The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Shock loss for Thien How-Wee Kiong as Chong Wei marches on
- Teen sensation Guan out to make his mark in Zurich Classic
- Clay expert Suarez sweeps aside Wozniacki in Stuttgart
| Shock loss for Thien How-Wee Kiong as Chong Wei marches on Posted: 25 Apr 2013 05:21 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's hopes for a double joy in the men's doubles at the India Open in New Delhi ended with the shock defeats of world No. 7 Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong in the second round. The Malaysian No. 2, who confirmed their tickets for the World Championships yesterday, lasted only 24 minutes before bowing out 12-21, 12-21 to Indonesia's unseeded pair Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra. With their defeat yesterday, Malaysia's men's doubles hopes now rest solely on world No. 2 Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong. Former All-England champion Kien Keat-Boon Heong bulldozed past unknowns Surender Rathee-Neeraj Nashist of India 21-13, 21-8. Today, however, they face an uphill task against South Korean Kim Ki-jung-Kim Sa-rang in the quarter-finals. The Malaysians have never beaten the young Koreans, having lost twice at last year's Malaysian and Japan Opens. National doubles chief coach Tan Kim Her hoped that Kien Keat-Boon Heong would make up for Thien How-Wee Kiong's defeat. "Thien How-Wee Kiong did not last long on court but I'd rather reserve my comments. Let's wait for a report from national coach Paulud Firman," said Kim Her yesterday. "I hope Kien Keat-Boon Heong will take this opportunity to restore their confidence. They did not do well in the last two Opens in England and Australia. Hopefully, they'll get their act right. "They have not beaten this Korean pair. This will be their first real test in India and I hope they'll live up to expectations." There was also mixed fortunes for Malaysia in the men's singles when world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei marched into the last eight while Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin fell by the wayside. Chong Wei, who is hoping to go one step better in the India Open after losing to Shon Wan-ho of South Korea in last year's final, disposed of Kazumasa Sakai 21-17, 21-9 in 33 minutes. Today, he will take on India's H.S. Pranoy, who gave the home crowd plenty to cheer by upstaging Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia 26-24, 21-9 yesterday. Iskandar went down fighting 21-16, 27-29, 16-21 to Sai Praneeth B of India. Malaysia's mixed doubles specialists Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying lived dangerously en route to a 19-21, 21-10, 23-21 win over Hirokatsu Hashimoto-Miyuki Maeda of Japan. Today, they face Poland's Robert Mateusial-Nadiezda Zieba. |
| Teen sensation Guan out to make his mark in Zurich Classic Posted: 25 Apr 2013 05:15 PM PDT NEW ORLEANS: Chinese 14-year-old schoolboy Guan Tianlang, two weeks after an historic Masters debut as the youngest player at Augusta National, will be out to make his mark again at a US PGA Tour event. Tianlang will face a top tour line-up at the US$6.6mil Zurich Classic of New Orleans, nicknamed 'The Big Easy', hoping to advance his career after making the cut at the Masters and taking the Silver Cup as the best amateur at the year's first major tournament. "I spent a month here last year and it's a great place for me," Tianlang said. "I feel great to come back here this year, especially after The Masters. It feels pretty good right now and I hope to play good." Tianlang has not changed his preparation from what he used at the Masters, where he toured the course with world number one Tiger Woods and other idols in practice rounds, gaining precious knowledge to help improve his game. "It's just like I normally prepare for a tournament," he said. "This is a really important tournament too. We've got 160-something players this time and it's not easy. "I want to enjoy the week like in the Masters and hopefully make the cut. If not, it's still a great experience." Tianlang, playing this week on a sponsor's exemption, said he might return home to China after this week's event and is uncertain if he will try and qualify for the US Open in June. "I haven't decided yet," he said. "Everything on the schedule, we have to consider it." After being penalised a stroke for slow play in the second round of the Masters, Tianlang said he knows he must be more decisive, especially in breezy conditions. "My routine is not too bad," Tianlang said. "Probably have to make a decision quicker on windy days. I'll pay attention a little bit to it and probably speed up a little bit." Tianlang said no course he has played in Asia matches the level of difficulty he found at Augusta National, particularly on its trademark undulating greens. "The green is totally different, but I believe I've done a pretty good job at Augusta so far," Tianlang said. "I think this is also a big course for me. I need to putt it good I think. "And I should play really good woods to make the cut and go further, but I still need to play a really good couple of rounds." American Jason Dufner is the defending champion and along with England's world number four Justin Rose is among only six of the world's 25 top-ranked players in the field this week. Dufner edged reigning British Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa in a playoff last year for his first US PGA triumph after eight years on the tour and 164 US PGA starts. — AFP |
| Clay expert Suarez sweeps aside Wozniacki in Stuttgart Posted: 25 Apr 2013 05:16 PM PDT STUTTGART: Denmark's former world number one Caroline Wozniacki exited the WTA Stuttgart Open on Wednesday, losing 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 to Spanish clay court specialist Carla Suarez in their first round clash. Wozniacki, seeded seven and a finalist in the tournament in 2011, had only herself to blame after letting a 3-0 lead in the first set slip away to lose in a hard-fought tie-break. However, Suarez, ranked 27th in the world to Wozniacki's 10th, eased through the second set against a demoralised Danish opponent to seal victory on her first match point and claim the scalp of a top-10 ranked player for the sixth time in her career. Suarez, who has yet to win a WTA event despite reaching four finals, will meet Kazakh player Yaroslava Shvedova, ranked 10 places below her, in the second round. Fifth-seed Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic later enjoyed a 7-5, 6-7 (0-7), 6-3 win over wild-card Annika Beck, but only after the German put up a tough fight in the second set. "I still don't feel really good on clay, but it's getting better," said Kvitova. "It's better than it was in Katowice, but I want to improve more before Madrid. "It's hard to keep the concentration high after the Fed Cup, but it's always fun to play with the girls," added Kvitova, who was part of the Czech team whose hopes of defending their Fed Cup title disappeared on Monday when they lost to Italy in the semi-finals. Australia's Samantha Stosur, a finalist here in 2010 en route to reaching the French Open final, crashed out in the first round as she lost in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 to former world number one Jelena Jankovic. "I knew that Sam is a very dangerous opponent, so I am happy to have beaten her," said Jankovic. "My self confidence is coming back and every win helps." Stosur was gracious in defeat but reproached herself for a lacklustre performance. "It was tough after a Fed Cup weekend, but that's not an excuse," she said. "Jelena played consistently well and it's pretty disappointing to lose. "I have a few things to improve, but there is a bit of time before the French Open." — AFP |
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