The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- McIlroy denies split with Wozniacki
- All England: Chong Wei beats Hong Kong’s Wong Wing Ki
- Chong Wei our only hope
| McIlroy denies split with Wozniacki Posted: 06 Mar 2013 05:35 PM PST MIAMI: World number one Rory McIlroy said: "...just because I have a bad day on the golf course and Caroline Wozniacki loses a match in Malaysia, it doesn't mean that we're breaking up." McIlroy acknowledged on Wednesday he was wrong to walk off mid-round at last week's Honda Classic and said his toothache was not bad enough to justify quitting the tournament. Facing the media for the first time since his controversial withdrawal at PGA National, McIlroy said it soon dawned on him that he had made the wrong decision. McIlroy also dealt with speculation that he may have off-the-course issues, perhaps related to his girlfriend, Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, hampering his focus on the game. "No, not at all. I've read what's been written and just because I have a bad day on the golf course and Caroline loses a match in Malaysia, it doesn't mean that we're breaking up," he said with a laugh. "It's sport, and I'd rather keep my private life as private as possible. Everything on that front is great and I'm looking forward to seeing her next week when she gets to Miami," he added. On his glofing problems he added: "Obviously I've had a lot of time to think about it. I realised pretty quickly that it wasn't the right thing to do," he told a news conference ahead of Thursday's first round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship. "No matter how bad I was playing, I should have stayed out there. I should have tried to shoot the best score possible even though it probably wasn't going to be good enough to make the cut," he said, referring to his ill-fated second round where he played the first eight holes at seven over-par before quitting. McIlroy initially told reporters on Friday as he was heading to his car that he was not in a "good place mentally" but a later statement cited pain from his wisdom tooth. Asked which version was the truer reflection of the reason for his withdrawal, McIlroy said both were factors but that his tooth pain was not enough of an explanation. "Both. I wasn't in a good place with my golf game. I was, you know, mentally ‑ you know, my head was all over the place. "But at the same time, I have been struggling with my lower right wisdom tooth for over a year. "So, yeah, look, my tooth was bothering me, but it wasn't bothering me enough to probably, you know, quit but that's just the way it is," said the Northern Irishman, who is paired with Tiger Woods and England's Luke Donald on Thursday and Friday at Doral's Blue Monster course. McIlroy has played just four full professional rounds in three months, missing the cut in the Abu Dhabi Championship in January and suffering a surprise first-round exit in the WGC-Accenture World Match Play Championship last month in Arizona. NIKE CLUBS The 23-year-old said he had spent 20 hours over the weekend working on his swing, trying to correct the fault which he blames for his poor early season form. "I've worked my ass off over the last four or five days to really try and get this right," he said. "Still, it's a work‑in‑progress. As I said, there's no quick fixes in golf but I'm going to go out there this week and all I care about is my swing, and I know if I can get my swing back on track, that the results will follow." The twice major championship winner dismissed any suggestion that his switch to Nike clubs in January in a multi-million deal was behind his disappointing displays. "I know that it's just purely the swing. The equipment is fantastic. I have no problems at all. When I make a good swing, the ball goes where I want it and the flight I want it, so I know that it's not that. It's just getting my swing on the right path," he said. - Reuters |
| All England: Chong Wei beats Hong Kong’s Wong Wing Ki Posted: 06 Mar 2013 04:53 PM PST BIRMINGHAM: World No 1 singles shuttler Lee Chong Wei survived a major scare against Wong Wing Ki of Hong Kong before prevailing to the second round of the All-England at National Indoor Arena in a day full of upsets Thursday. Top seed Chong Wei had to dig deep to beat Wing Ki 13-21, 21-6, 23-21 in a pulsating 49-minute opener to set-up a meeting against former world junior champion Wang Zhengming of China. It could have been all over for Chong Wei when he was trailing 20-21 in the decider but the 22-year-old Wing Ki blew his chances when he smashed a clear winner to the net and allowed Chong Wei to level the score at 21-21. Chong Wei, then hung on, to seal the match. Two-time All-England champion Chong Wei said that he was simply lucky to scrape through. "God was on my side yesterday. I was lucky that Wing Ki misfired at the crucial point or else, I would have been one of the star casualties in the All-England today," he said. Prior to Chong Wei's match, top players from China - Du Pengyu (men's singles), Li Xuerui and Wang Yihan (women's singles), Hong Wei-Shen Ye (men's