It will be tough for Choong Hann to defend China Open title PETALING JAYA: National No 1 Wong Choong Hann will have to brace himself for a tough time in his defence of the men’s singles title in the China Open at the Tianhe Gymnasium next week. Based on the draw released by the International Badminton Federation (IBF) yesterday, Choong Hann, 25, is set to meet top seed Chen Hong of China in the semi-finals of the six-star (US$250,000) tournament. He defeated Chen Hong to become the first Malaysian to win the China Open last year and the Chinese will be out to avenge the defeat. Choong Hann, the World Championships runner-up, should have no problems clearing the early rounds as he has received a favourable draw following the withdrawal of top players from Indonesia, South Korea and Denmark. The Malaysian will play an unknown Chinese Li Yu in the opening round and is likely to meet Chen Yu of China in the last eight. It will be tough for the other Malaysians as Lee Tsuen Seng is set to meet Danish and Hong Kong Open champion Lin Dan in the third round while Lee Chong Wei is set to play world champion Xia Xuanze in the last 16. It continued to be an unlucky draw for Hong Kong Open runners-up Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah as Indonesian Flandi Limpele-Eng Hian and South Korean Kim Dong-moon-Ha Tae-kwon are set to cross their paths again. Two other pairs, Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat and Chew Choon Eng-Chang Kim Wai, have to play in the qualifying round.
That is if Wong or Chen H make it that far. Chen Yu is quite an adversary and he stands a good chance against Wong.
Choong Hann faces tough task in bid to retain China Open title By LIM TEIK HUAT PETALING JAYA: National shuttler Wong Choong Hann bagged his first Grand Prix title of the year by landing the Taiwan Open title in Taipei on Sunday but the real challenge lies just ahead. While the victory over Asian champion Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the Taiwan final was a welcome one, the celebrations will have to wait as Choong Hann hopped across to Guangzhou yesterday to begin the defence of his China Open crown. In Taiwan, Choong Hann had also beaten Thailand’s Boonsak Polsana, Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat and South Korea’s Lee Hyun-il, but the Chinese were all absent. Now, national singles head coach Misbun Sidek believes a bigger test awaits in the lion’s den when the Chinese will come out in full force. “The Chinese players did not take part in the Taiwan Open as they wanted to concentrate on their home tournament. “The singles title eluded the Chinese players last year and they are still sore. I am sure they will be trying their best to capture this year’s title. “This is the challenge for Choong Hann. His mission is not over. I hope he can remain strongly focused and stand up to the fierce competition,” added Misbun. Choong Hann will be meeting a host of Chinese players from the start. He opens his campaign against unknown youngster Li Yu and then is likely to face Taiwanese Chien Yu-shiu. Then, the Chinese wait in succession with Denmark Open finalist Chen Jin and All-England semi-finalist Chen Yu in his way. The semi-finals will pit him against either world number one and top seed Chen Hong or World Championships semi-finalist Bao Chunlai. The Chinese players have been rampant this year, with Lin Dan winning the Danish Open and Hong Kong Open, Chen Hong taking the Singapore and Malaysian Opens and Xia Xuanze clinching the Japan Open and World Championships gold in Birmingham in August. Misbun, however, believes Choong Hann is up to the task of taking on the Chinese. “Choong Hann is on par with the other top players and he has the ability to win a second title in a row.” Besides Choong Hann, the other national players in the fray are Malaysian Open finalist Lee Chong Wei, Lee Tsuen Seng and Yeoh Kay Bin. Former Malaysian number one Ong Ewe Hock and Pei Wei Chung complete the challenge for the men’s singles. Top pair Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah shoulder the doubles challenge in the main draw while Chang Kim Wai-Chew Choon Eng and Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat will start their campaign from the qualifying rounds.
When you are in China.. you are facing the Great Wall of China. The Chinese players will come in full force. Plus they also have ample of supporters. Not easy task for the Malaysian.
