ID :
15764
Wed, 08/13/2008 - 15:37
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/15764
The shortlink copeid
BIG DAY FOR MEW CHOO, DOUBLES PAIR TO FIGHT FOR OLYMPICS SEMIS
By Tham Choy Lin
BEIJING, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- A big day awaits Malaysian woman shuttler Wong Mew Choo and men's pair Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong Wednesday to battle for a place in the Olympic semifinals.
Mew Choo, making history as the first Malaysian woman singles to qualify for the Olympics, squares off against China's third seed Lu Lan whom she has beaten twice and lost thrice to.
It is also the first major test for both who had two easy rounds enroute to
the last eight, along with top seed Xie Xingfang and defending champion Zhang
Ning, both from China.
To advance into the semis, Kien Keat and Boon Heong must upstage Indonesian
world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan tomorrow night.
Lee Chong Wei, the number two seed for the men's singles crown, takes a
day's rest to scheme against Athens bronze medallist Sony Dwi Kuncoro of
Indonesia.
Chong Wei, the second seed here behind China's reigning world champion Lin
Dan, as expected booked himself into the last eight with an effortless win over
Lithuania's Kestutis Navickas 21-5, 21-7 in the third round Tuesday morning.
Sony, the only Indonesian left in the tussle after defending champion
Taufik
Hidayat's ouster yesterday, made his way with a 21-13, 21-18 win over Vladyslav
Druzchenko of Ukraine.
Sony made last year's world championship a nightmare for Chong Wei by
beating the Malaysian in the second round in Kuala Lumpur. But in the ensuing
Denmark Open and China Open, Chong Wei avenged himself.
"Past records won't count now. Sony is a very tough attacking player. I
know
his game well but this may change for the Olympics here, so I have to make sure
I am in the best condition to face him," said Chong Wei.
The 26-year-old Chong Wei is getting used to playing in the centre court
and
the draft inside the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium.
"I have played all my two matches on the same court and I am playing more
consistently and making less mistakes," he said.
Sony said Taufik's loss will pressure him to salvage Indonesia's pride.
Allan Budi Kusuma first won the gold medal in Barcelona in 1992, followed
by Taufik in Athens, four years ago.
"I don't think of anything else except my own game. Chong Wei is looking in
good form here but I am confident. I have my own strength," he said.
The winner of the tie will head for the semi-final in the bottom half of
the draw either against China's third seed Bao Chunlai or South Korean
darkhorse, Lee Hyunil.
Taiwan's Hsieh Yu Hsing ended Choong Hann's third and final Olympic outing
14-21, 21-17, 21-18, a day after the Malaysian closed the door on Athens games
gold medallist Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia who also played his last
Olympics.
Kien Keat and Boon Heong were superb in trouncing Shintaro Ikeda and
Shuichi Sakamota 21-12, 21-16 in the pre-quarterfinals round.
Tan Fook and Wan Wah fended off their rivals in the first game just barely
and the Koreans came back to force a decider with their fast attacking speed to
wrap up 20-22, 21-13, 21-16.
-- BERNAMA
BEIJING, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- A big day awaits Malaysian woman shuttler Wong Mew Choo and men's pair Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong Wednesday to battle for a place in the Olympic semifinals.
Mew Choo, making history as the first Malaysian woman singles to qualify for the Olympics, squares off against China's third seed Lu Lan whom she has beaten twice and lost thrice to.
It is also the first major test for both who had two easy rounds enroute to
the last eight, along with top seed Xie Xingfang and defending champion Zhang
Ning, both from China.
To advance into the semis, Kien Keat and Boon Heong must upstage Indonesian
world champions Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan tomorrow night.
Lee Chong Wei, the number two seed for the men's singles crown, takes a
day's rest to scheme against Athens bronze medallist Sony Dwi Kuncoro of
Indonesia.
Chong Wei, the second seed here behind China's reigning world champion Lin
Dan, as expected booked himself into the last eight with an effortless win over
Lithuania's Kestutis Navickas 21-5, 21-7 in the third round Tuesday morning.
Sony, the only Indonesian left in the tussle after defending champion
Taufik
Hidayat's ouster yesterday, made his way with a 21-13, 21-18 win over Vladyslav
Druzchenko of Ukraine.
Sony made last year's world championship a nightmare for Chong Wei by
beating the Malaysian in the second round in Kuala Lumpur. But in the ensuing
Denmark Open and China Open, Chong Wei avenged himself.
"Past records won't count now. Sony is a very tough attacking player. I
know
his game well but this may change for the Olympics here, so I have to make sure
I am in the best condition to face him," said Chong Wei.
The 26-year-old Chong Wei is getting used to playing in the centre court
and
the draft inside the Beijing University of Technology gymnasium.
"I have played all my two matches on the same court and I am playing more
consistently and making less mistakes," he said.
Sony said Taufik's loss will pressure him to salvage Indonesia's pride.
Allan Budi Kusuma first won the gold medal in Barcelona in 1992, followed
by Taufik in Athens, four years ago.
"I don't think of anything else except my own game. Chong Wei is looking in
good form here but I am confident. I have my own strength," he said.
The winner of the tie will head for the semi-final in the bottom half of
the draw either against China's third seed Bao Chunlai or South Korean
darkhorse, Lee Hyunil.
Taiwan's Hsieh Yu Hsing ended Choong Hann's third and final Olympic outing
14-21, 21-17, 21-18, a day after the Malaysian closed the door on Athens games
gold medallist Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia who also played his last
Olympics.
Kien Keat and Boon Heong were superb in trouncing Shintaro Ikeda and
Shuichi Sakamota 21-12, 21-16 in the pre-quarterfinals round.
Tan Fook and Wan Wah fended off their rivals in the first game just barely
and the Koreans came back to force a decider with their fast attacking speed to
wrap up 20-22, 21-13, 21-16.
-- BERNAMA
