The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Shuttlers Zulfadli and Wei Keat on course to being world junior champs
- Squash: Wee Wern delays return flight after stunning win over Serme
- After 145 players, Project 2013 squad almost ready
| Shuttlers Zulfadli and Wei Keat on course to being world junior champs Posted: 04 Nov 2011 04:27 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttlers Zulfadli Zulkifli and Nelson Heg Wei Keat are another step closer to realising their dreams of being history-makers when they checked into the semi-finals of the World Junior Championships in Taipei yesterday. Zulfadli had to switch his style of play after a disastrous start to beat Indonesia's Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo 10-21, 21-10, 21-16 in a 43-minute quarter-final match. The 18-year-old Zulfadli will take on Japan's Kento Momota today to justify his top billing. KLRC's Zulfadli created a first for Malaysia when he nailed the Asian junior title in April. Now, hopes are high on him to be crowned the country's first world junior champion. Zulfadli, however, does not want to think too far ahead. He'd rather focus on Kento, a player he has beaten twice this year – in the semi-final of the Asian junior meet and in the fourth round of last year's world meet in Mexico. Both matches, however, went down to the wire. "The match with Kento will be tight. He is a fighter and I can't afford take it easy against him," Zulfadli said in a telephone interview. The other semi-final will see defending champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark taking on India's Sameer Verma. Like Zulfadli, the bubbly Wei Keat also has a good chance to make history by becoming the only player to win two titles in a single world junior tournament. Wei Keat muscled his way into two semi-finals within four hours yesterday. First, he partnered Teo Ee Yi to outplay Lukhi Apri Nugroho-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo of Indonesia 21-17, 21-19 in the boys' doubles. They will take on Taiwan's Tien Tzu-chieh-Wang Chih-hao for a place in the final. Theh, Wei Keat combined with Chow Mei Kuan to knock out Denmark's Kasper Antonsen-Line Kjaersfeldt 21-18, 21-17 in the mixed doubles event. They now face a tricky match against Indonesians Ronald Alexander-Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia. Quarter-finals results Boys' singles: Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Khosit Phetpradab (Tha) 21-7, 21-18; Sameer Verma (Ina) bt Ng Ka Long (Hkg) 21-15, 21-16; Kento Momota (Jpn) bt Shesar Hiren Rhustavito (Ina) 16-21, 21-15, 21-15; Zulfadli Zulkifli (Mas) bt Wisnu Yuli Prasetyo (Ina) 10-21, 21-10, 21-16. Boys' doubles: Huang Po-jui-Lin Chia-yu (Tpe) bt Takuto Inoue-Yuki Kanebo (Jpn) 21-15, 21-18; Tien Tzu-chieh-Wang Chih-hao (Tpe) bt Lucas Corvee-Joris Grosjean (Fra) 21-15, 21-16; Nelson Heg Wei Keat-Teo Ee Yi (Mas) bt Lukhi Apri Nugroho-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Ina) 21-17, 21-19; Ronald Alexander-Selvanus Geh (Ina) bt Lee Chun Hei-Ng Ka Long (Hkg) 21-11, 17-21, 21-19. Girls' singles: Caralina Marin (Spa) bt Romina Gabdullina (Rus) 21-14, 21-17; Inthanon Ratchanok (Tha) bt Christin Tsai (Can) 21-10, 21-15; Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) bt Sonia Cheah (Mas) 21-19, 24-22; Elyzabeth Purwaningyas (Ina) bt Yuki Fukushima (Jpn) 22-20, 10-21, 21-19. Girls' doubles: Shella Devi Aulia-Anggia Shitta Awanda (Ina) bt Chae Yoo-jung-Kim Chan-mi (Kor) 16-21, 21-18, 21-14; Han So-yean-Min Kim-hyo (Kor) bt Pacharakamol Arkorn-Kititharakul Chonthicha (Tha) 21-18, 21-12; Lee So-hee-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) bt Sonia Cheah-Yang Li Lian (Mas) 21-14, 21-12; Andini Suci Rizky-Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia (Ina) bt Yuki Fukushima-Naru Shinoya (Jpn) 21-14, 21-17. Mixed doubles: Alfian Eko Prasetya-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja (Ina) bt Lee Hong-je-Shin Seung-chan (Kor) 16-21, 21-16, 21-19; Ronald Alexander-Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia (Ina) bt Wannawat Ampunsuwan-Kititharakul Chonthicha (Tha) 21-15, 21-16; Nelson Heg Wei Keat-Chow Mei Kuan (Mas) bt Kasper Antonsen-Line Kjaersfeldt (Den) 21-18, 21-17; Choi Sol-kyu-Chae Yoo-jung (Kor) bt Lee Chun Hei-Cheung Ngan Yi (Hkg) 21-15, 21-10. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Squash: Wee Wern delays return flight after stunning win over Serme Posted: 04 Nov 2011 04:35 PM PDT ROTTERDAM: Low Wee Wern was so sure she would not get past the second round of the World Squash Championships that she confirmed her flight back to Penang yesterday. But after packing off world No. 9 Camilee Serme of France to advance into the quarter-finals of the World Squash Championships at the Luxor Theatre here on Thursday, she will have a bit of rescheduling to do. The Penangite was in inspired form as she stormed to an 11-4, 12-10, 2-11, 11-7 win in 51 minutes – her first over the Frenchwoman in three meetings. "I actually thought I would lose to Camille that I confirmed my return flight to Penang on Friday," she said. "But it looks like I've surprised everyone, me included, by playing my best game of squash to beat Camille for the first time. It's great to be back in top form and scoring two stunning wins in a week." Last week, she scored the biggest upset of her career by ousting world No. 4 Laura Massaro in the second round of the Qatar Classic. What makes her achievements even more amazing is that she had been struggling to find her form in the last five months. Now, everything is falling into place. "First I upset Massaro, the US Open winner, and it helped improve my world ranking from 21st last month to 14th this month," she said. "Now, after beating Camille for the first time in the world meet, I hope to break into the top 10 next month." The 21-year-old Wee Wern will face four-time World Open runner-up Natalie Grinham of Holland in the last eight. World No. 10 Natalie, the mother of a child, scored an upset of her own, taking out world No. 4 Madeline Perry of Ireland 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 in 36 minutes. Wee Wern last played Natalie in the first round of the world meet in Egypt last year and won 3-2. "I beat Natalie in the first round of the world meet last year and I can beat her again to reach the semi-finals here," said Wee Wern. Defending champion Nicol David, meanwhile, will be treading with caution when she faces sixth seed Kasey Brown in the quarter-finals. Brown upset Nicol in the quarter-finals of the US Open last month. In the men's competition, four-time world champion and fifth seed Amr Shabana of Egypt came back from two sets down to beat compatriot Hisham Ashour 3-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-5 to set up a quarter-final clash against fourth seed James Willstrop of England. Willstrop eliminated reigning world junior champion Marwan El Shorbagy 11-8, 11-3, 11-0. World No. 2 Ramy Ashour of Egypt also had to claw back from the brink of defeat to beat Alister Walker of England 8-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-3 for a place in the last eight. The Egyptian takes on Frenchman Gregory Gaultier for a place in the semi-finals. Defending champion Nick Matthew of England will square off with compatriot Peter Barker in the other quarter-final match. Results MEN Third round: James Willstrop (Eng) bt Marwan El Shorbagy (Egy) 11-8, 11-3, 11-0; Amr Shabana (Egy) bt Hisham Ashour (Egy) 3-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-5; Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (Hol) 8-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-7; Ramy Ashour (Egy) bt Alister Walker (Bot) 8-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-3. WOMEN Second round: Low Wee Wern (Mas) bt Camille Serme (Fra) 11-4, 12-10, 2-11, 11-7; Natalie Grinham (Hol) bt Madeline Perry (Ire) 11-6, 11-5, 11-8. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| After 145 players, Project 2013 squad almost ready Posted: 04 Nov 2011 03:39 PM PDT JOHOR BARU: After two painstaking years – and 145 players later – the Project 2013 squad is almost complete. And today, Malaysians can catch a glimpse of their talent and potential when they face Australia in the opening match of the Sultan of Johor Cup. These two teams met four times when Malaysia went on a Tour Down Under in June. The Aussies won three matches and the other was drawn. Advantage Australia. But don't tell that to coach K. Dharmaraj, who clearly feels that his team are up to the challenge, including meeting the target of a top-two finish. "We are taking it one match at a time. If we beat the teams here, it will show that we have progressed," he said. "Let's not talk about the top-two finish as we are preparing for the Junior Asia Cup, which will serve as the qualifier for the 2013 Junior World Cup. "We have to beat the likes of India, Pakistan and South Korea here so that we will have the psychological advantage at the Asian qualifiers, which will be held in Malacca next May. "So let's start by beating Australia first." Dharmaraj has handled the team since they won the SEA Cup in 2009 and has had to sieve through 145 players, before arriving at his final 28. "The core players from the 2009 squad are Mohd Noor Faeez, Amir Farid, Fitri Saari and Izzat Sumantri. Faisal only joined us a year later," he said. "From the 18 players we have named for this tournament, 14 will still be eligible to play in the 2013 Junior World Cup. The four exceptions being Amir, Mohd Ramadhan, Izzat and Faeez." For today's match, Dharmaraj is likely to opt for Hazrul Faiz in goal, with Faiz Helmi as the sweeper. The defence is likely to comprise skipper Mohd Noor Faeez, Kavin Karthik and Izat Hakimi. Fitri Saari is likely to get the nod to join Mohd Azri and Izzat in midfield. Amir, Syamim Yusof and Mohd Ramadhan should start upfront. "We need the fans to be behind us. I hope hockey fans here will be rally behind the team throughout the tournament and cheer us on," said Dharmaraj. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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