Marlev sends Sun Jun out of Final Grand Prix semifinals
Marlev sends Sun Jun out of Final Grand Prix semifinals
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Agencies): Indonesia's Marlev Mainaky unexpectedly sent world champion Sun Jun of China crashing out of the Final Grand Prix semifinals, defeating the world number one 17-16, 15-9 in the last round-robin match on Friday.
Sun, hampered by a sore back, was a helpless spectator as Marlev fired off a series of winners.
"He was slowed by his injury," Marlev said, as quoted by AFP. "I just tried to move faster than him."
"I have more self-confidence now and it improves my way of playing," he added.
Marlev, ranked eighth, will now face off against compatriot Hendrawan Saturday for a place in Sunday's final.
Hendrawan, who had already won two matches in Group D, defeated Chen Gang of China 15-11, 15-9.
"The result is very satisfying. I had lost my motivation, but after I reached the semifinals in the Singapore and Indonesia opens I got my motivation back. I'm ready to face Marlev tomorrow," said the world number 12.
World number two Peter Gade-Christensen of Denmark and Malaysia's Wong Choong Hann will face each other in the other semifinals.
Gade-Christensen beat Chen Hong of China 15-6, 15-13, while Wong, the 1999 Southeast Asian Games silver medalist, eliminated Xia Xuanze of China 15-6, 15-12.
"I've only lost once to him, and that was when I was having an off-day," the Dane said of semifinal opponent Wong, who is a year younger.
"I hope to keep the speed very high tomorrow," he added.
The women's singles semifinals will be all-China affairs after world champion Camilla Martin of Denmark failed to stem the Chinese tide.
Martin lost to world number three Gong Zhichao 6-11, 7-11 in the Group C decider, setting up a semifinal matchup against compatriot Ye Zhaoying, the world number two, who defeated Kim Ji-hyun of South Korea 11-5, 9-11, 11-2.
World number one Dai Yun came through Group A undefeated after posting a 11-6, 11-8 victory over Yasuko Mizui of Japan. She will play Zhou Mi, the world number five, in the last semifinal.
In the men's doubles, undefeated Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan of Indonesia topped the Group B standings. The world number three pair defeated Simon Archer and Nathan Robertson of England 15-6, 15-10.
They will face Group A runner-up Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah of Malaysia. The Malaysians reached the semifinals despite their loss to defending champions Antonius Budi Irianto and Denny Kantono of Indonesia 15-11, 4-15, 5-15.
In the other semifinals, Kim Dong-moon and Ha Tae-kwon of South Korea, 15-9, 15-3 victors over the Danish duo of Jens Eriksen and Jesper Larsen, will meet compatriots Lee Dong-soo and Yoo Yong-sung, who defeated Flandy Limpele and Eng Hian of Indonesia 9-15, 15-9, 15-10.
In the women's doubles, China will be looking to dominate once again after both their pairings went through to the semifinals.
Chen Lin and Jiang Xuelian reached the semifinals after defeating Denmark's Helene Kirkegaard and Rikke Olsen 15-12, 10- 15, 15-6 in Group A.
They will now face Group B winners Ra Kyung-min and Chung Jae- hee of South Korea, the undefeated second seeds who crushed the Indonesian pairing of Etty Tantri and Cynthia Tuwankotta 15-5, 15-4.
The Chinese duo of Ge Fei and Gu Jun also qualified for the semifinals after a walkover victory over England's Joanne Goode and Donna Kellogg. Ge and Gu will next face Etty and Cynthia.