China's top shuttler Lin Dan ended his Malaysian Open campaign,
head held low, after suffering a 21-14, 21-17 defeat at the hands
of South Korean Park Sung Hwan on Thursday.?
Lin opened the game with a sustained attack on his rival but
proved unable to overcome the South Korean's composure. Park ended
the opening set 21-14.
Lin tried changing his tactics and tried to set up a rally in
the second game, but Park gave him few chances, winning the game
and securing a berth in the final round.
Despite Lin's unexpected loss, the Chinese team is still hoping
to win the championship with four players through to the
quarter-finals.
Bao Chunlai beat Malaysia's Kuan Beng Hong, while Chen Jin held
off another local, Wong Chong Hann, with Chen Hong upsetting
Indonesia's Soni Dwi Kuncoro.
Chen Yu rounded out China's last place in the next round when he
defeated Malaysia's Yeoh Kay Bin 13-21, 21-15, 21-13. He will face
off on Friday with Danish Peter Gade who beat Ronald Susilo of
Singapore 21-13 and 21-10.
Park, who beat Lin Dan 21-14 and 21-17, will encounter Danish
Kenneth Jonassen.
In the women's singles, China's Zhu Ling combated a light fight
with Malaysia's Wong Pei Xian and won the match 21-8 and 21-16.
However, Fu Haifeng and Cai Yun, the only pair from China in the
men's doubles, were also toppled by their Malaysian rivals Ong Soon
Hock and Tan Bin Sen.
In the women's doubles, China's Gao Ling/Huang Sui and Du
Jing/Zhao Tingting booked their places in Friday's matches to meet
each other unfortunately.
In the mixed doubles, China's Zhao Tingting/Zhang Jun beat their
Danish opponents Lena Frier Kristiansen/Jonas Rasmussen 21-17 and
21-17, and will have to face another Danish pair Ritta
Andersen/Joachim Fischer Nielsen on Friday.
(Xinhua News Agency and CRI January 19, 2007)
