New Strait Times Online - Badminton: Chance for Chong Wei to break duck before Games K.M. Boopathy Nov 17: NATIONAL coach Misbun Sidek wants Lee Chong Wei to compete in the Luster Open in Sungai Petani even if he is included in the Sea Games squad. Chong Wei, the top seed for the satellite tournament which begins on Wednesday, has yet to win an international tournament and Misbun wants him to overcome the barrier to gain confidence. Hafiz Hashim has been left out of the Sea Games due to a wrist injury and Chong Wei is certain to make the squad but this will not exempt him from the Luster Open. Besides aiming for the title, Misbun said Choong Wei will get a chance to meet Sea Games rival Anuparp Thiraratsakul of Thailand and the tournament will be a good warm-up if he gets the nod to travel to Vietnam. "Chong Wei will have to play in the Luster Open even if he is selected for the Sea Games as the title could give him confidence on the international circuit," said Misbun before leaving to Guangzhou on Saturday. Malaysia will play China in a friendly today in Guangzhou. "The Luster Open is not an easy tournament as Anuparp and several Korean singles shuttlers will be there. Chong Wei reached the final of the Malaysia Open but lost to World No 1 Chen Hong of China in September and also suffered a shock defeat to compatriot Yeoh Kay Bin in the Indian satellite championships last month. Chong Wei could meet Anuparp, the Thai No 2, in the Luster Open quarter-final and is expected to meet South Korean No 4 Park Sung Hwan in the final. Based on his current performance, Chong Wei should face no problems winning the Luster Open but he has to impress Misbun in the friendly today. Wong Choong Hann is expected to meet Chen Hong in the first singles, Chong Wei could take on Xia Xuanze while Lee Tsuen Seng is expected to meet either Lin Dan or ChenYu in the third singles. Chong Wei lost 17-16, 10-15, 15-12 to Xuanze in the third round of the China Open, which concluded yesterday. However, with the Sea Games spot up for grabs, the Malaysian should be determined to upset Xuanze.
The Star Online - Lee gets top billing BY DASHEER NOH SUNGAI PETANI: Lee Chong Wei, fast making a name for himself in the international badminton scene, has earned top seeding in the men’s singles of the Third Luster-Malaysia Satellite championships starting tomorrow at the SMJK Sin Min (Private) school hall here. Chong Wei has been installed as the top seed as South Korea’s Park Tae-sang will not be defending his title. Last week Chong Wei played in the China Open and was knocked out by world champion Xia Xuanze in the third round. He lost 16-17, 15-10, 12-15. The top seed is expected to meet South Korean second seed Park Sung-hwan in the final. Chong Wei is expected to meet joint 3rd-4th seed Sairul Amar Ayob, one of three Malaysian players seeded in the top four, in the semi-final. The other Malaysian player seeded is 3rd-4th seed Yeoh Kay Bin. A total of 73 entries were received for the men’s singles and 13 of them will go through the qualifying round to secure four places in the main draw of 64. The singles champion will get RM2,500, runner-up RM1,500 while the semi-finalists will each receive RM500. The men’s doubles has attracted 50 entries with 22 pairs playing in the qualifying round for four places in the main draw. Indonesians Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan have been given top seeding in the absence of defending champions Kim Dong-moon and Ha Tae-kwon. Malaysia’s Gan Teik Chai and Koo Kien Keat are the second seeds for this event which offers cash prize of RM4,000 for the champions and RM2,000 for runners-up. Kanako Yonekura of Japan has earned top seeding in the women’s singles and her opponent in the final is expected to be Thailand’s Salakit Polsana, the second seed. More than 100 foreign players from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand will take part.
