Men’s pairs blown away, Chong Wei charges into last eight (pic)

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Shown the exit: Tan Boon Heong (left) and Koo Kien Keat were beaten by Indonesia’s Muhammad Ahsan-Bona Septano 21-12, 18-21, 19-21 in the second round of the Hong Kong Open yesterday.

PETALING JAYA: World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei stepped into the Hong Kong Open quarter-finals in confident fashion yesterday but it was a blow for Malaysia as all three men’s pairs, including top seeds Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong, bowed out in second-round matches.

Chong Wei, who is the most successful shuttler on the Super Series circuit this year, outplayed Chinese youngster Wang Zhengming, winning 21-17, 21-11 in 34 minutes.

Chong Wei has cleared the first of many Chinese hurdles in his path and coach Rashid Sidek is hoping that the defending champion will pull through too today against Chen Jin.Shown the exit: Tan Boon Heong (left) and Koo Kien Keat were beaten by Indonesia’s Muhammad Ahsan-Bona Septano 21-12, 18-21, 19-21 in the second round of the Hong Kong Open yesterday.

The fifth seeded Chinese is the reigning world champion but he has lost to Chong Wei in three meetings this year.

Chong Wei defeated Chen Jin en route to winning the Malaysian and Korean Open titles. He also defeated the Chinese in the Guangzhou Asiad last month to become the first Malaysian to reach the men’s singles final in more than 30 years.

“Chong Wei has a very good record against Chen Jin. If he plays like he did today, he should have no problem beating Chen Jin again,” said Rashid.

“He is our best hope to bring cheers and I am sure he will be all psyched up to end the year on a high.”

Malaysia also have an interest in the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles. Chin Eei Hui-Goh Liu Ying advanced with a 21-16, 19-21, 21-15 win over Taiwan’s Chang Hsin-yun-Cheng Shao-chieh.

Eei Hui is partnering Liu Ying in the absence of regular partner Wong Pei Tty, who is recovering from a knee surgery. And they have a good chance to qualify for the semi-finals from a match today against third seeds Valeria Sorokina-Nina Vislova of Russia. But there is no such opportunity in the men’s doubles for Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who were shown the exit by Indonesians Muhammad Ahsan-Bona Septano. The top Malaysian pair were beaten 21-12, 18-21, 19-21 and it was their first defeat by the Indonesians in three meetings.

They had beaten Ahsan-Bona en route to reaching the Japan Open final this year and were also winners in the 2008 edition of the Hong Kong Open.

Chan Peng Soon-Lim Khim Wah also failed to pull through, losing 15-21, 15-21 to China’s Chai Biao-Guo Zhendong while Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Hoon Thien How were beaten 16-21, 15-21 by glamour pair Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng.

Peng Soon’s campaign in the mixed doubles with Liu Ying also came to an end in a 22-20, 19-21, 18-21 defeat by Indonesians Fran Kurniawan Teng-Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth.

Second round results

Men’s singles: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Wang Zhengming (Chn) 21-17, 21-11; Chen Jin (Chn) bt Kashyap Parupalli (Ind) 21-15, 21-18; Park Sung-hwan (Kor) bt Boonsak Ponsana (Tha) 21-12, 21-15; Chen Long (Chn) bt Hsuan Yi-hsueh (Tpe) 21-18, 21-10; Lee Hyun-il (Kor) bt Wong Wing Ki (Hkg) 21-12, 21-13; Taufik Hidayat (Ina) bt Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk (Tha) 21-19, 21-18; Lin Dan (Chn) bt Shon Wan-ho (Kor) 21-15, 21-16; Nguyen Tien Minh (Vie) bt Hu Yun (Hkg) 21-18, 21-14.

Men’s doubles: Mohd Ahsan-Bona Septano (Ina) bt Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) 12-21, 21-18, 21-19; Ko Sung-hyun-Yoo Yeon-seong (Kor) bt Luluk Hadiyanto-Candra Wijaya (Ina) 21-16, 21-10; Howard Bach-Tony Gunawan (Usa) bt Robert Blair-Flandy Limpele (Eng-Ina) 9-21, 21-16, 21-19; Chai Biao-Guo Zhendong (Chn) bt Chan Peng Soon-Lim Khim Wah (Mas) 21-15, 21-15; Cai Yun -Fu Haifeng (Chn) bt Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Hoon Thien How (Mas) 21-16, 21-15; Alvent Yulianto-Hendra Gunawan (Ina) bt Yohanes Rendy-Afiat Yuris (Ina) 21-18, 21-9; Jung Jae-sung-Lee Yong-dae (Kor) w.o. Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra (Ina); Markis Kido-Hendra Setiawan (Ina) bt Songphon Anugritayawon-Sudket Prapakamol (Tha) 21-15, 21-15.

Matches involving Malaysians in other events

Women’s doubles: Chin Eei Hui-Goh Liu Ying bt Chang Yun-hsin-Cheng Shao-chieh (Tpe) 21-16, 19-21, 21-15.

Mixed doubles: Fran Kurniawan Teng-Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth (Ina) bt Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying 20-22, 21-19, 21-18.

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