doubles) and several others like men's doubles hotshots Lee Yong-dae-Ko Sung-hyun of South Korea and Denmark's mixed doubles specialists Joachim Ficher Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen - had bit the dust. China's four-time world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng had also withdrawn from the tournament due to Cai Yun's back injury. "For top players, usually, the first round are the most challenging and tricky. My opponent really gave me a huge fright today. I have never seen Wing Ki play in such aggressive fashion in the first and third game.... his smashes were just ruthless," said Chong Wei. "I hope to perform better from the next round onwards. I am the only Malaysian singles shuttler left in the fray and I will go all out to keep the challenge alive," he promised. It was the end of the road for three others - Liew Daren, Chong Wei Feng and Tan Chun Seang in the first round on Thursday. Daren did well to force a deuce against former world champion Chen Jin of China but eventually, went down fighting 15-21, 21-19, 11-21. Chun Seang also gave a good account of himself before bowing out 12-21, 15-21, 15-21 but Chong Wei Feng was an easy prey for Denmark's Jan O Jorgensen. Wei Feng went down 11-21, 14-21. It was mixed response for Malaysia in the men's doubles when three out of five pairs made it to the second round. Second seeds Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong stayed solid despite strong resistance from Chris Adcock-Andrew Ellis of England before prevailing with a 21-19, 24-22 win. It was also a good day for Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong and Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif but they have unexpected second round opponents. Thien How-Wee Kiong will take on Ingo Kindervater-Johannes Schoettler of German, who stunned third seeds Yong-dae-Sung-hyun of South Korea 23-21, 21-18 while Fairuzizuan-Zakry face Ricky Karanda Suwardi-Mohd Ulinnuha, who got a free ride into the second round following the walkover by Cai Yun-Haifeng. In the women's doubles, Woon Khe Wei-Vivian Hoo cleared their first round hurdle to set-up a meeting with Eom Hye-won-Jang Ye-na of South Korea. They are the only pair left after the defeats of Ng Hui Lin-Ng Hui Ern and Goh Liu Ying-Lim Yin Loo. In the mixed doubles, Peng Soon-Liu Ying will face Fran Kurniawan-Shendy Puspa Irawati of Indonesia in the second round while Ong Jian Guo-Yin Loo will square off with Sudket Prapakamol-T. Saralee of Thailand. RESULTS (Malaysians only) FIRST ROUND Men's singles: Lee Chong Wei bt Wong Wing Ki (Hkg) 13-21, 21-6, 23-21; Nguyen Tien Minh (Vie) bt Tan Chun Seang 21-12, 15-21, 21-15; Chen Jin (Chn) bt Liew Daren 21-15, 19-21, 21-11; Jan O Jorgensen (Den) bt Chong Wei Feng 21-11, 21-14. Men's doubles: Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari bt Peter Kaesbauer-Josche (Ger) 21-11, 20-22, 21-10; Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong bt Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki-Hendra Gunawan (Ina) 21-16, 21-12; Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Noriyasu Hirata (Jpn) bt Goh V Shem-Lim Khim Wah 12-21, 23-21, 21-18; Chen Hung-ling-Lu Chia-bin (Tpe) bt Gan Teik Chai-Ong Soon Hock 21-12, 21-12; Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong bt Chris Adcock-Andrew Ellis (Eng) 21-19, 24-22; Tan Bin Shen-Robert Blair (Mas-Sco) bt Alven Yulianto-Markis Kido (Ina) 17-21, 21-19, 21-15. Women's doubles: Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei bt Emelie Lennartsson-Emma Wengberg (Swe) 21-11, 21-13; Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Ng Hui Ern-Ng Hui Lin 21-15, 21-16; Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth-Rizki Amelia Pradipta (Ina) bt Goh Liu Ying-Lim Yin Loo 21-19, 20-22, 21-17. Mixed doubles: Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying bt Patiphat Chalardchaleam-Savitree Amitrapai (Tha) 12-21, 21-15, 21-11;Ong Jian Guo-Lim Yin Loo bt Akshay Dewalkar-Pradmnya Gadre (Ind) 21-8, 21-13. |
| Posted: 06 Mar 2013 04:19 PM PST IT WAS a sad day for Malaysia when Chong Wei Feng, Liew Daren and Tan Chun Seang were sent packing in the All-England and it was left to Taiwan's up-and-coming player Chou Tien-chen to steal the show in the first round at the National Indoor Arena. Hopes were high on Wei Feng to defy the odds but he was blown away by Denmarks' Jan O Jorgensen 11-21, 14-21 in 32 minutes. Daren put up a fighting display before going down to former world champion Chen Jin 15-21, 21-19, 11-21. It could have been an easy straight-game victory for Chen Jin but Daren made remarkable turnaround halfway in the second game by showing more aggression to force deuce. In the end, it was all in vain as he lost the rubber 11-21. Professional shuttler Chun Seang, who is based in Austria, performed better and went down fighting 12-21, 21-15, 15-21 to Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam. With Daren, Wei Feng and Chun Seang all out, all hope is now on Lee Chong Wei to keep the Malaysian flag flying high. The 25-year-old Wei Feng was disappointed with his tame exit in