Skip to main content

Lin Dan-Chong Wei final on the cards

LIN Dan will be the player to beat in the Japan Open in Tokyo.

The two-time Olympic champion safely negotiated past Japan's Sakai Kazumasa (12-21, 21-19, 21-17) and Liew Daren (21-18, 21-17) in the qualifying round yesterday. He plays compatriot Song Xue in today's main draw first round match.

The defeat to Lin Dan will serve as a good experience for Liew Daren, who is hoping to resurrect his fading career.

The World No 60 has failed to improve accordingly since winning the 2012 French Open. Liew Daren also failed to make an impression in the Thomas Cup last month.

The World No 35 Lin Dan has been exceptional in tournaments since his return from his Olympic success two years ago by winning three straight titles at the World Championships, China Masters GP and Asian Championships

Lin Dan, who will likely face Chong Wei Feng in the second round, is expected to upset the form book and play Chen Long in the semi-finals.

Fans could see a final between World No 1 Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan on Sunday.

Like Chong Wei, the China ace will be hoping to make amends after his country failed to retain the Thomas Cup in New Delhi last month.

Chong Wei will open against Taiwan's World No 102 Shih Kuei Chun today.

NST

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...
2 comments
Read more

Rajagobal Let Off The Hook

PETALING JAYA, April 24 (Bernama) -- National head coach Datuk K. Rajagobal was let off the hook by the Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) Disciplinary Committee after finding no evidence that he had violated FAM's Article 88, as claimed. FAM Disciplinary Committee chairman Datuk Taufik Abdul Razak said the committee had decided not to charge Rajagobal after carefully analysing the video of the post-match press conference by the 56-year-old coach. "After listening to the recording of the post-match press conference, we decided to drop the charge against Rajagopal as he did not make such a statement. "Maybe his (Rajagobal) assessment and comments of the match was misconstrued by the media. There was no mention of the FAM policy throughout his comments," said Taufik after emerging from a three-hour Disciplinary Committee meeting at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya, here, Wednesday. Rajagobal who does not mince his words when asked to com...
4 comments
Read more

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...
1 comment
Read more