Malaysian singles players clear first round hurdles in China Open PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian singles players got off to a convincing start in their campaign at the US$250,000 China Open badminton championships when they notched up straight game wins in the first round played at the Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou yesterday. National number one Wong Choong Hann, fresh from his triumph in the Taiwan Open on Sunday, successfully cleared a tricky first round hurdle, defeating unheralded Chinese Li Yu 15-10, 15-6. Lee Tsuen Seng, who is seeking to gain as many ranking points as possible in the final Grand Prix meet of the year, defeated Taiwan's Chang Feng-chin 15-4, 15-4. Malaysian Open finalist Lee Chong Wei also did not break a sweat as he easily subdued China's Zhao Zhengyi 15-5, 15-2. Teammate Yeoh Kay Bin, meanwhile, advanced to the second round with a 15-8, 15-6 victory over Australia's Stuart Brehaut. The doubles players, however, did not enjoy such good fortune in their qualifying campaign yesterday. Youngsters Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat failed to make the main draw when they lost to China's Zhang Jun-Chen Qiqiu 6-15, 15-3, 10-15. They defeated local pair Gu Jian-Lu Jian 15-11, 17-15 in the first match of their qualifying group. Scratch pair Chew Choon Eng-Chang Kim Wai, who received a bye earlier, lost to German pair Joachim Tesche-Jochen Cassel 8-15, 15-13, 12-15. The mixed doubles pair of Teik Chai-Wong Pei Tty also lost to Hong Kong's Tam Lok Tin-Siu Chung Man 2-15, 5-15 while Kean Keat-Chin Eei Hui lost to China's Xie Zhongbo-Zhang Yawen 11-15, 14-17. The top men's doubles pair of Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah will start their campaign with a first round meeting against German pair Kristof Hopp-Thomas Tesche today.
Choong Hann on the right course S.S. Dhaliwal DEFENDING champion Wong Choong Hann safely negotiated the first round of the China Open at the Tianhe Gymnasium yesterday. Three other singles players —Lee Tsuen Seng, Lee Chong Wei and Yeo Kay Bin — also reached the second round. Choong Hann made short work of the challenge by China’S Li Yu, winning 15-10, 15-6. He will take on Taiwan’s Chien Yu Hui in the second round before facing an army of Chinese players from the third round onwards. With the Chinese players winning a host of titles this year, (Lin Dan won the Danish and Hong Kong Open, Chen Hong winning the Singapore and Malaysian Opens and Xia Xuanze bagging the Japan Open and World Championships), it will take a huge effort from Choong Hann and company to deny the host players from adding to their titles. Choong Hann who won the Taiwan Open last weekend to end his title drought this year, knows he has to perform consistently in order to win ranking points for next year’s Athens Olympics. “The first round can sometimes be tricky but I am glad to have won to move into the next round,” said Choong Hann. “This tournament is basically China against the rest of the world and I will try to maintain a consistent performance.” Choong Hann is expected to get past Yu Hui to set up a third round clash against Chen Jin. Should he get past Chen Jin, he will likely meet All England semifinalist Chen Yu in the last eight. Chong Wei who is seeded 12th also had it easy against another Chinese player Zhao Zhengyi winning 15-5,15-2. He will be up against Youruke Nakanishi of Japan and should get past his opponent to set up a meeting with world champion Xia Xuanze in the third round. Tsuen Seng gave Taiwan’s Chang Feng Chin a lesson in badminton as he won 15-4,15-4. He meets Taiwan’s Liao Sheng Shiun in the second round, a match he is expected to win to set up a third round clash against fifth seeded Lin Dan of China. Youngster Kay Bin defeated Australia’s Stuart Brehaut 15-8, 15-6 to set up a second round clash with Zhu Weilun who ousted eighth seed Christian Kaldau Niels in the first round. The six star China Open which offers a total prize money of UD$250,000 (RM950,000), has attracted almost all the top players in the world as they vie for points to make the cut for Athens.
Re: Malaysian singles players clear first round hurdles in China Open The above info is incorrect. Chew Choon Eng-Chang Kim Wai lost to KIDHO Markis/SETIAWAN Hendra. Joachim Tesche-Jochen Cassel are promoted to the main draw. Teik Chai-Wong Pei Tty defeat Tam Lok Tin-Siu Chung Man.
Martin withdraws from China Open badminton event Denmark's top women shuttler Camilla Martin, an archrival for Chinese players, withdrew from the China Open Badminton Championships citing injury Wednesday in Guangzhou. Denmark's top women shuttler Camilla Martin, an archrival for Chinese players, withdrew from the China Open Badminton Championships citing injury Wednesday in Guangzhou. "Camilla told us prior to the competition that she is still plagued with the injury sustained from Chinese Taipei Open and has decided to quit," said the tournament referee Ian Williamson without mentioning how serious the injury was. Martin, 29, was over the hill and failed to be crowned in eightgrand prix events ever since August 2003. She was even ousted by South Korea's 20-year-old Jun Jae Youn twice, separately in the quarter-final of Hong Kong Open 11-6, 11-5, and in the second round of Chinese Taipei Open 11-5, 10-13, 11-4. Niels Chr. Kaldau, third seed of men's singles from Denmark, revealed the real reason for Martin's withdrawal. "We participated in nine tournaments in 16 weeks and we all feel awfully exhausted. I don't know how Camilla's injury is, but I think every game in China Open is tough for her especially when she encounters Chinese shuttlers," he said. In conformity with the rules and regulations of the International Badminton Federation, fifth seed Martin would be fined 200 U.S. dollars for her withdrawal.
