Chen out for revenge in Kinabalu<\/p>\n
Agencies, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia<\/p>\n
China's Chen Hong, losing finalist in last weekend's
\nIndonesian Open, starts as favorite in the men's singles event at
\nthe US$120,000 Malaysia Open here on Wednesday, according to AFP.<\/p>\n
Chen went down tamely to Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat, losing 9-
\n15, 9-15 on Sunday, but this time around the Chinese can expect
\nthe challenge to come from hosts Malaysia, led by world
\nchampionships runner-up Wong Choong Hann.<\/p>\n
Taufik is not taking part and the Indonesians will be banking
\ninstead on Rony Agustinus, Budi Santoso and two juniors Taufiq
\nAkbar Hidayat and Sony Dwi Kuncoro.<\/p>\n
Chen takes on Japan's Yousuke Nakanishi in the first round,
\nwhile the 26-year-old Wong, seeded fourth, faces a qualifier in
\nhis first match.<\/p>\n
Wong's probable opponent in the last 16, provided both beat
\noff their challengers, could be teammate Mohammed Hafiz Hashim.<\/p>\n
\"My aim is to reach at least the semifinals. With Taufik out,
\nthere is one fewer hurdle to clear,\" Wong said. \"But I will not
\nunder-estimate their juniors. China and Denmark also have strong
\ncontenders for the title.\"<\/p>\n
The unseeded All England champion has a tough first round draw
\nagainst Hong Kong's 11th seed Agus Hariyanto.<\/p>\n
The other Malaysian players in the fray are Lee Tsuen Seng,
\nLee Chong Wei and Hafiz's elder brother, Roslin.<\/p>\n
The Malaysia Open, the third and last of the three-week tour
\nof South-East Asia, is a lucrative one in terms of both prize
\nmoney and all-important world ranking points in the World Grand
\nPrix circuit.<\/p>\n
China haa also world champion Xia Xuanze, and youngsters Bao
\nChunlai and Lin Dan.<\/p>\n
Lee Hyun-il is South Korea's trump card while Denmark has
\nPeter Gade-Christensen, Kenneth Jonassen and former world
\nchampion Peter Rasmussen.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, world champion Zhang Ning is the firm favorite for
\nthe women's singles crown. She looks set for another showdown
\nwith compatriot and second seed Gong Ruina.<\/p>\n
Denmark's world title-winning duo Lars Paaske\/Jonas Rasmussen
\nhave already proven their gold medal in Birmingham was no flash
\nin the pan by reaching the final in Singapore at the weekend,
\nwhere they lost to teammates Jens Eriksen\/Martin Lundgaard
\nHansen.<\/p>\n
But with Eriksen and Lundgaard missing from the Malaysian
\nline-up, top seeds Paaske\/Rasmussen have the chance to clinch a
\nsecond World Grand Prix title to add to their win at the German
\nOpen last year, according to worldbadminton.net<\/p>\n
Second seeds Flandi Limpele\/Eng Hian, playing under their
\nnative Indonesian flag again, take on England's Robert Blair\/Ian
\nPalethorpe in the first round before a likely second round match
\nagainst teammates Candra Wijaya\/Halim Haryanto.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chen-out-for-revenge-in-kinabalu-1447893297",
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