They seem to find it hard to contain the excitement of having beaten fancied South Koreans Ko Sung-hyun-Yoo Yeon-seong in the first round. It is all right as they still have time to work on their shortcomings.
“I will propose that they be included for the Denmark and France Opens next. We will continue to work on their game and match temperament.
“They have been given a good chance to feature in their first Asian Games. Now, they have to be ready.”
Kien Keat-Boon Heong, meanwhile, had to fend off a strong challenge from South Koreans Kim Ki-jung-Shin Baek-cheol before prevailing 21-7, 17-21, 21-11.
In today’s semi-finals, Kien Keat-Boon Heong will take on Indonesians Bona Septano-Mohd Ahsan while world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng will face compatriots Chai Biao-Zhang Nan.
Chong Wei continued his relentless march in the Japan Open when he disposed off China’s Bao Chunlai 21-10, 21-10 in just 33 minutes.
He will take on Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana for a place in the final today.
The other semi-final will be between Lin Dan of China and Peter-Gade Christensen of Denmark.
Quarter-finals results
Men’s singles: Lin Dan (Chn) bt Park Sung-hwan (Kor) 22-20, 21-16; Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Bao Chunlai (Chn) 21-10, 21-10; Boonsak Ponsana (Tha) bt Chen Long (Chn) 21-16, 17-21, 21-12; Peter-Gade Christensen (Den) bt Nguyen Tien Minh (Vie) 21-13, 21-13.
Men’s doubles: Chai Biao-Zhang Nan (Chn) bt Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong (Mas) 21-19, 21-14; Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (Chn) bt Cho Gun-woo-Kwon Yigoo (Kor) 21-14, 16-21, 21-12; Mohd Ahsan-Bona Septano (Ina) bt Luluk Hadiyanto-Candra Wijaya (Ina) 21-19, 21-14; Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) bt Kim Ki-jung-Shin Baek-cheol (Kor) 21-7, 17-21, 21-11.
Women’s singles: Wang Shixian (Chn) bt Shizuka Uchida (Jpn) 21-11, 16-21, 21-13; Wang Xin (Chn) bt Eriko Hirose (Jpn) 21-14, 18-21, 21-10; Tine Baun (Den) bt Sung Ji-hyun (Kor) 21-11, 21-18; Jiang Yanjiao (Chn) bt Lu Lan (Chn) 21-17, 21-15.
Women’s doubles: Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna (Jpn) bt Zhang Dan-Zhang Zhibo (Mac) 21-18, 21-16; Cheng Shu-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt Ha Jung-eun-Jung Kyung-eun (Kor) 21-15, 24-22; Cheng Wen-hsing-Chien Yu-chin (Tpe) bt Kim Minjung-Lee Hyo-jung (Kor) 19-21, 21-14, 21-16; Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Jang Ye-na-Kim Min-seo (Kor) 21-6, 21-9.
Mixed doubles: Chen Hung-ling-Cheng Wenhsing (Tpe) bt Fran Kurniawan-Pia Zebadiah Bernadet (Ina) 21-17, 21-17; Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) bt Thomas Laybourn-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) 21-15, 21-16; Tao Jiaming-Tian Qing (Chn) bt Hendra Gunawan-Vita Marissa (Ina) 21-10, 21-9; Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt He Hanbin-Ma Jin (C hn) 21-17, 23-21.