his fourth campaign. "I have improved physically but tactically I was a let down today. Jorgensen was in control of the game and broke my rhythm and movement from the start," he said. "I still harbour hope of playing in my first World Championships. It's not the end yet and I have a few more tournaments to make up for this disappointment." Jorgensen revealed that Wei Feng was an easy prey because of his small physique. "He is short and does not have the feel of the court as shown by some players like Chen Long. So, it was easy for me to put him off balance," said Jorgensen. "I'm more prepared this time. I reached the quarter-finals last time and was more focused on the Olympic Games qualification. But, this time, I'm completely focused on doing well here." The show-stealer yesterday was definitely 23-year-old Tien-chen, who screamed in delight after defeating Pengyu for the first time in three meetings. "I've beaten Chen Jin before ... but he was injured then. This, to me, is my biggest career win," said Tien-chen, who is into his fifth year of Sports Science studies at the Taiwan Sports University. "I played well and had many lucky shots. I took my chances well and Pengyu's defence was not as good and I benefited from plenty of good smashes. "I didn't qualify for the Olympic Games last year, so I trained hard to become better this year." Tien-chen will take on Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia next but, with Pengyu and Taufik Hidayat out of the way, this spunky Taiwanese may make it all the way to the semi-finals and pose as a new threat to world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei. There was another upset yesterday when qualifier Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand knocked out sixth seed Hu Yun of Hong Kong 21-16, 11-21, 23-21 to set up a meeting with Sho Sasaki of Japan. Second seed Chen Long of China was almost shown the exit but he rose to the occasion to beat Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand 18-21, 21-10, 21-15. Results FIRST ROUND Men's singles: Nguyen Tien Minh (Vie) bt Tan Chun Seang (Mas) 21-12, 15-21, 21-15; Chen Long (Chn) bt Boonsak Ponsana (Tha) 18-21, 21-10, 21-15; Jan O Jorgensen (Den) bt Chong Wei Feng (Mas) 21-11, 21-14; Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (Tha) bt Hu Yun (Hkg) 21-16, 11-21, 23-21; Chou Tien-chen (Tpe) bt Du Pengyu (Chn) 21-17, 10-21, 21-18; Sho Sasaki (Jpn) bt Taufik Hidayat (Ina) 21-16, 21-11; Tommy Sugiarto (Ina) bt Gao Huan (Chn) 21-14, 21-13; Kenichi Tago (Jpn) bt Viktor Axelsen (Den) 22-20, 21-15; Chen Yuekun (Chn) bt Hans-Kristian Vittinghus (Den) 21-16, 12- 21, 21-11. Men's doubles: Chen Hung-ling-Lu Chia-bin (Tpe) bt Gan Teik Chai-Ong Soon Hock (Mas) 21-12, 21-12; Lukasz Moren-Wojciech Szkudlarczyk (Pol) bt Hong Wei-Shen Ye (Chn) 19-21, 21-19, 22-20; Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) bt Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra (Ina) 21-18, 21-19. Women's singles: Pai Hsiao-ma (Tpe) bt Chan Tsz Ka (Hkg) 21-10, 21-9; Bae Yeon-ju (Kor) bt Li Xuerui (Chn) 21-18, 21-18; Eriko Hirose (Jpn) bt Michelle Li (Can) 21-19, 11-21, 21-14; Sung Ji-hyun (Kor) bt Petya Nedelcheva (Bul) 21-15, 21-14. Women's doubles: Lok Yan Poon-Ying Suet Tse (Hkg) bt Savitree Amitrapai-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) 21-13, 21-18; Wang Xiaoli-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Ng Hui Ern-Ng Hui Lin (Mas) 21-15, 21-16; Eva Lee-Paula Lynn Obanana (Usa) bt Narissapat Lam-T. Saralee (Tha) 21-17, 21-18; Choi Hye-in-Kim So-young (Kor) bt Gebby Ristiyani Imawan-Tiara Rosalia Nuraidah (Ina) 21-17, 21-13. Mixed doubles: Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt Mads Piler Kolding-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) 21-11, 21-9; Tantowi Ahmad- Lilyana Natsir (Ina) bt Michael Fuchs-Birgit Michels (Ger) 21- 10, 21-15; Qiu Zihan-Bao Yixin (Chn) bt Anders Kristiansen-Julie Houmann (Den) 21-19, 25-23; Shin Baek-cheol-Jang Ye-na (Kor) bt Riky Widianto-Puspita Richi Dili (Ina) 21-15, 21-14; Kim Ki-jung- Jung Kyung-eun (Kor) bt Kenichi Hayakawa-Misaki Matsutomo (Jpn) 21-13, 19-21, 21-15; Xu Chen-Ma Jin (Chn) bt Chris Adcock- Gabrielle White (Eng) 21-14, 21-18; Markis Kido-Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth (Ina) bt Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) 12-21, 21-19, 23-21. QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT (Matches involving Malaysians only) Men's singles First round: Tan Chun Seang bt Dieter Domke (Ger) 21-18, 15-21, 21-15; Zulfadli Zulkifli bt Suppanyu Avihingsanon (Tha) 22-20, 21-15; Mohd Arif Abdul Latif bt Scott Evans (Irl) 13-21, 21-9, 21-12. Second round: Chun Seang bt Zulfadli 11-21, 21-14, 21-12; Chen Yuekun (Chn) bt Arif 16-21, 21-16, 21-14. Men's doubles First round: Tan Bin Shen-Robert Blair (Mas-Sco) bt Christopher Coles-Matthew Nottingham (Eng) 21-11, 15-21, 21-9. Second round: Bin Shen-Blair bt Mattijs Dierickx-Freek Golinski (Ger) 21-12, 21-10. Women's singles First round: Sayaka Takahashi (Jpn) bt Lydia Cheah 21-13, 21-8. |
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