Hidayat sees off Chen to set up classic duel with Lin
Source: Agencies |
March 10, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
TAUFIK Hidayat rolled back the clock with a smart 21-19, 21-19 win over Chen Jin in a matchup of former world badminton champions to make the All England Open quarterfinals on Thursday.
Hidayat pressed Chen at the net, making the taller Chinese star constantly lunge for drops then smash his clearances. In the entire 62-minute match, Chen led only once, and by a brief point near the end of the first game.
"Last year I went from the top of the mountain to the bottom, my form was very bad," Hidayat said. "I haven't played like this for a long time."
It was Hidayat's first win over Chen in five years. The duo hadn't met since the 2010 worlds, when Chen beat Hidayat in a lopsided final in Paris.
Hidayat said he was extra motivated to spoil Chen's Olympic hopes.
Countries can qualify three players if all three are ranked in the top four.
With Chinese ranked two and three, the fifth-ranked Chen needed a good result here to move up one spot and qualify for the London Games.
"I don't want him to qualify," said Hidayat, who will likely compete at his fourth games.
He won the 2004 Olympic gold, and the worlds the following year.
He's never won the All Englands, however, and his hopes weren't brighter by lining up a match with four-time champion Lin Dan, whom he hasn't beaten in seven years.
Lin eased past Malaysian qualifier Chong Wei Feng 21-13, 21-16, staying on course for a third final in four years with defending champion Lee Chong Wei.
Lee won an entertaining second-round match 23-21, 21-18 with Hans-Kristian Vittinghus, patting his opponent's head with his racket afterward as a compliment for the Dane's unrelenting attitude in his first go at the No. 1 player in the world. "That's put me in the right mood for the quarterfinals," Lee said.
Also joining them were No. 3-seeded Chen Long, No. 7 Kenichi Tago and No. 8 Lee Hyun-il of South Korea for the first time since he went all the way to the final in 2006, plus first-timer Malaysian qualifier Liew Daren and Indonesian surprise Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka.
They helped to make up the first all-Asian men's quarterfinals since 2005.
In the women's side, defending champion Wang Shixian was even more ruthless in her rematch of last year's final with Eriko Hirose of Japan, winning 12 minutes faster and by 21-10, 21-19.
Wang Shixian moved into a match with fellow Chinese Jiang Yanjiao. They are 4-4, with Wang winning the last three, including the Korea Open in January.
Top-seeded Wang Yihan stayed perfect against Liu Xin, beating her Chinese teammate 21-13, 21-12, and set up a quarterfinal with Tine Baun, whom she beat in the 2009 final and lost to in the 2010 final. Wang Yihan has won their last three matches to lead their series 6-5.
Saina Nehwal of India advanced and will play Li Xuerui of China.
Hidayat pressed Chen at the net, making the taller Chinese star constantly lunge for drops then smash his clearances. In the entire 62-minute match, Chen led only once, and by a brief point near the end of the first game.
"Last year I went from the top of the mountain to the bottom, my form was very bad," Hidayat said. "I haven't played like this for a long time."
It was Hidayat's first win over Chen in five years. The duo hadn't met since the 2010 worlds, when Chen beat Hidayat in a lopsided final in Paris.
Hidayat said he was extra motivated to spoil Chen's Olympic hopes.
Countries can qualify three players if all three are ranked in the top four.
With Chinese ranked two and three, the fifth-ranked Chen needed a good result here to move up one spot and qualify for the London Games.
"I don't want him to qualify," said Hidayat, who will likely compete at his fourth games.
He won the 2004 Olympic gold, and the worlds the following year.
He's never won the All Englands, however, and his hopes weren't brighter by lining up a match with four-time champion Lin Dan, whom he hasn't beaten in seven years.
Lin eased past Malaysian qualifier Chong Wei Feng 21-13, 21-16, staying on course for a third final in four years with defending champion Lee Chong Wei.
Lee won an entertaining second-round match 23-21, 21-18 with Hans-Kristian Vittinghus, patting his opponent's head with his racket afterward as a compliment for the Dane's unrelenting attitude in his first go at the No. 1 player in the world. "That's put me in the right mood for the quarterfinals," Lee said.
Also joining them were No. 3-seeded Chen Long, No. 7 Kenichi Tago and No. 8 Lee Hyun-il of South Korea for the first time since he went all the way to the final in 2006, plus first-timer Malaysian qualifier Liew Daren and Indonesian surprise Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka.
They helped to make up the first all-Asian men's quarterfinals since 2005.
In the women's side, defending champion Wang Shixian was even more ruthless in her rematch of last year's final with Eriko Hirose of Japan, winning 12 minutes faster and by 21-10, 21-19.
Wang Shixian moved into a match with fellow Chinese Jiang Yanjiao. They are 4-4, with Wang winning the last three, including the Korea Open in January.
Top-seeded Wang Yihan stayed perfect against Liu Xin, beating her Chinese teammate 21-13, 21-12, and set up a quarterfinal with Tine Baun, whom she beat in the 2009 final and lost to in the 2010 final. Wang Yihan has won their last three matches to lead their series 6-5.
Saina Nehwal of India advanced and will play Li Xuerui of China.
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