Thursday January 10, 2013
Chong Wei gets off to a sluggish start in Korea
KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei got off to a sluggish start but it was quite an inspiring day for several youngsters in the Korean Open Super Series Premier in Seoul.
Top seed and defending champion Chong Wei dropped a game for the first time against former world junior champion Wang Zhengming before prevailing 17-21, 21-14, 21-16 to march into the second round.
It was his sixth win over Zhengming.
National coach Tey Seu Bock said that Chong Wei struggled to find his rhythm in the opening game but quickly managed to recover and restore order.
“He dropped a game because he was struggling to adapt to the slow shuttle. He also committed more mistakes than his opponent. But once he settled down, Chong Wei was back in command,” said Seu Bock.
Chong Wei’s next opponent will be Germany’s Marc Zwiebler, who stopped a gutsy Tommy Sugiarto of Indonesia 16-21, 21-14, 21-17.
There was more joy for Malaysia in the men’s singles when Chong Wei Feng lived dangerously before scoring a 24-22, 21-16 win over Sweden’s Hendri Hurskainen. He will take on Gao Huan of China next.
Gao Huan and Ashton Chen Yong Zhao of Singapore enjoyed a remarkable day when they overcame two of China’s top players – Chen Jin and Chen Long – in contrasting fashion.
Gao Huan, who just made his mark in the senior ranks last year, fought tooth-and-nail to beat former world champion and third seed Chen Jin 14-21, 21-14, 21-15 while the 24-year-old Ashton had a lucky break when second seed Chen Long retired while trailing 4-11 in the opening game.
In the men’s doubles, Lim Khim Wah-Goh V Shem resumed their partnership on a bright note, clearing their first hurdle with a 15-21, 21-13, 21-17 win over South Koreans Cho Gun-woo-Kim Dae-eun.
The duo, who had not play together as a pair for the last six months due to personal differences, showed that they had mended their ways with this win. They will take on fourth seeds Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa of Japan next.
The Japanese continued to be a bane to Malaysia’s Hoon Thien How-Tan Wee Kiong. Hiroyuki-Kenichi won 21-12, 20-22, 21-14 for their fifth straight win over the Malaysians.
Top doubles pair Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong will take on Malaysian professionals Gan Teik Chai-Ong Soon Hock today after both pairs disposed of South Koreans rivals – Kang Ji-wook-Lee Sang-hoon and Kim Jae-hwan-Kim Jung-ho – in convincing fashion.
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