JAKARTA: WORLD number one Lin Dan had to play even though he came down with a stomach ailment just hours before the quarter-final tie against Japan but still there was no hiccup for China as they powered to a 3-0 win at the Senayan Indoor Stadium in Jakarta last night. Denmark also had little problem securing a place in the semi-finals against Indonesia. Denmark, who had the easiest draw among the title contenders, rested top singles player Peter-Gade Christensen against Germany and cruised to a 3-1 win. China's strong performance stamped their strong message to their rivals that they meant business in their bid to regain the Cup, which they last won 14 years ago in Tokyo. China will play against South Korea in the semi-finals today. The Koreans beat Thailand 3-1. China were the overwhelming favourites against Japan but they still opted to field a strong line-up. Other than Lin Dan, who was unable to play to his true potential, the other Chinese players had little difficulty winning their matches. Lin Dan was slow in his movement against Shoji Sato and he committed some uncharacteristic mistakes but still managed to pull through 15-9, 15-13 to deliver the first point for China. China went 2-0 up when the mighty young pair of Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng ripped apart Keita Masuda-Tadashi Ohtsuka 15-4, 15-5 in just 20 minutes. Hidetaka Yamada had no chance to get himself warmed up against world number two Chen Hong. The lanky Chinese shuttler smashed his way to a quick 15-2, 15-2 win and saved teammates Bao Chunlai and the scratch doubles combination of Sang Yang-Chen Qiqiu from playing their matches. Chinese chief coach Li Yongbo said that he had no doubt that his team would secure victory in the first three matches. “Our players are playing very well. They did not drop any game today,” he said. On the 21-year-old Lin Dan's weaker performance, Yongbo said that he came down with diarrhoea two hours before the tie. “He had to go to the toilet a few times but it was too late to replace him because we had handed in our line-up,” he said. “We will not play tomorrow and he should be ready for the semi-finals.” Denmark won the first two matches through Kenneth Jonassen and the world number one pair of Lars Paaske-Jonas Rasmussen but had to wait a little longer to seal the tie after Anders Boesen lost to Jens Roch 6-15, 3-15. However, All-England champions Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard restored the order for the Danes, whipping Jochen Cassell-Kristof Hopp 15-8, 15-7. TheStar