The Star Online - A breeze for Chong Wei 21/11/2003 BY DASHEER NOH SUNGAI PETANI: Top seed Lee Chong Wei hardly raised a sweat in clearing his first round match of the Luster-Malaysian Satellite badminton championships at the Sin Min Private School hall here yesterday. Chong Wei, named the top seed following the absence of title holder Park Tae-sang of South Korea, swept aside fellow Malaysian Mohd Ariff Latif, scoring a 15-6, 15-3 victory. The Penangite will play against Hong Kong's Yan Chun Yu in the second round today. Chong Wei is unlikely to face any problem in reaching the final following third-fourth seed Sairul Amar Ayub’s decision to pull out of the tournament due to illness. He was tipped to play against Sairul in the semi-finals. Yeoh Kay Bin, the other third-fourth seed, easily cleared his opening round match, beating Singapore's Sugarra Robert 15-6, 15-8 to set up a second round match against fellow Malaysian Mah Jun Loong. Second seed Park Sung-hwan of South Korea showed awesome form, crushing Lok Chong Cheih of Malaysia 15-2, 15-1 in the first round. In the women’s singles, only three out of the 11 Malaysians survived the first round. Those who advanced were Woon Sze Mei, Wong Miew Kheng and Julia Wong Pei Xian. Among those who crashed out were Ooi Ewee Wenn, M. Sutheaswari, K. Sugina and Norshaliza Baharum. The top two seeds, Kanako Yonekura of Japan and Salakit Polsana of Thailand, won their first round matches in contrasting fashion. Kanako scored a comfortable 11-0, 11-6 win over Ewee Wenn while Salakit had to fight back from a game down to eliminate Japan's Yu Wakata 2-11, 11-8, 11-2.
The Star Online - Chong Wei cruises through 22/11/2003 By DASHEER NOH SUNGAI PETANI: The top three seeds in the RM25,000 Luster-Malaysian Satellite badminton tournament eased into the quarter-finals with consummate ease after victories in their respective third round matches at the Sin Min (private) school hall here last night. Lee Chong Wei demolished fellow Malaysian K. Yogendran in another straight games match with a 15-5, 15-2 victory while South Korean second seed Park Sung-hwan also made short work of Japan's Yusuke Shimkai by scoring a lopsided 15-4, 15-6 win to make it to the last eight. Chong Wei had whipped, downed Yan Chun Yu of Hong Kong 15-6, 15-3 earlier. Yeoh Kay Bin, the 3rd-4th seed, stayed on course for a semi-final clash with Sung-hwan with a 15-12, 15-7 win over Japan's Kenta Kazuno.
NSTP - Badminton: Chong Wei in last eight 22/11/2003 TOP seed Lee Chong Wei qualified for the quarterfinals of the Luster Malaysia Satellite Championships in Sungai Petani. He will meet Koichi Saeki of Japan this morning. The 21-year-old Chong Wei defeated Yan Chun Yu of Hong Kong in the first round on Thursday. He opened his campaign on an erratic note when he gave away four points before breaking the duck. He then dropped two more points before racing home to win 15-6 in 12 minutes. In the second game, the Penangite quickly took a 5-0 lead before Chun Yu earned his first point. Chong Wei won back service before dropping another two points on his way to an easy 15-6, 15-3 win. He attributed his poor start to a lack of proper warming up as he arrived in Kuala Lumpur only on Tuesday night from Shenzen where he took part in the China Open. After a short rest, he drove to Sungai Petani the following day. Chong Wei, the 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix champion, was in his element in the second round when he took only 20 minutes to dispose of 14-year-old junior Mohd Ariff Latif 15-5, 15-3. In the third round against K. Yogendran last night, Chong Wei showed glimpses of fatigue but he was still too good for his opponent. Yogendran had earlier defeated Chong Kien Ling 15-6, 15-3 in the second round. Chong Wei, who lost the gold to Hafiz Hashim in the 2002 Sabah Sukma, had faced Yogendran seven times and won all matches since their junior days. He picked up win No 8 in only 16 minutes with an easy 15-5, 15-2 victory to set up a clash with Saeki. Chong Wei, who has yet to drop a game, said he capitalised on his opponent’s mistakes to win the match. “I suspect Yogendran was under pressure as he has yet to beat me after seven matches. That made my job easy,” he said. Earlier, Saeki took almost one and a half hours to defeat South Korea’s Hong Seung Ki 15-12, 9-15, 15-9. Chong Wei is replacing the injured All-England champion, Hafiz Hashim, in next month’s Vietnam SEA Games.
