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March 10, 2013

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Home » Sports » Badminton

Lee, Chen into semis; Nehwal ousts Wang

LEE Chong Wei moved to within two wins of regaining the men's singles title at the All-England Open in Birmingham, but was so disappointed with the quality of the success which got him there that he claimed he would forget it.

The world No. 1 from Malaysia was never in difficulty in a 21-17, 21-19 win over Tienh Min Nguyen, the seventh-seeded Vietnamese, but shook his head at how much he felt his performance fell below its usual very high standards.

"I made some simple mistakes," he said, shaking his head. "I just have to forget about it and move on."

His next opponent is Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, a qualifier who has worked his way diligently all the way to the semifinals. The Thai beat Indonesia's Tommy Sugiarto, the son of former world champion Icuk Sugiarto, winning 21-17, 21-11.

Despite the emergence of the Thai surprise packet, it is Chen Long who appears to be the biggest threat to Lee, with his great movement and control, and increasing patience and maturity.

China's Chen won a match full of deft rallies with mesmerizing patterns against Parupalli Kashyap, the top ten Indian, who led 13-11 but could make no further headway, losing 16-21, 10-21.

Chen was denied the expected semifinal with his compatriot Chen Jin, however, when the former world champion was well beaten 7-21, 14-21 by Dane Jan Jorgensen, the world No. 13.

Former world No. 1 Tine Baun remained on course for a big farewell when she reached the semifinals.

Denmark's Baun, the only woman to deny China a singles title in the past decade, was often at her commanding, emotionally intense best as she won 21-7, 21-13 against Lindaweni Fanetri, the world No. 19 from Indonesia.

"I am pleased with the finish this is going to give my career," said Baun, who now plays Sung Ji-hyun, the fifth seeded South Korean.

Earlier, the defeat of Wang Shixian, the former All-England champion, means that for only the third time in 16 years China will not win the women's singles. It is also the first time since 1995 that China has not had a semifinalist in this event.

Wang was beaten by second-seeded Saina Nehwal, who took a step nearer to becoming the first Indian woman ever to win the All-England title after a long drawn-out 23-21, 10-21, 21-16 victory.






 

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