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Saturday October 31, 2009

Iskandar, sole survivor Second seed prevents a Malaysian wipeout in singles

By LOGANATH VELLOO

ISKANDAR Zulkarnain prevented a complete Malaysian wipeout in the World Junior Badminton Champion­ships singles events after saving three match points before booking his place in the semi-finals.

Iskandar is the sole Malaysian singles survivor for today’s last four stage (matches start at 6pm).

His other team-mates – Mohd Misbun Ramdan, Zulfadli Zulkifli, Tee Jing Yi and Sonia Cheah – all crashed out yesterday.

He is also the first Malaysian boys’ singles semi-finalist in the world juniors after Lee Chong Wei in 2000.

Smashing form: Iskandar Zulkarnain beat China’s Li Yisheng 19-21, 25-23, 21-8 at the Sultan Abdul Halim Stadium on Friday.

Last night, Iskandar had to pull out all the stops before overcoming China’s Li Yisheng 19-21, 25-23, 21-8 in his last eight encounter.

The second seeded Malaysian was staring at defeat as he lost the first game and trailed the Chinese player 19-20 in the second game.

But Iskandar managed to save two match points before forcing a rubber game, which he won easily.

“I am extremely lucky to be still in the competition. There was tremendous pressure after I lost the first game, but I fought on to stay alive,” said Iskandar.

“Physically, I am not back to my best after just recovering from food poisoning several days ago. I need ample rest to recover for tomorrow’s semi-finals.”

Iskandar will now take on Taiwan’s Hsu Jen-hao, who beat him 21-13, 21-14 in last week’s team semi-finals.

Jen-hao booked his place in the last four with a 21-19, 21-13 triumph over Europe’s last hope Emil Holst of Denmark.

In the top half of the draw, top seed Tian Houwei proved to be the main thorn for the hosts after eliminating two Malaysian players yesterday.

The Chinese shuttler first knocked out Zulfadli 21-19, 21-17 in the fourth round, and followed it up with a 21-11, 21-13 win over Misbun in the quarter-finals.

After two gruelling matches in the third and fourth rounds, Misbun did not have much left in his tank to fight off Houwei.

“The exertions of the last two rounds (on Thursday night and Friday morning) took their toll. I was exhausted and could barely move my legs on the court,” said Misbun.

“I tried to keep the rallies short, but only succeeded in making mistakes by playing the shuttle into the net repeatedly.”

Malaysia’s challenge in the girls’ singles came to an end after Jing Yi fell tamely 13-21, 17-21 to giant­­killer Di Suo of China in the last eight.

“There is no excuse for my defeat. I was just not good enough. I played too defensively and could not handle Di Suo’s onslaught,” said Jing Yi.

Di Suo, who knocked out second seed Febby Angguni of Indonesia on Thursday, will now take on Thailand’s Ratchanok Inthanon in the last four today.

Ratchanok, who is already making a name for herself in the senior scene, ended Indonesia’s interest in the event with a 21-9, 21-11 romp over third-fourth seed Anna Rovita.

The other girls’ singles semi-final is also a China-Thailand affair with top seed Chen Xiaojia meeting last year’s semi-finalist Porntip Buranaprasertuk.

Xiaojia had earlier ended Sonia’s gallant run with a 21-17, 21-19 victory in the fourth round.

FOURTH ROUND

* Matches involving Malaysians only

Boys’ singles: Zulfadli Zulkifli lost to Tian Houwei (Chn) 21-19, 21-17; Mohd Misbun Ramdan bt Nikolaj Persson (Ger) 21-18, 28-26; Iskandar Zulkarnain bt Pisit Poodchalat (Tha) 18-21, 21-15, 21-17.

Girls’ singles: Sonia Cheah lost to Chen Xiaojia (Chn) 17-21, 19-21; Tee Jing Yi bt Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) 21-9, 21-10.

Boys’ doubles: Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming bt Simon Bergstrom-Patrik Lundvist (Swe) 21-17, 21-12; Goh Jian Hao-Pang Zheng Lin lost to Caballes Tin-Nipitphon Phuangphuangpet (Tha) 20-22, 21-13, 18-21.

Girls’ doubles: Ng Hui Ern-Lai Pei Jing bt Ayu Wijaya-Destiara Della (Ina) 22-20, 22-20; Shevon Lai Jamie-Ong Boon Hui lost to Nguyen Thi Sen-Vu Thi Tran (Vie) 15-21, 10-21.

Mixed doubles: Ow Yao Han-Lai Pei Jing bt Pranav Chopra-Prajakta Sawant (Ind) 21-13, 21-13.

n QUARTER-FINALS

Boys’ singles: Tian Houwei (Chn) bt Mohd Misbun Ram­dan (Mas) 21-13, 21-11; Tatsuya Watanabe (Jpn) bt Yang Chih-hsun (Tpe) 21-14, 21-19; Hsu Jen-hao (Tpe) bt Emil Holst (Den) 21-19, 21-13; Iskandar Zulkar­­­nain (Mas) bt Li Yisheng (Chn) 19-21, 25-23, 21-8.

Girls’ singles: Chen Xiaojia (Chn) vs Qoryatin Siti Anida (Ina) 21-8, 21-12; Porntip Buranaprasertuk (Tha) bt Minatsu Mitani (Jpn) 21-13, 21-14; Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Anna Rovita (Ina) 21-9, 21-11; Tee Jing Yi (Mas) bt Di Suo (Chn) 21-13, 21-17.

Boys’ doubles: Angga Pratama-Rendy Sugiarto (Ina) bt Hoshino Shohei-Akira Kobayashi (Jpn) 21-15, 21-14; Ow Yao Han-Chooi Kah Ming (Mas) bt Chang Kai-liang-Lin Yu-te (Tpe) 21-17, 22-20; Caballes Tin-Nipitphon Phuangphuangpet (Tha) bt Emil Holst-Niclas Nohr (Den) 21-18, 21-12; Berry Anggriawan-Muhammad Ulinnuha (Ina) bt Liu Peixuan-Lu Kai (Chn) 21-17, 15-21, 21-13.

Girls’ doubles: Tang Jinhua-Xia Huan (Chn) bt Shuai Pei-ling-Wu Ti-jung (Tpe) 21-11, 21-7; Rodjana Chuthabunditkul-Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Tha) bt Lai Pei Jing-Ng Hui Ern (Mas) 24-22, 20-22, 21-14; Poon Lok Yan-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) bt Nguyen Thi Sen-Vu Thi Trang (Vie) 21-15, 21-16; Suci Rizki Andini-Tiara Rosalia (Ina) bt Bao Yixin-Luo Yu (Chn) 21-18, 21-19

Mixed doubles: Lu Kai-Bao Yixin (Chn) bt Ow Yao Han-Lai Pei Jing (Mas) 21-11, 17-21, 21-8; Angga Pratama-Destiara Della (Ina) bt Nipitphon Phuang­phuapet-Artima Serithammarak (Tha) 21-15, 21-14; Maneepong Jongjit-Rodjana Chuthabunditkul (Tha) bt Tran Duc Phong-Vu Thi Trang (Vie) 21-16, 21-13; Liu Peixuan-Xia Huan (Chn) bt Yang Chih-hsun-Wu Yun-ting (Tpe) 21-16, 21-16.

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