Chong Wei Closer to Title BY DASHEER NOH SUNGAI PETANI: Malaysian Open singles runner-up Lee Chong Wei moved to within one match of bagging his first international title when he qualified for the final of the third Luster-Malaysia Satellite 2003 badminton championships at the Sin Min private school hall here last night. But the day belonged to teammate Kuan Beng Hong (pic), who stunned South Korean second seed Park Sung-hwan in three games, 15-4, 7-15, 15-6, to set up an all-Malaysian final. The winner will take home the top purse of RM2,500. Chong Wei beat Lee Yen Hui of Singapore 15-4, 15-7. In the quarter-finals, Chong Wei had beaten Japanese Koichi Saeki 15-4, 15-6. In the mixed doubles, Malaysia's Gan Teik Chai and Fong Chew Yen were also on a roll by qualifying for the final. Teik Chai and Chew Yen, the top seeds, eased into the final by defeating Devin Lahardi amd Yunita Tetty of Indonesia 17-14, 15-3 in the semi-finals. They will meet another Indonesian pair, Titon Bustaman and Lelyana Daisy, who upset second seeds Yoo Yeon Seong and Ha Jun Eun of South Korea, in the final tonight. The women's singles final will be an all-China affair between two unseeded players. Li Wen Yan defeated top seed Kanako Yonekura of Japan 11-9, 11-3 to set up a final against teammate Yuan Ling, who defeated another Japanese Yu Hirayama 11-2, 11-7 in the other semi-final.
The Star Online - Chong Wei closer to title 23/11/2003 BY DASHEER NOH SUNGAI PETANI: Malaysian Open singles runner-up Lee Chong Wei moved to within one match of bagging his first international title when he qualified for the final of the third Luster-Malaysia Satellite 2003 badminton championships at the Sin Min private school hall here last night. But the day belonged to teammate Kuan Beng Hong (pic), who stunned South Korean second seed Park Sung-hwan in three games, 15-4, 7-15, 15-6, to set up an all-Malaysian final. The winner will take home the top purse of RM2,500. Chong Wei beat Lee Yen Hui of Singapore 15-4, 15-7. In the quarter-finals, Chong Wei had beaten Japanese Koichi Saeki 15-4, 15-6. In the mixed doubles, Malaysia's Gan Teik Chai and Fong Chew Yen were also on a roll by qualifying for the final. Teik Chai and Chew Yen, the top seeds, eased into the final by defeating Devin Lahardi amd Yunita Tetty of Indonesia 17-14, 15-3 in the semi-finals. They will meet another Indonesian pair, Titon Bustaman and Lelyana Daisy, who upset second seeds Yoo Yeon Seong and Ha Jun Eun of South Korea, in the final tonight. The women's singles final will be an all-China affair between two unseeded players. Li Wen Yan defeated top seed Kanako Yonekura of Japan 11-9, 11-3 to set up a final against teammate Yuan Ling, who defeated another Japanese Yu Hirayama 11-2, 11-7 in the other semi-final.
Badminton: Chong Wei storms into final New Straits Times Online - Lee Keng Fatt Nov 23: THERE was no stopping Lee Chong Wei as he stormed into an all-Malaysian Luster Malaysia Satellite Championship men’s singles final with an easy win in the semi-finals at the SMJK Sin Min Hall in Sungai Petani last night. Full story Send to a friend Printable page Advertisement Chong Wei, 21, will meet compatriot Kuan Beng Hong for the title today. While Chong Wei had an easy match against Singapore's Kendrick Lee Yen Hui, winning 15-7, 15-4, Beng Hong had to overcome a plucky Jang Young Soo of South Korea before winning 15-4, 7-15, 15-6. The men's doubles pair of Lok Chong Hong-Chin Shi Weng and Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat also made it a memorable evening for Malaysia when they too checked into the finals. Chong Hong and Shi Weng defeated South Korea's Yoo Yeon Seng and Jeon Jun Bum 15-6, 15-6 while Teik Chai and Kien Keat sent the Indonesian pair of Hendra Aprida Gunawan and Joko Riyadi reeling to a 15-12, 15-3 defeat. The women's singles will be an all-China affair with Li Wen Yan taking on compatriot Yuan Tin after both packed off their respective Japanese opponents. Wen Yan upset top seed Kanako Yonekura 11-9, 11-3 while the lanky Yuan Ting beat Yu Hirayama 11-2, 11-7. Results — (Malaysians unless stated) Men's singles q-finals: Lee Chong Wei bt Koichi Saeki (Jpn) 15-4, 15-5; Kendrick Lee Yen Hui (Sin) bt Salim Samion 15-13, 12-15, 15-10; Jang Young Soo (Kor) bt Yeoh Kay Bin 15-12, 15-3; Kuan Beng Hong bt Park Sung Hwan (Kor) 15-8, 15-5. S-finals: Lee Chong Wei bt Kendrick Lee Yen Hui (Sin) 15-7, 15-4; Kuan Beng Hong bt Jang Young Soo (Kor) 15-4, 7-15, 15-6. Doubles — S-finals: Lok Chong Hong-Chin Shi