* Defeats Japan’s Takuma Ueda in three sets
* Top seed Marc Zwiebler falls
* End of the road for Thien How-Khim Wah in the men’s doubles
Datuk Lee Chong Wei is in the men;s singles final in the USD50,000 Yonex Canada Open in Calgary after a come-from-behind 16-21, 21-10, 21-12 win over Japanese youngster Takuma Ueda on Saturday.
This was Chong Wei’s third successive match that was played over three sets but the Malaysian, seeded No 14, is still the hot favourite to win his second title in a row after winning the US Open – on his comeback trail. The Canadian Open is is his second Open tournament after serving his eight month suspension for a doping scandal.
The Malaysian, who is now ranked No 99 in the world and seeded No 14 in Canada, will face Hong Kong’s Angus Ng Ka Long in the final. The seventh seeded Ka Long pulled off a shock 21-17, 21-15 win over top seed Marc Zwiebler of Germany in 36 minutes.
Malaysia’s challenge in the men’s doubles came to an end when privateers Hoon Thien How-Lim Khim Wah lost to China’s Hung Kaixiang-Wang Sijie after a 62 minute battle. The Chinese won the distance with 21-18, 18-21, 21-15.
Still it was a good outing for the Malaysians after the embarassing exit in the first round in the US Open.
Ueda never allowed Chong Wei to settle in the first set after grabbing a 4-0 lead. It was smooth sailing for the Japanese stamped his authority with a 11-6 lead at the break. The Malaysian narrowed the gap to 12-14 but could not stop his opponent from winning 21-16 in 18 minutes.
In the second set Chong Wei led 5-3, and 15-6 before winning 21-10 . Chong Wei again took the initiative in the decider and never looked back after taking break at 11-2. Having found this rhythm, victory was never in doubt for Chong Wei and won the set and match at 21-12.
SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
MEN
Singles
Datuk Lee Chong Wei (Mas) beat Takuma Ueda (Jpn) 16-21, 21-10, 21-12
Angus Ng Ka Long (Hkg) beat Marc Zwiebler (Ger) 21-17, 21-15
Doubles
Huang Kaixiang-Wang Sijie (Chn) beat Hoon Thien How-Lim Khim Wah (Mas) 21-18, 18-21, 21-15
Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen (Chn) beat Andrei Adistia-Hendra Aprida Gunawan (Ina) 22-20, 21-10
WOMEN
Singles
Kaori Imebeppu (Jpn) beat Sayaka Takahashi (Jpn) 21-16, 21-19
Michelle Li (Can) beat Minatsu Mitani (Jpn) 13-21, 21-17, 21-13
Doubles
Jwala Gutta-Ashwini Ponappa (Ind) beat Shiho Tanaka-Koharu Yonemoto (Jpn) 21-17, 21-16
Eefje Muskens-Selena Piek (Ned) beat Poon Lok Yan-Tse Ying Suet (Hkg) 21-16, 18-21, 21-16
MIXED DOUBLES
Andrei Adistia-Vita Marissa (Ina) beat Michael Fuchs-Birgit Michels (Ger) 21-12, 16-21, 24-22
Reginald Lee Chun Hei-Chau Hoi Wah (Hkg) beat Jacon Arends-Selena Piek (Ned) 21-12, 21-17
