Lee Chong Wei wins the YONEX Japan Open

Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei prevented China from making another clean sweep of titles when he beat arch rival Lin Dan for the YONEX Japan Open men’s singles crown in Tokyo on Sunday.

The battle, lasting 80 minutes, was badminton of the highest standard as both players were evenly matched, but it was Chong Wei’s 22-20 win in the first game that set the tone for his memorable win over the three-time world champion.
The Malaysian dropped the second game 16-21 but roared back to win the decisive third game 21-17.

At the World Championships in Paris alst month, China won all five titles and repeated the feat at the China Masters Super Series in Changzhou last week.

Chong Wei’s compatriots, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, once again, failed to match the power and strength of Cai Yun –Fu Haifeng as the Malaysians slumped to a 18-21, 21-14, 21-12 defeat in the men’s doubles.

At last month’s World Championships final in Paris, Cai-Fu beat the Malaysians in the final as well.

China, however, still reigned supreme, winning four of the five titles with the other three events – women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles – featuring an all-China final. 

“It has been a long time coming but is a great feeling to have finally beaten Lin Dan,” said Chong Wei referring to his win over the Chinese at the Swiss Open in March last year. 

“But I am sure there will be many more occasions where we will play each other, including the Asian Games (In November) and I have to work even harder to stay on top of my game.”

The win also consolidated the Malaysian’s position as World No 1 as the Japan Open title was the fifth Super Series title for Chong Wei this year to add to the Korea Open, Malaysian Open, All England and Indonesia Open titles. Besides these, he also won the Macau Open and Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold.

In the women’s singles, Jiang Yanjiao beat Wang Xin 23-21, 21-18 while Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang beat Cheng Shu-Zhao Yunlei 21-17, 21-6 to take the women’s doubles crown.

But there was some consolation for Yunlei as she won the mixed doubles title with Zhang Nan. The Chinese beat compatriots Tao Jiaming-Tian Qing 21-19, 22-20.

The Super Series circuit resumes after the Commonwealth Games with the Denmark Open (26-32 October) and the YONEX French Open (2-7 November).

The season ending Super Series Finals will be played in Chinese Taipei on 5-9 January 2011.

Sasaki, Tago lead the way for Japan

World Championships silver medallist Taufik Hidayat crashed out but it was in the men’s doubles that saw some surprise results after the first round of the YONEX Japan Open Super Series in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Taufik was a 21-18, 21-23, 19-21 casualty to Sho Sasaki’s aggressive game while Kenichi Tago also brightened up the host’s expectations with an emphatic three game win over Malaysia’s former All England champion Hafiz Hashim.

Tago, runner up at the All England this year, dropped the first game 16-21 but eventually wrapped up the match in the next two games, 21-13, 21-12.

In other men’s singles matches, there were no major upsets with World No 1 Lee Chong Wei, three-time world champion Lin Dan, No 2 seed Peter Gade and China Masters runner up, Chen Long, all safely through to the second round.

Chong Wei, who skipped last week’s China Masters to recuperate from a back injury, was devastating in his 21-5, 21-9 demolition of India’s R.M.V Gurusaidutt while Lin Dan was also clinical in his 21-12, 21-13 win over Thai youngster Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk.

In the second round, Chong Wei will take on Tago while Lin Dan will play teammate Hu Yun who beat Korea’s Shon Wan Ho in the first round.

In the men’s doubles, it was a good day in the office for Malaysia’s doubles pairs with Mak Hee Chun-Tan Wee Kiong and Chan Peng Soon-Lim Khim Wah continuing to impress on the international stage. 

Mak-Tan beat China Masters runners up Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong in straight games, taking just 30 minutes to register their 21-16, 21-14 win to check into Round 2.

Not to be outdone, Chan-Lim, who made it to the semi-finals of last week’s China Masters, stunned No 3 seeds Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen from Denmark in three games. The Malaysians won 18-21, 21-19, 21-10.

Chan-Lim’s compatriots Koo Kien Keat-Tan boon Heong, top seeds, also qualified for the second round after they beat Japan’s Shohei Hoshino-Akira Kobayashi 21-14, 21-16.

Another big result in the men’s doubles was the loss of Korea’s No 1 pair, Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae.

The Koreans were ousted by Thailand' Songphon Anugritayawon-Sudket Prapakamol 22-20, 21-13.

China conquer

China are assured of gold medals in the men’s singles while Malaysia’s Chan Peng Soon-Lim Khim Wah continued their fine run in the Li Ning China Masters when they qualified for the semi-finals in Changzhou yesterday.

Peng Soon-Khim Wah beat compatriots Goh Wei Shem-Teo Kok Siang 21-18, 21-14, their personal result to date since winning the Thailand Open title in 2008. 

However, Wei Shem-Kok Siang, can also take heart with their strong performance in the tournament which included the scalp of Singapore and Indonesia Open champions Fang Chieh Min-Lee Sheng Mu from Chinese Taipei in the second round.

Peng Soon-Khim Wah will take on South Korea's Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong, who beat China's Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan 21-14, 12-21, 21-10.

Malaysia’s veteran pair Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah, however, saw their final tournament as a pair end on a winning note when they were beaten 21-6, 21-11 by South Korea’s Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae. 

