All-England Badminton: Tan Fook-Wan Wah reach final

BIRMINGHAM: Malaysia will contest for only one title in the All-England badminton championships at the National Indoor Arena here today. 

In yesterday’s semi-finals, veterans Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah continued their impressive run to reach the men’s doubles final. Tan Fook-Wan Wah ended the gallant run of compatriots Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari-Lin Woon Fui with a sensational 15-8, 15-7 win in just 33 minutes. 

DANISH DELIGHT: Denmark’s Martin Lundgaard Hansen (right) and Jens Eriksen celebrate after beating Malaysia’s Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif and Gan Teik Chai in the men’s doubles semi-finals yesterday. The Danes won 17-14, 15-9. --APpic

Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Gan Teik Chai failed to make it an all-Malaysian final when they squandered a 14-5 lead in the first game to lose 14-17, 9-15 to Denmark’s Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard Hansen. 

Tan Fook-Wan Wah will get a chance to avenge their 2004 final defeat to Eriksen-Lundgaard Hansen. Two years ago, the Danes dashed the Malaysians’ hope of winning their first major title. 

National chief coach Yap Kim Hock said Malaysia’s chances of winning their first men’s doubles title in 24 years were very bright. 

“The quality of the men’s doubles has shot up and this is certainly evident here. The success is due to great teamwork,” said Kim Hock. 

“The presence of Rexy (Mainaky) has certainly improved the quality of our players. His experience and methods of training have helped youngsters make breakthroughs. I am pleased. 

END OF THE CHALLENGE: Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei smashes a return during his men’s semi-final match against China’s Lin Dan. Lin Dan won 15-9, 10-15, 17-14. --APpic

“The chances are great for us to end the long wait for a men’s doubles title. I hope the players will continue with their good performances,” he added. 

The last Malaysians to win the doubles title were the Sidek brothers Razif and Jalani in 1982. 

In the men’s singles, national number one Lee Chong Wei failed to make it grand day for Malaysia when he bowed out to Lin Dan of China in the semi-finals. 

The 23-year-old Chong Wei made a strong comeback in the rubber game but let slip a comfortable 13-6 lead to lose 10-15, 15-10, 14-17 to the top seed and world number one. 

The 2004 All-England champion Lin Dan will take on Lee Hyun-il of South Korea in the final. Hyun-il reached the final when he defeated Denmark’s Peter Gade-Christensen 3-15, 15-8 15-1.                       

Earlier in the quarter-finals, Chong Wei, who was down 10-14, came back from the brink of defeat to beat title-holder Chen Hong of China 9-15, 17-14, 15-2.  

Related Stories:Amazing run for doubles players Chong Wei fights back to down title-holder Chen Hong