Chong Wei’s reign as world number one under threat
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 1,269 viewsFrench Open00
KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Chong Wei’s reign as the world number one for more than two months is under threat following his defeat in the French Open men’s singles semi-final in Paris on Saturday.
The top seed and defending champion lost some valuable ranking points in crashing out to a 21-16, 14-21, 12-21 defeat by Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia.
It was Chong Wei’s second defeat by Taufik within a month. He was also the loser to the former Olympic and world champion in the final of the Macau Open.
The Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist will have to raise his game higher in the last two Super Series tournaments in China (Nov 18-23) and Hong Kong (Nov 25-30) to ensure that he will be able to end the season as world number one.
The last two Super Series tournaments will see the return of the Olympic champion Lin Dan of China and Chong Wei cannot take it easy any more. In fact, only Lin Dan can overtake Chong Wei as world number one before the year ends.
Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles also ended with the exits of Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong and Kien Keat-Wong Pei Tty respectively.
Only Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui survived their women’s doubles semi-final match.
In final matches yesterday, Wang Lin of China won the women’s singles and He Hanbin-Yu Yang took the mixed doubles title.
Denmark’s Peter Gade-Christensen won his second consecutive Super Series tournament after his “home” Open in Odense last week. He defeated Taufik 16-21, 21-17, 21-7 in the men’s singles final.
French Open SEMI-FINALS Results
Men’s singles: Taufik Hidayat (Ina) bt Lee Chong Wei (Mas) 16-21, 21-14, 21-12; Peter Gade-Christensen (Den) bt Kenneth Jonassen (Den) 21-12.
Men’s doubles: Cai Yun-Xu Chen (Chn) bt Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen (Den) 21-18, 21-19.
Women’s singles: Xie Xingfang (Chn) bt Tine Rasmussen (Den) 21-8, 16-21, 21-16; Wang Lin (Chn) bt Lu Lan (Chn) 23-21, 21-16.
Mixed doubles: He Hanbin-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Koo Kien Keat-Wong Pei Tty (Mas) 21-18, 21-17.
French Open Finals Results
Men’s singles: Peter Gade-Christensen (Den) bt Taufik Hidayat (Ina) 16-21, 21-17, 21-7.
Women’s singles: Wang Lin (Chn) bt Xie Xingfang (Chn) 21-18, 13-21, 21-11.
Mixed doubles: He Hanbin-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Anthony Clark-Donna Kellogg (Eng) 21-13, 21-19.
Source : TheStar
