http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2011/2/23/sports/8118783&sec=sports All-England: Chong Wei will not meet nemesis Lin Dan until the final PETALING JAYA: World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei will be sporting a big smile on his face as he plots the defence of his All-England title in Birmingham next month. Chong Wei’s hopes of retaining the title he won in the 100th edition of the tournament last year brightened considerably after the draw yesterday as he will not have to play his nemesis Lin Dan of China until the final. The duo are currently a level above the rest of the field in the men’s singles game and world badminton fans will be relishing another opportunity to see a showdown between them at the prestigious tournament next month. Third seeded Lin Dan is drawn in the bottom half and veteran Wong Choong Hann has the misfortune of meeting the reigning Olympic champion in the first round. Lin Dan should play either Vietnam’s Nguyen Tien Minh, Denmark’s Jan Jorgensen or his countryman Du Pengyu for a place in the last four. An all-Chinese semi-final affair could materialise with fellow compatriot and world champion Chen Jin of China, seeded sixth in the lower half. But even Chen Jin may be upstaged by fast rising compatriot Wang Zhengming who has the potential to play spoiler. The unseeded Zhengming opens his campaign against Park Sung-hwan of South Korea with the winner earning a second round clash against second seed Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia. Chong Wei, on the other hand, has an easy first round match against Sho Sasaki of Japan. Chong Wei, who just lifted his ninth national title on Monday, is slated to play against Bao Chunlai of China or Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia next but should prevail if he plays to his true potential. Thai Boonsak Ponsana awaits in the quarter-finals while either top Dane Peter-Gade Christensen or China’s Chen Long may be lining up against the Malaysian in the semi-finals. Singles coach Rashid Sidek said Chong Wei has displayed superb consistency in the Super Series tournaments so far and hopes he can keep up the good momentum. “The All-England, however, is a prestigious tournament and everyone wants to win it. “Chong Wei will surely be out to live up to his billing by making the final again but every match will not be easy,” he said. The All-England is the fourth Super Series meet for the year. Chong Wei had earlier won the Super Series Masters Finals in Taipei and went on to retain the Malaysian Open title. However, he lost to Lin Dan in the Korean Open final and it remains to be seen whether Misbun Sidek, who has yet to come back to the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) on whether he will change his mind and remain in the coaching fold, will make a trip to Birmingham to guide his star player.
something is very wrong with the writer...eventhough LCW avoid LD until final why must LCW sport a big smile?? do or die, LCW still need to face LD if both managed to reach final... unless the writer is hoping that before final, LD bow out or walkover and LCW win all the way to final??
2011 All England: Expecting a 'Taufik Hidayat-vs-Lin Dan' Semi-finals match . For the 2011 All England, it will depend on the winner of this match (IMHO) 'Taufik Hidayat-vs-Lin Dan' at the bottom half of the draw to face the winner of the top half (of whom most BCers think it would be Lee Chong Wei). But we will never know; Some underdogs could upset all our expectations. .
Even if TH will most likely not win if he meets LD, surely he's good enough friends with LCW to do him a favour by putting up a good fight with LD to at least tire him out in a rubber set.
Taufik would try his hardest to defeat Lin Dan . I should think not. Whenever Taufik gets a chance to face Lin Dan, I am sure that Taufik would try his hardest to defeat Lin Dan. .
TH v LD might not actually materialize. TH has many land mines in his way. He should beat Yamada in R1. Then the trouble starts. He faces either PSH or WZM in R2. If he clears this hurdle, world champion CJ probably awaits him in the QF. Guess what? If he gets past CJ he will be exhausted, thanks to LD's foot soldiers, and will be easy pickins' for LD. Before he can even get the opportunity to "do a favour" for LCW, the CHN boys will have done theirs for LD. Sorry but once again, LCW is on his own to carry the flag.
Does BAM have a choice? If LCW ignores them, what can BAM do? Ban LCW? LCW can have total freedom now! Why didn t he think of that earlier? Ctc, see what happens when the coach is away. Btw, anyone knows whether the 3 ctc powershots have resigned? How can they let LCW go here and go there like that? And no more reports to read?
The dark horse for LCW in the AE could be SS who has rebounded since the MO. He gave a good fight against LD in the KO stretching him to 3 games. SS is also now under Li Mao and who knows what can happen; Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka almost beat LCW in the INA League on 24/02/11 ie last night. SDK is the other one to watch. Li Mao is really a top-notch coach.
This news post says a lot about LCW's friendship with TH:- INDONESIA SUPERLIGA – Welcome Chong Wei By Raphael Sachetat – February 23, 2011 Lee Chong Wei made his arrival in Surabaya on Wednesday to play for his friend Taufik Hidayat’s club of SGS PLN Bandung for the Indonesian Djarum Badminton Super Liga, being held for a week from February 20 to 26. Their club lead the race for the final victory. Story and photos: Ira Ratnati, live from Surabaya (Surabaya) Not many private clubs in the world can brag about having two of the best ever badminton players in their own stable. Guangzhou Badminton can, as they have hired both Taufik Hidayat and Lee Chong Wei for the China League. But so too can SGS PLN Bandung, a club based in Bandung, as those same two legendary shuttlers have been playing together in the newly held Super Liga for the first time this Wednesday after Chong Wei joined Taufik. Chong Wei entered the league competition with ease for his first match against Jaya Raya Jakarta, beating Adi Pratama 21-14 and 21-13. The appearance of Lee had been awaited by the DBL Arena’s fans. Everyone kept asking when the world number one would play, as league play had been going on for 3 days already – Chong Wei had to play in his own National Grand Prix Finals in Malaysia. On Wednesday, finally, the Malaysian wonder could ravish the local fans even if his match was an easy win because of the clear difference in level. Nevertheless, Chong Wei was all smiles to answer questions from the local press. “I’ve just arrived in Jakarta this morning but the reason why I’ve come to play here is to give motivation to my team, and secondly to create a better atmosphere here, so I hope in the next super league, we will have more top players,” said the Malaysian. Lee was asked by his long time friend Taufik to join his club. “I’m not running for money here, I really appreciate Taufik asking me to join, and I think the league will be going well, so this is like a warming up for the China league and the All England,” he added. More than 20 foreign athletes, coming from 8 countries, are participating in the league, which is being held from February 20 to 26 and comprises a women’s competition and a men’s competition. SGS PLN Bandung beat Jaya Jakarta 5-0 in the men’s competition. Taufik and Chong Wei’s club of SGS Bandung leads the race of the round robin matches with 5 victories in their 5 matches, followed closely with 4 victories by Surabaya, led by Sony Dwi Kuncoro and Hu Yun of Hong Kong.