Weng bt Yoo Yeon Seng-Jeon Jun Bum (S Kor) 15-6, 15-6; Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat bt Hendra Aprida Gunawan-Joko Riyadi (Indon) 15-12, 15-3. Women's singles — S-finals: Li Wen Yan (Chn) bt Kanako Yonekura (Jpn) 11-9, 11-3; Yuan Ting (Chn) bt Yu Hirayama (Jpn) 11-2, 11-7. Doubles q-finals: Greysia Poli-Woon Khe Wei bt Monthila Meemek-Sitee Phuksappaisalsilp (Tha) 15-6, 3-15, 15-3; Tomomi Mastsyda-Aki Akao bt Li Wen Yan-Yuan Ting (Chn) 15-6, 15-1; Duanggawong Arookesorn-Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (Tha) bt See Phu Leng-Marilyn Pang 15-4, 15-3; Pan Pan-Wan Xin (Chn) bt Ha Jung Eun-Oh Seul Ki (Kor) 15-4, 15-11; S-finals: Tomomi Mastsyda-Aki Akao bt Greysia Poli-Woon Khe Wei 15-6, 15-4; Pan Pan-Wan Xin (Chn) bt Duanggawong Arookesorn-Kunchala Voravichitchaikul (Tha) 11-15, 15-11, 15-4.
National champ bags his first international title BY DASHEER NOH SUNGAI PETANI: Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei finally clinched his first international career title, strolling to a straight-game win over compatriot Kuan Beng Hong in the final of the Luster-Malaysia Satellite Badminton Championships at the Sin Min school hall here last night. The 21-year-old national champion took 45 minutes to beat Beng Hong 15-7, 15-9 to take home RM2,500. It was a good outing for Chong Wei, this year’s Malaysian Open runner-up, as he did not drop a single game throughout the championships. Beng Hong, who upset South Korean second seed Park Sung-hwan in the semi-finals on Saturday, pocketed RM1,250. Gan Teik Chai-Fong Chew Yen gave Malaysia another title by winning the mixed doubles event, beating Indonesians Titon Gustaman-Leyana Daisy 15-6, 15-10. Teik Chai clinched another title when he partnered Koo Kien Keat to win the men’s doubles event. They defeated Hong Chien Hun-Lin Woon Fui 15-7, 17-16. In the all-China women’s singles final, Li Wen Yan took 50 minutes to beat compatriot Yuan Ting 11-4, 8-11, 11-6. Japan’s Tomomi Mastsyda-Aki Akao were made to stay on court for 75 minutes before clinching the women’s doubles crown. They toiled for an 8-15, 15-9, 15-11 win over China’s Pan Pan-Wan Xin.
NSTP - Badminton: A timely boost 24/11/2003 K. Kandiah VIETNAM-BOUND Lee Chong Wei did every thing right to smash his way to his first Luster Malaysia Satellite badminton singles title last night. And the Penangite did it in style by not dropping a single game throughout the championships in Sungai Petani and collected RM2,500 for his efforts. The 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix champion dislodged compatriot Kuan Beng Hong winning 15-7, 15-9 in 34 minutes. This is the fourth time the duo have met. Chong Wei who won twice had the psychological advantage over Beng Hong to go for the third win. Chong Wei, who lost the gold to Hafiz Hashim in the 2002 Sabah Malaysia Games, was brimming with confidence. "This win is a morale booser for me. I am glad my game is consistent now". The 21-year-old Chong Wei also repaid the confidence national coach Misbun Sidek had in him when the latter registered him for the Sungai Petani event. "I had to rush back to Bukit Jalil tonight as I have to report for training tomorrow (today)". Chong Wei is a last-minute replacement for the injured Hafiz Hashim for next month's Vietnam SEA Games. The women's singles was an all Chinese affair where Li Wen Yan defeated Yuan Ling in three games 11-4, 8-11, 11-6 to take the RM1,500 while Yuan Ling went back with RM1,000. Malaysian pair Gan Teik Chai and Fong Chew Yen took less than 40 minutes to beat Indonesian duo Titon Gustaman and Lelyana Daisy Chandra 15-6, 15-10 in the mixed doubles to claim the title. Meanwhile, the men's doubles was an all Malaysian affair where Gan Teik Chai and Koo Kien Keat beat Hong Chieng Hun and Lin Woon Fui in straight games. In the first game, Teik Chai and Kien Keat won 15-7, 17-16. In the women's doubles, the Japanese pair of Tomomi Mastsyda and Aki Akao upset Pan Pan and Wan Xin of China 8-15, 15-9, 15-11. Results: – Men's doubles: Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat (Mas) bt Hong Chieng Hun-Lin Woon Fui (Mas) 15-7, 17-16. Women's doubles: Tomomi Mastsyda-Aki Akao bt Pan Pan-Wan Xin (Chn) 8-15, 15-9, 15-11. Men's singles: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Kuan Beng Hong (Mas) 15-7, 15-9. Women's singles: Li Wen Yan (Chn) bt Yuan Ling (Chn) 11-4, 8-11, 11-6. Mixed doubles: Gan Teik Chai-Fong Chew Yen (Mas) bt Titon Gustaman-Lelyana Daisy Chandra (Ina) 15-6. 15-10.
