Sydney: Tan Boon Heong-Hoon Thien How failed to gain revenge in Sydney as they were crushed by world number two Lee Yong-dae-Yoo Yeon-seong 21-14, 21-16 in the men’s doubles semi-finals in 47 minutes. In last month’s Thomas Cup Group C tie against Korea, Tan-Hoon lost to the Korean pair 19-21, 19-21.
“The Korean played a lot of high quality shots today. We gave our best, it’s just so hard to score a single point from the Korean,” said Boon Heong.
“This is the second tournament for Thien How and I playing as a pair, even though we reached semi-final, but I am not satisfy with the result. We came so close from reaching the final to earn a shot of becoming the men’s doubles champion at Australia,” said the disappointed Boon Heong.
Lee-Yoo will play Lee Sheng mu-Tsai Chia Hsin of Taiwan in the final. Seeded third at the tournament in Sydney, Lee and Tsai upended the second-seeded Kim Ki Jung and Kim Sa Rang 21-18, 21-17.The Taiwanese team lost to Lee and Yoo in straight sets last year at the Hong Kong Open, also part of the BWF World Superseries, but they appeared confident in their chances in Sunday’s final.
“No matter who the opponents are, we try our hardest to play our best and grab victory,” said Lee Sheng Mu.
Two time Olympic Gold medalist Lin Dan from China will play the resurgent Simon Santoso of Indonesia in the men’s singles final. Lin Dan knocked out compatriot Tian Houwei 21-19, 23-21 in the semi-final, while Simon Santoso also rejected his fellow Indonesian Tommy Sugiarto 21-16 21-13 in the semi-final.
For the first time this season, there will be no Chinese player contesting for the women’s singles title.
The campaign of women’s singles top seed Wang Shixian was brought to an abrupt end by India’s Saina Nehwal. The Indian shuttler pulled off the upset with 21-19, 16-21, 21-15 victory in 76 minutes and will clash with Spaniard Carolina Marin in the final, who whitewashed Japanese Yui Hashimoto 21-17, 21-16 in 45 minutes.