World No.1 Hong Chen is not in his best form Top-ranked Chen Hong of China conceded that he was not in his best form for the 2003 China Open badminton championships which opened Tuesday in Guangzhou. Top-ranked Chen Hong of China conceded that he was not in his best form for the 2003 China Open badminton championships which opened Tuesday in Guangzhou. The Chinese, who has been firmly holding the first place in the men's singles standings of the International Badminton Federation (IBF) since November 7, 2002, said that "I dare not expect the men's singles title at the China Open, because I has just come back to practise for about 20 days after being injured in the Denmark Open last month." Chen injured his right elbow and withdrew from the Denmark Open midway. Since then, he didn't train until five days prior to the Hong Kong Open a fortnight ago. At the Hong Kong Open, Chen surprised himself by cruising into the quarter-finals against a painful elbow, where he was defeated by fellow Chinese Bao Chunlai. However, Chen has nothing to worry at the China Open as no one is capable of overtaking him for the top spot in the rankings evenif he would make an early exit from the tournament. Apart from Chen, China still has a string of world-calibre men shuttlers, such as Xia Xuanze, Lin Dan, Chen Yu and Bao Chunlai, all in the world top ten, who will fight for the title on home turf.
Wong extends hot streak PETALING JAYA: Defending champion Wong Choong Hann marched into the third round of the US$250,000 China Open badminton championships at Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou yesterday, along with teammates Lee Tsuen Seng and Lee Chong Wei. But the battle is only beginning for the Malaysians. Choong Hann, seeking to win a second successive title after his triumph in the Taiwan Open last weekend, subdued Taiwanese Chien Yu-hsiu 15-4, 15-12 but he now faces a battalion of Chinese players in the prestigious six star meet. The fourth seeded Malaysian will meet unheralded Hu Yun of China for a place in the last eight. Tsuen Seng also had it easy against Taiwanese Liao Sheng-shiun, winning 15-2, 15-7 while 12th seed Chong Wei scored a convincing 15-3, 15-2 win over Japan's Nakanishi Yousuke. Both face tougher hurdles ahead as they come up against likely title challengers today. Tsuen Seng will face Denmark and Hong Kong Open champion Lin Dan while Malaysian Open finalist Chong Wei will have to pit his skills against reigning world champion Xia Xuanze. Youngster Yeoh Kay Bin became the first of China's victims when he lost 16-17, 2-15 to Zhu Weilun. Doubles pair Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah stretched their winning record against German pair Kristof Hopp-Thomas Tesche to 3-0 with a 15-5, 15-9 win to march into the second round. They face fifth seeded Indonesian pair Flandi Limpele-Eng Hian next. Women's doubles pair Norashikin Amin-Fong Chew Yen defeated Scottish pair Kirsteen McEwan-Yuan Wemyss 15-8, 5-15, 15-8 while teammates Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty had it easy against Germany's Nicol Pitro-Petra Overzier. The Malaysian pair carved out a 15-6, 15-6 victory over the Germans. However, mixed doubles pair Teik Chai-Pei Tty lost to Natalie Munt-Robert Blair from England 3-15, 14-17.
