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Tuesday October 27, 2009

China give masterful displays to lift the mixed team title

By LOGANATH VELLOO

ALOR SETAR: Malaysia failed to get their hands on the mixed team title in the World Junior Badminton Championships after being outclassed 3-0 by China in the final at the Sultan Abdul Halim Indoor Stadium here last night.

Their hopes of winning the title for the first time went up in smoke with defeats in the mixed doubles, boys’ singles and boys’ doubles matches.

It was sweet revenge for the Chinese, who lost 1-3 to the Malaysians in the Asian junior final in Kuala Lumpur last July.

While China celebrated winning the title a fourth time after 2004, 2007 and last year, Malaysia had to be contented with making the final for the first time.

In a surprise move, the Malaysian coaches split up the effective mixed doubles partnership of Chooi Kah Ming-Ng Hui Ern. They opted for Kah Ming’s boys’ doubles partner Ow Yao Han to team up with Hui Ern for the first time in the tournament.

The result was disastrous in their match against Lu Kai-Bao Yixin. Yao Han placed his return of service wide of the sidelines four times in the first six Chinese serves to trail 1-6 and went on to lose the game at 5-21.

Although they failed to take the lead in the entire match, Yao Han-Hui Ern managed to level the score at 19-19 before Lu Kai-Yixin sealed the match at 21-19.

Next up for Malaysia was Mohd Syawal Ismail, who was called to action for the first time in Alor Setar as the replacement for Iskandar Zulkarnain, who has yet to recover fully from a bout of food poisoning.

Syawal played against Asian junior champion Tian Houwei, who beat the Malaysian in the semi-finals of the Asian Juniors.

Syawal failed to force a rubber game despite leading 20-19 in the second game and went on to lose the match 15-21, 23-25.

“It was my first competitive match in the stadium and I was still getting used to the playing conditions and had problems judging the flight of the shuttle,” said Syawal.

“It would have been better if I was given the chance to play in the semi-finals against Taiwan. It would have given me an earlier feel of the playing conditions and Iskandar would have more time to rest and recover.”

Iskandar was fielded against Taiwan and he lost his match in Malaysia’s 3-1 victory.

China clinched the winning point through Lu Kai-Liu Peixuan, who downed Yao Han-Kah Ming 21-12, 18-21, 21-17.

The dead girls’ singles and doubles matches were not played.

Malaysia singles coach Sun Chenhua defended the selection of the line-up for both the semi-final and final ties.

“It would not have mattered whom we fielded in the boys’ singles and the mixed doubles against China because they were just too strong tonight,” he said.

“All players we picked for this tournament have their own strengths and weaknesses. Although we won the silver medal for the first time in the world junior team event, personally I am disappointed that we missed out on the gold.”

It was learnt that Iskandar went on intravenous drips yesterday in an effort to get him to recover quickly for his challenges in the individual event beginning tomorrow.

Final: China 3 Malaysia 0 (Lu Kai-Bao Yixin bt Ow Yao Han-Ng Hui Ern 21-5, 21-19; Tian Houwei bt Muhd Syawal Ismail 21-15, 25-23; Lu Kai-Liu Peixuan bt Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming 21-12, 18-21, 21-17)

Third-place playoff: Thailand 3 Taiwan 1 (Nip­it­phon Phuangphuaphet-Artima Seritha­m­marak bt Yang Chi-hsun-wu Yun-ting 21-17, 15-21, 21-12; Watchara Buranakrue lost to Hsu Jen-hao 11-21, 13-21; Nitchaoen Jindapol bt Lu Chia-chien 21-11, 16-21, 21-17; Watchara Buranakrue-Pawarit Supasri bt Chang Kai-liang-Lin Yu-te 18-21, 21-15, 21-15).

5-6th: Indonesia bt Japan 3-2.

7-8th: India bt Hong Kong 3-2.

9-10th: Denmark bt Philippines 3-0.

11-12th: Russia bt Singapore 3-0.

Mixed team event: 1. China, 2. Malaysia, 3. Thailand, 4. Taiwan, 5. Indonesia, 6. Japan, 7. India, 8. Hong Kong, 9. Denmark, 10. Philippines, 11. Russia, 12. Singapore, 13. Vietnam, 14. England, 15. France, 16. New Zealand, 17. Germany, 18. Canada, 19. Macau, 20. Sri Lanka, 21. Australia.

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