The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Koo-Tan battle from set down to win opener in Denmark Open
- Easy for Chun Seang
- Injury-free Zulfadli wants to break into top 50
| Koo-Tan battle from set down to win opener in Denmark Open Posted: 17 Oct 2012 06:34 PM PDT ODENSE: Top doubles shuttlers Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong made a remarkable comeback from a first game setback to beat the highly rated Lee Yong-dae-Ko Sung-hyun of South Korea in the opening round of the Denmark Open here on Wednesday. The beleaguered pair proved that they still have fire in their bellies when they recovered from a 8-21 defeat to beat the Koreans 8-21, 21-16, 21-19 to make the second round. It was Kien Keat-Boon Heong's first big win after losing in the bronze medal playoff at the London Olympic Games in August. They will take on another new combination Jonas Rasmussen-Joachim Fischer Nielsen of Denmark for a place in the quarter-finals. Malaysia also have another pair in the second round when Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong defeated Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov of Russia 22-20, 21-13 to set-up a meeting with Japan's Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa in the second round. In the men's singles, World No 1 Lee Chong Wei and Liew Daren made it to the second round in convincing styles. Chong Wei dumped Denmark's promising star Viktor Axelsen with a 21-8, 21-18 win while Daren showed that his back problem was not a big concern any longer when he ousted Rajiv Ouseph of England 21-17, 21-19. Today, Chong Wei will take on Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand while Daren squares of with Sho Sasaki of Japan. Malaysia's Olympians Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying will be out to keep the nation's flag flying high when they take on Anders Kristiansen-Julie Houmann of Denmark for a quarter-final ticket in the mixed doubles event. |
| Posted: 17 Oct 2012 04:24 PM PDT ODENSE: It was a day of mixed fortunes for Malaysian shuttlers as another prominent Dane – Tine Baun – made a startling announcement of her final appearance in the Denmark Open. Malaysian professional Tan Chun Seang walked into the second round without breaking sweat after Tommy Sugiarto conceded a walkover in the men's singles event. Chun Seang will next play the winner of the match between Chong Wei Feng and Simon Santoso of Indonesia. In other men's singles matches, second seed Chen Long of China and fifth seed Sho Sasaki had to go to the distance before prevailing against Hu Yun of Hong Kong and Anand Pawar of India respectively. Malaysia's second ranked pair Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong overcame a strong challenge in the opening game to beat lanky Russians Vladimir Ivanov-Ivan Sozonov 22-20, 21-13 to march into the second round. It was a sad end for reigning Dutch Open runners-up Gan Teik Chai-Ong Soon Hock when they lost 21-17, 12-21, 14-21 to Holland's Jorrit De Ruiter-Dave Khodabux in the first round. Soon Hock said he could not play his normal game because of a neck pain. "We had a good draw but my condition was not good today. I found it hard to play with my painful neck. We'll have a good rest before making our way to the France Open next week," he said. Said Teik Chai: "Overall, it has been good for us since we started playing five months ago. The final appearance in Holland is good for us. We are grateful to the many sponsors who continue to support us." In the mixed doubles, Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying battled their way into the second round with a 15-21, 21-17, 21-15 win over Dave Khodabux-Selena Piek of Holland. The fifth seeds will take on Anders Kristiansen-Julie Houmann of Denmark and should make it to the quarter-finals provided they can play a more polished game. There was some sad news for Danish fans when their top women's singles shuttler and world No. 6 Baun announced her retirement plans yesterday. The two-time All-England champion wants to hang up her racquet at next year's All-England to focus on her family and studies. She will enrol in a university in Copenhagen next February to study health and nutrition. "I am 33 years old and I think the time has come for me to say goodbye to badminton. I have been playing competitive badminton since 25. I'm finding it hard against younger players," said Baun. "I want to have children and I am also going to further my studies. It's good to leave when one is at the top of the game. "I will miss it but I am sure that Denmark will produce more players. Some are young right now but, given time, they will make it to the top like me." She is the second Danish to play in her last Denmark Open. Their top men's singles shuttler – Peter-Gade Christensen – will also stop playing in December and this Denmark Open is his last. |
| Injury-free Zulfadli wants to break into top 50 Posted: 17 Oct 2012 04:23 PM PDT ODENSE: It's going to be almost a year since Zulfadli Zulkifli won the world junior title – a first for the country. Although his progress has been rather slow compared to Denmark's Viktor Axelsen – the player he defeated in the final of the world juniors in 2011 – Zulfadli is taking it all in his strides. After overcoming a string of injuries, Zulfadli is looking forward to ending the year by breaking into the top 50. Axelsen has already beaten several top players and is 20th in the world. Zulfadli's plan to improve on his current world ranking of 66th, however, took a beating when he bundled out by Scott Evans of Ireland in the second qualifying round of the Denmark Open. "This is my first Premier Super Series event, so I was thrilled just to compete here. It shows that I have improved," said Zulfadli. The 19-year-old, however, knows that he has to speed up his game plan in order to join the big league and show that he has what it takes to represent Malaysia in major events like the SEA Games, Thomas Cup and Sudirman Cup. "Injuries stalled my progress but I am injury-free right now. Being an independent player has its limitations but I am doing all I can to succeed. I am strong-willed and persistent and, I believe, I will make it to the top eventually," said the KLRC shuttler. The talented Zulfadli can, with proper guidance, ensure that Malaysia will have someone to take over the mantle from world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei when he retires. Besides Zulfadli, several players from Hendrawan's back-up team – like reigning Pahang Open champion Misbun Ramdan Misbun, Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, Loh Wei Sheng and Goh Soon Huat – have also shown glimpses of promise. Let's just hope their international breakthroughs will come soon. |
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