Badminton/ China Open: Choong Hann leads thrust into Rd 3 S.S. Dhaliwal WONG CHOONG HANN entered the third round of the China Open with Lee Chong Wei and Lee Tseun Seng joining him. However, it was curtains for youngster Yeoh Kay Bin as he succumbed to the sheer power of unheralded Zhu Weilun of China losing 15-6, 15-2. Choong Hann got the better of Taiwan's Chien Yu Hui, 15-4, 15-12 while Tsuen Seng defeated Liao Sheng Shiun also of Taiwan 15-2, 15-7. Chong Wei had it easy against his Japanese opponent Youruke Nakanishi winning 15-3, 15-2. All three Malaysians will, however, be up against the great wall of China as they have been drawn to play against players from the host country. And when the dust eventually settles at the end of today, there is a possibility that only Choong Hann will be the sole Malaysian in the fray. Choong Hann will take on Hu Yun of China in the third round. His only international participation was at last year's China Open. Hu Yun ousted Sairul Amar Ayob and Yeoh Kay Bin enroute to the last eight where he was stopped by countryman Chen Hong. "Choong Hann should not face a problem moving into the last eight as he has been playing well of late," said coach Tey Sue Bock. "Hu Yun has deceptive shots but I do not think that he has enough firepower to trouble Choong Hann." Tsuen Seng will, however, face a mammoth task as he will meet fifth seeded Lin Dan of China in the third round. Lin Dan has had a successful year thus far winning the Hong Kong and Danish Opens and emerged runners-up at the German and Japan Opens. Chong Wei too could find his tournament coming to an end in the third round as he will be up against reigning world champion Xia Xuanze. Infact, it was Xuanze who stopped Chong Wei at the same stage in last year's China Open and it looks like history could well repeat itself. "Xuanze is not playing all that well and Chong Wei has a 50/50 chance of upsetting him," said Sue Bock. "On paper Xuanze is tipped to win easily but with Chong Wei in form, I would not be surprised if he wins." In the men's doubles event Chong Tan Fook/Lee Wan Wah defeated Kristof Hopp/Thomas Tesche 15-5, 15-9 and will play Indonesian pair of Flandi Limpele/Eng Hian in the second round, a pair whom they defeated at the same stage enroute to their final apperance at the Hong Kong Open. The women's doubles too had good starts in the first round with Norhashikin Amin and Fong Chew Yen defating Kristee McEwen and Yuan Wemyss of Scotland 15-8, 5-15, 15-8 while Wong Pei Tty and Chin Eei Hui got the better of Nicol Pitro and Petra Overzier of Germany 15-6, 15-6. Meanwhile Denmark"s top women shuttler Camilla Martin, an archrival for Chinese players, withdrew from the China Open citing injury. "Camilla told us prior to the competition that she is still plagued with the injury from Chinese Taipei Open," said the tournament referee Ian Williamson was reported as saying. Martin, 29, was over the hill and failed to be crowned in eight Grand Prix events since August 2003. She was even ousted by South Korea"s 20-year-old Jun Jae Youn twice, separately in the quarter-final of the Hong Kong Open 11-6, 11-5, and in the second round of Chinese Taipei Open 11-5, 10-13, 11-4.
The Star Online - Top pair bring down the Indons PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's number one doubles pair Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah brought down the top Indonesian pair of Flandi Limpele-Eng Hian for a third time in a row to book their place in the last eight of the US$250,000 China Open badminton championships at the Tianhe Gymnasium in Guanzhou yesterday. Joining them in the quarter-finals was national number one singles player Wong Choong Hann, who had little trouble in his 15-3, 15-8 win over Chinese youngster Hu Yun 15-3, 15-8. Choong Hann faces fast-rising Chinese star Chen Yu next. Two other singles players, Lee Tsuen Seng and Lee Chong Wei, however, fell to Chinese opponents in the third round. Tan Fook-Wan Wah, who had beaten the Indonesians in the Singapore and Hong Kong earlier, won 15-4, 4-15, 15-12 to prove that their earlier wins were no flukes. The Malaysians still face a tough task in the quarter-finals today as they face the crack Korean pair of Ha Tae-kwon-Kim Dong-moon. Tan Fook-Wan Wah defeated the Koreans en route to the final of the Hong Kong Open last month. However, Tae-kwon-Dong-moon turned the tables on the Malaysians in a first round clash at the Taiwan Open last week. Tsuen Seng, meanwhile, went down 13-15, 6-15 to Hong Kong and Denmark Open champion Lin Dan while Malaysian Open finalist Chong Wei came within a whisker of pulling off the biggest upset of the day against reigning world champion Xia Xuanze. The Chinese shuttler needed all his experience to overcome a fighting Chong Wei, winning 17-16, 10-15, 15-12 to make up for the loss of China’s top seed and world number one Chen Hong earlier. Chen Hong had been sent packing 15-17, 4-15 by Peter-Gade Christensen from Denmark earlier. Both Malaysian women's doubles pairs did not survive the second round of competition against Chinese pairs yesterday. Manchester Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty lost to reigning world champions Gao Ling-Huang Sui 8-15, 4-15 while Norashikin Amin-Fong Chew Yen lost to sixth seeds Zhang Dan-Zhang Yawen 3-15, 3-15.
