Sony beats Hong to set up all-Indonesian final
Sony beats Hong to set up all-Indonesian final
Associated Press, Bangkok
Indonesia's Sony Dwi Kuncoro stunned World No. 1 Chen Hong of
China 15-5, 15-1 on Saturday to set up a title clash against
compatriot Taufik Hidayat in the men's singles final of the JVC
Asian Badminton Championships.
In the women's singles, Zhang Ning of China toppled Hong
Kong's second-seed Wang Chen to make it an all-Chinese final
against Zhou Mi.
Playing at the Nimibutr Gymnasium, the unseeded Sony continued
his exceptional form in the semifinals clash against the 22-year-
old Chen, who had hoped to win his fourth title this year.
The Chinese ace, who has won the All-England, Singapore and
Denmark Opens titles, made a shaky start to trail Sony 5-12
before losing the opening game 5-15.
Chen made a gallant fightback in the second game but couldn't
keep pace with the up-and-coming Indonesian's bullet-like
smashes.
Taufik, who captured the gold medal at last month's Busan
Asian Games, played superbly to foil top-seed and defending
champion Xia Xuanze 15-2, 15-12.
In the women's singles semifinal, top seed and Busan Asian
Games gold medalist Zhou barely broke sweat to crush Singaporean
Xiao Luxi 11-0, 11-1.
She will meet defending champ Zhang, the third seed and Korea
Open champion who stunned second seed Chinese-born Wang Chen of
Hong Kong 11-2, 11-4.
In the men's doubles semifinals, top seed Ha Tae-kwon and Kim
Dong-moon of South Korea survived a strong challenge from
Indonesians Halim Heryanto and Tri Kusharjanto to win 15-6, 15-
12.
The Koreans will play the final on Sunday against another
Indonesian duo of Candra Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto, who pulled
off a scintillating 17-16, 15-7 victory over Thailand's Pramote
Theerawiwat and Thessana Phanvissawat.
World champions Gao Ling and Huang Sui of China lived up to
their number-one seeding in the women's doubles, thrashing
teammates Wei Yili and Zhao Tingting 11-5, 11-1.
They will clash in the final with compatriots Zhong Jiewen and
Yang Wei, who on Saturday overpowered Thais second seeds Saralee
Thungthongkham and Sathinee Chankrajangwong 11-6, 11-2.
In the mixed doubles final, world and Sydney Olympics champion
Gao Ling and Zhang Jun of China extinguished Thailand's dreams of
taking the first-ever Asian title by powering past top seeds
Khunakorn Suddhisodhi and Saralee Thungthongkham in straight
games 11-7, 11-8.