Taufik advances to Indonesian Open final against Chen

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Taufik Hidayat and Chen Hong will meet in the finals of the Indonesian Open badminton championship for the third consecutive time after winning their semifinal matches here on Saturday.

Taufik of Indonesia has won the previous two meetings and he will face the third seed from China at the expense of top seed Lin Dan whom he beat 15-5, 5-15, 11-15 in front of noisy home supporters inside the Bung Karno Tennis Indoor Stadium.

Chen Hong booked his final place after outlasting fellow Chinese and second seed Bao Chunlai, also in three games, 6-15, 15-6, 15-9.

"Holding two wins from the previous two final matches, I guess I have a good chance to win the third," Taufik said during a media conference after his semifinal match.

But Indonesia's hopes for a guaranteed title in the men's doubles did not materialize after Flandi Limpele/Eng Hian failed to overcome second seeds Fu Haifeng/Cai Yun of China, losing 17- 15, 15-8.

Title hopes now rest on Luluk Hadiyanto/Alven Yulianto, who brushed aside Malaysian pair Chew Choon Eng/Choong Tan Fook 15-7, 13-15, 15-3.

China dominated the event also with representatives in the remaining three events.

They are already assured of the women's doubles title after top seeds Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen set up an all-Chinese final with third seeds Zhang Dan/Zhang Yawen.

Yang/Zhang were too strong for South Korea's Lee Kyung-won/Ha Jung-eun with an easy 15-3, 15-5 win, while the other two Zhangs were involved in a three-game fight with compatriots Du Jing/Yu Yang before pulling away with a 13-15, 15-8, 17-14 win.

In the mixed doubles, top seeds Zhang Jun/Gao Ling, who edged out Hendry Kurniawan Saputra/Li Yujia of Singapore 15-10, 15-8, will be challenged by English pair Robert Blair/Natalie Munt, the 15-9, 3-15, 15-8 winners over Malaysia's Koo Kien Keat/Wong Pei Tty.

Chinese contender in the women's singles is Xie Xingfang, who will be challenged by Japanese Eriko Hirose, a surprise 11-2, 9- 11, 7-11 winner over Salakjit Ponsana of Thailand.

Xie cruised to the final after holding off Tracey Hallam of England 11-4, 11-4.

It looked dull on Saturday after rain fell outside the sports compound and clouds remained above. But that did not hold back spectators.

Few were seated early but when Taufik took to the court the number grew, almost filling the 4,000-seat stadium, shouting relentlessly at him.

Taufik honored their loyalty on court, though it was not an easy task in the early stage as the Indonesian star had to cope with a strong wind from the building's AC system.

"It was blowing too hard. I felt my shuttlecock was in the wrong place whatever shots I made. It was difficult to take control of my shots," Taufik said.

Taufik's hardship was evident when he fell to a string of either long or wide shots which handed Lin Dan eight points on the trot.

In the second game, it was Lin Dan who had to struggle with the wind, which allowed Taufik to level the score.

"In the third game, Taufik began the game on an unlucky side of the court and I told him to try to win as many points as possible," coach Mulyo Handoyo said.

Olympic champion Taufik was leading 8-5 during changeover. Though, he was dealt a brief fright when he trailed 9-11 before regrouping to wrap up the match.

While admitting difficulties caused by the strong wind, Lin Dan, who beat Taufik in 2001 in the only other meeting between them, appeared disappointed by the defeat.

"I had been confident about my prospects. I played well in the opening game but I could not maintain that winning momentum," he said through an interpreter.