The Koreans will take on China’s reigning world champions Cai Yu-Fu Haifeng in the semi-finals. Cai-Fu beat teammates Guo Zhendong-Chen Xu 21-11, 21-16.

In the men's singles, China’s Lin Dan advanced to the semi-finals after beating Hu Yun of Hong Kong 22-20, 21-15 but will not take on South Korea’s Lee Hyun Il as expected.

The Korean was beaten by China’s Wang Zhenming 21-18, 21-17. The second semi-final will feature Bao Chunlai against Chen Long.

Bao beat Christian Lind Thomsen of Denmark 21-15, 21-16 while Chen Long beat Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chou Tien 21-12, 21-11.

In the women’s singles, only Tine Baun is in China’s way but the Dane will have to be at her best as she takes on World No 1 Wang Yihan in the semi-finals.

In the second semi-final, it will be the battle of two Wangs when Wang Shixian takes on Wang Xin. Shixian beat Lu Lan 21-13, 21-14 while Wang Xin beat Jiang Yanjiao 21-19, 16-21, 23-21.

Saina Nehwal Slams Commonwealth Games Organizers Preparations

Saina Nehwal Slams Commonwealth Games organizers preparations she regretted that the country was not yet ready to host such a big sport tournament like Commonwealth Games.

India’s badminton star Saina Nehwal is one of the brand ambassadors of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) concerns about the completion of stadiums with less than a month to go for the event.

“Looking at the stadiums and looking at the progress, I don’t really think we are capable of holding such big tournaments because you know, I have seen many Games like the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne (in 2006) and Olympic Games in Beijing (in 2008). Compared to that its not upto the mark,” Saina told reporters on the sidelines of a function at Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy.

The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award winner Saina Nehwal thought that everything would be ready before the Games’ opening ceremony of Commonwealth Games on October 3.

Saina Nehwal comment on the lack of preparation in Commonwealth Games was as surpries to everyone as she is one of the six sportspersons chosen as the Games’ brand ambassadors.

China sweeps five golds at Badminton World Championship

PARIS, Aug. 29 - The powerhouse China bagged all five golds at the Badminton World Championships on Sunday, repeating its sweeping triumph 23 years ago.

In the first final on Sunday, Zheng Bo/Ma Jin clinched their first world champion titles in the mixed doubles by beating teammates He Hanbin /Yu Yang in straight sets.

The eighth seeds Zheng/Ma took control of the whole match, defeating the sixth seeds He/Yu 21-14, 21-10 after 42 minutes.

This is China's first gold in the event at the World Championships since 2001.

The men's singles shuttler Chen Jin followed Zheng/Ma's triumph to clinch his maiden world champion title by smashing Indonesian ace Taufik Hidayat also in straight sets.

China's Wang Lin edged out teammate Wang Xin to take the women' s singles title at the Badminton World Championships on Sunday.

The fourth seed Chen overplayed the former world and Olympic champion Hidayat 21-13, 21-15, marching one step further to the top as he lost to teammate Lin Dan in last year's final.

The women's singles and doubles finals were both featured fights between Chinese players.

As a result, the seventh seed Wang Lin needed 58 minutes to overcome the third seed Wang Xin 21-11, 19-21, 21-13 before the Olympic champions Du Jing/Yu Yang defeated the top seeds Ma Jin/ Wang Xiaoli 21-9 and 21-17.

The men's doubles final pushed the tournament to a hightlight as Cai Yun/Fu Hai Feng come frome behind to defended their titles.

After winning over Malaysian's top seeds Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong 18-21, 21-18, and 21-14, Cai/Yu ensured China to bag all of the five golds in the competition.

The next World Championships is to be held in London in 2011.

Hong Kong player - Zhou Mi banned for 2 years

HONG KONG - Former world No. 1 female player Zhou Mi has been banned for two years by the Badminton World Federation after testing positive for clenbuterol.



A urine sample taken from the Hong Kong player in late June tested positive for the drug, the governing body said in a statement on Saturday.

Zhou said she took the drug — used by asthma sufferers or as a weight-loss aid — unknowingly, as it was contained in a Chinese medicine to treat a fever.



Zhou's ban rules her out qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics, but was expected to appeal.


Badminton World Federation chief operating officer Thomas Lund said in a statement it was the body's first drug ban in recent years.


"The case sends a strong message to elite athletes in the sport, who need to be aware of prohibited substances and the consequences of taking these — either deliberately or inadvertently," Lund said.


The Hong Kong Badminton Association said Zhou took the Chinese medication for a fever while training in Singapore in June.


"She was not aware of the prohibited substance possibly in the medication," the statement said.


Zhou, currently ranked world No. 13, plans to appeal, Hong Kong's Ming Pao Daily News reported Sunday.


"I passed all my drug tests in past 20-plus years. I have never thought about using improper methods to improve my results," the newspaper quoted Zhou as saying at a news conference on Saturday.


The 31-year-old from the southern Chinese city Nanning won bronze for China at the Athens Games in 2004 but moved to Hong Kong in late 2006. This former British colony is a semiautonomous Chinese territory that fields separate teams at international events.