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Double shock: Shuttlers Chong Wei and Lin Dan fall in last eight

WORLD number one Lee Chong Wei and favourite Lin Dan made shocking quarter-final exits from the World Championships yesterday.
An unexpected back injury saw top seed Chong Wei going down 15-21, 21-11, 12-21 to Indonesian Taufik Hidayat while three-time world champion Lin Dan of China lost tamely 13-21, 13-21 to Park Sung-hwan of South Korea.

The defeat to Taufik crushed Chong Wei’s childhood dream of becoming the country’s first world champion.
This is the third time that he has failed to live up to his tag as the top seed in the world meet.

Double shock:Chong Wei Lee of Malaysia plays a shot against Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia during their men's single quarterfinal match at the World Badminton Championships in Paris, Friday Aug, 27, 2010. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) 
 
 
Lin Dan of China also fell.
In the last two occasions, he was also beaten by an Indonesian – Sony Dwi Kuncoro – in Kuala Lumpur 2007 (third round) and Hyderabad 2009 (quarter-finals).
Ironically, Chong Wei’s last defeat to Taufik was also in Paris two years ago in the semi-finals of the French Open.

And the last time Taufik defeated Chong Wei in the world series, the Indonesian went on to win the title in 2005.

Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei reacts after he lost to Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat in the men's singles quarterfinals at the BWF World Badminton Champhionships in Paris, August 27, 2010. Taufik won 21-15, 11-21, 21-12. GLENN GUAN/The Star (Paris) 
 
Taufik, who will now take on Sung-hwan, has a good chance to make the final again after five years.
Chong Wei concluded that the world meet is jinxed as far as he is concerned.
“I am just not lucky when it comes to the world meet. This has happened too many times,” said a dejected Chong Wei.

“I know this will sound as a lame excuse but I had picked up a back injury. I have never been down with this injury before.”
The Malaysian claimed he sustained the back injury during the easy third round win over Rajiv Ouseph of England.

Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat celebrates after defeating Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei in the men's singles quarterfinals at the BWF World Badminton Champhionships in Paris, Friday. Taufik won 21-15, 11-21, 21-12. GLENN GUAN/The Star (Paris) 
 
“My back is swollen. The doctors had a look at it. I thought I could bear the pain but I found it very painful when I jumped. That’s why I was quite slow today,” said Chong Wei.
Chong Wei lacked speed in his opening game to allow Taufik to race to a 21-15 win.

The Malaysian regained his composure to take the second game 21-11 and even led Taufik 10-8 in the decider.

But, according to Chong Wei, the pain worsened at this stage and he just threw the match.
“I am not sure about my plans after this. It is best that I get proper treatment for the injury first,” he said.



Star

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