New Strait Times Online - Badminton/China Open: Choong Hann stays on course Nov 14: WONG Choong Hann’s title defence in the US$250,000 (RM950,000) China Open stayed on on track when he advanced to the quarter-finals in convincing style in Guangzhou yesterday. Choong Hann, the joint third seed, secured a comfortable 15-3, 15-8 over unheralded Hu Yun of China in the third round. However, it was the end of the road for Sea Games-bound Lee Tsuen Seng who found Denmark and Hong Kong Open champion Lin Dan of China too hot to handle and crashed 15-13, 15-6. Lee Chong Wei went down fighting to world champion Xia Xuanze of China who secured a close 17-16, 10-15, 15-12 win against the young Malaysian. Choong Hann will meet joint fifth see Chen Yu, his third opponent from China in the tournament, in today's quarter-final match and the Malaysian can look forward to another win. In the men's doubles, Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah advanced to the quarter-finals when they beat joint fifth seeds Flandy Limpele-Eng Hian of Indonesia 15-4, 4-15, 15-12 in the second round. It was Choong-Lee's third straight win over Flandy-Eng Hian and the Malaysians next take on Ha Tae Kwon-Kim Dong Moon of South Korea for a spot in the semi-finals. Sadly, Malaysia's run in the women's doubles came to an end when Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui and Norhashikin Amin-Fong Chew Yen bowed out in the second round. Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui suffered a 15-8, 15-4 defeat to world champions Gao Ling-Huang Sui of China while Norhashikin-Chew Yen lost 15-3, 15-3 to another Chinese pair Zhang Dan-Zhang Yawen.B Results — Men's singles, 3rd rd: Wong Choong Hann bt Hu Yun (Chn) 15-3, 15-8; Lin Dan (Chn) bt Lee Tsuen Seng 15-13, 15-6; Xia Xuanze (Chn) bt Lee Chong Wei 17-16, 10-15, 15-12. Doubles, 2nd rd: Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah bt Flandy Limpele-Eng Hian (Ina) 15-4, 4-15, 15-12. Women's doubles, 2nd rd: Gao Ling-Huang Sui (Chn) bt Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty 15-8, 15-4; Zhang Dan-Zhang Yawen (Chn) bt Norhashikin Amin-Fong Chew Yen 15-3, 15-3.
MALAYSIA BOLEH! CHOON HAN AND TAN FOOK/WAN WAH GO TO SEMI FINAL! CONGRAZ! I HOPE CHOON HAN CAN GO TO FINAL. YEAH,HE'S DEFENDING CHAMPION. MALAYSIA BOLEH!
The Star Online - Last hurdle blues in China Open Badminton Championships By LIM TEIK HUAT PETALING JAYA: It was a double disappointment for Malaysia when top singles player Wong Choong Hann and the doubles duo of Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah fell in the final hurdle of the US$250,000 China Open Badminton Championships at the Tianhe Gymnasium in Guangzhou yesterday. Choong Hann's bid to become the only player to win back to back international men's singles title this year came unstuck at the hands of Chinese teenager Lin Dan while Tan Fook-Wan Wah met their match in reigning world champions Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen of Denmark. The top seeds and current world number one pair beat the Malaysians 15-12, 15-10 to lift their first title since emerging world champions in Birmingham in July. For Tan Fook-Wan Wah, it was the second time in three weeks that they appeared in the final after the Hong Kong Open early this month. However, they could not muster enough firepower to end their four-year-old title drought. But credit deserved to be given to the veterans, who are almost assured of a place in the Athens Olympics next year following their good run. National doubles coach Yap Kim Hock said earlier that Tan Fook-Wan Wah are set to be among the top four pairs in the world next month. “They have performed beyond expectations to reach the finals in two six-star meets this year and collected enough ranking points for the Olympics.” Earlier, Choong Hann, the defending champion and runner-up in the World Championships, put up a gallant fight against the 20-year-old Lin Dan in his bid to win the six-star title to add to his triumph in the Taiwan Open last weekend. In the battle between the two left-handers, both exchanged lead numerous times in the first game. Lin Dan, cheered on by the strong partisan support in the packed stadium, eventually prevailed with his fierce attacks to win 17-16 in the first game. The Chinese youngster went on to clinch victory with a 15-12 score after battling for nearly an hour. Choong Hann, who dispatched former world number one Peter-Gade Christensen of Denmark in three games on Saturday, also repeatedly placed the shuttlecock out of bounds. Not helping him was the fact that Lin Dan had also had the luxury of an extra day's rest after he was given a walkover in Saturday's semi-final by compatriot Zhu Weilun. It was the second straight time Lin Dan had beaten the 26 year-old Malaysian. Lin Dan defeated Choong Hann in the semi-finals of RESULTS (All finals) # Men's singles: Lin Dan (Chn) bt Wong Choong Hann (Mas) 17-16, 15-12. # Men's doubles: Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmusen Den) bt Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah (Mas) 15-12, 15-10 # Women's singles: Zhou Mi (Chn) bt Gong Ruina (Chn) 13-10, 5-1 (Rtd) # Women's doubles: Gao Ling-Huang Sui (Chn) bt Yang Wei-Zhang Jiewen (Chn) 15-8, 15-12.
