Impressive Chong Wei sends warning

14 August 2008Pix by BadmintonPhoto
MALAYSIA’S Lee Chong Wei continued his impressive march towards a possible showdown with Lin Dan with a clinical display of attacking badminton to stop Indonesia’s Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the quarter-finals of the men’s singles in Beijing.
With Lin Dan only in action later this evening, Chong Wei showed why he is one of the favourites for a medal when he outclassed the Indonesian 21-9, 21-11 to move into the semi-finals.
Chong Wei will play the winner of the match between China’s Bao Chunlai and Korea’s Lee Hyun Il later today.
“I’m still not too happy with my performance as I believe I can play better. It will be important because Chinese players will have the support of the home fans and as such, I have to be at my best in the semi-final,” said Chong Wei.
“There is more pressure on me as I’m the only Malaysian left in the competition. As such, I need to concentrate more to ensure I make the final.
“Whether I play Bao Chunlai or Lee Hyun Il does not really matter as both players are good. However, I don’t want to think about them as I’m only concerned with my own performance.”
In another quarter-final match, China’s Chen Jin was also too good for Chinese Taipei;s Hsieh Yu Hsing, winning in straight games 21-8, 21-14. Chen Jin will take on either Lin Dan or Peter Gade (Denmark).
In the mixed doubles, Indonesia’s top seeds Nova Widianto-Liliyana Natsir moved into the last four with a 21-13, 21-19 win over Thailand’s Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thoungthongkam.
“We clicked really well today and that has given the confidence to look forward to the matches ahead,” said Liliyana.
“We can still play a lot better and I’m sure we will do that in the semi-finals.”
The Indonesians will take on China’s He Hanbin-Yu Yang who were stretched all the way by Poland’s Robert Mateusiak-Nadiezda Kostiuczyk 22-20, 23-21.
Besides the men’s singles quarterfinals, the other matches in the evening are in the mixed doubles with Great Britain’s Nathan Robertson-Gail Emms taking on Korea’s Lee Yong Dae-Lee Hyo Jung and Denmark’s Thomas Laybourn-Kamilla Rytter Juhl up against Indonesia’s Flandy Limpele-Vita Marissa