The Star Online - Luster-Malaysia Satellite Badminton Championships results MEN’S SINGLES Final: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Kuan Beng Hong (Mas) 15-7, 15-9. MEN’S DOUBLES Semi-finals: Hong Chien Hun-Lin Woon Fui (Mas) bt Yoo Yeon-seong-Jeon Jun-bum (Kor) 15-6, 15-6; Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat (Mas) bt Hendra Aprida-Joko Riyadi (Ina) 15-12, 15-3. Final: Gan Teik Chai-Koo Kien Keat (Mas) bt Hong Chien Hun-Lin Woon Fui (Mas) 15-7, 17-16. WOMEN’S SINGLES Final: Li Wen Yan (Chn) bt Yuan Ting (Chn) 11-4, 8-11, 11-6. WOMEN’S DOUBLES Semi-finals: Tomomi Mastsyda-Aki Akao (Jpn) bt Greysia Poli-Heni Budiman (Ina) 15-6, 15-4; Pan Pan-Wan Xin (Chn) bt A. Duanggawong-V. Kunchala (Tha) 11-15, 15-11, 15-4. Final: Tomomi Mastsyda-Aki Akao (Jpn) bt Pan Pan-Wan Xin (Chn) 8-15, 15-9, 15-11. MIXED DOUBLES Semi-finals: Gan Teik Chai-Fong Chew Yen (Mas) bt Devin Lahardi-Yunita Tetty (Ina) 17-14, 15-3; Titon Gustaman-Leyana Daisy (Ina) bt Yoo Yeon-seong-Ha Jun-bun (Kor) 10-15, 15-11, 15-4. Final: Gan Teik Chai-Fong Chew Yen (Mas) bt Titon Gustaman-Leyana Daisy (Ina) 15-6, 15-10.
New Straits Times Online - Badminton: Teik Chai-Chew Yen grab mixed doubles crown Lee Keng Fatt Nov 24: TOP seeds Gan Teik Chai and Fong Chew Yen bagged the Luster Malaysia Satellite mixed doubles titles after defeating Indonesia’s Titon Gustaman and Lelyana Daisy Chandra in straight games in the final at the SMJK Sin Min Hall in Sungai Petani last night. The duo won 15-6, 15-10 to pocket the RM2,500 prize money. Their triumph also made them the first Malaysian pair to win the mixed doubles title. China’s Chen Ji Bin and Cheng Jiao took the title in 2001 while South Korea’s Ha Tae Kwon and Lee Kyung Wan grabbed it last year. The early indications were already there that the local duo would emerge as victors after a jittery start from their Indonesian opponents. Teik Chai and Chew Yen in fact had it easy from the start, as they opened up a 6-3 lead before pushing it to 10-5. Titon-Lelyana managed to snatch a point but that did not help much as Teik Chai and Chew Yen piled on the pressure to chart a 15-6 win. It was still the Malaysians who were in command in the second game as they smashed their way to a comfortable 14-6 lead before allowing their opponents to take four consecutive points, threatening to force the match into rubber. But the Malaysian partnership had other ideas wrapping it up 15-10 to win their first Luster title. Teik Chai will also feature in the men’s doubles with Koo Kien Keat where the pair was seeded second and will take on Lok Chong Hong and Chin Shi Weng in an all-Malaysians final. Results — (Malaysians unless stated): Mixed doubles: Gan Teik Chai-Fong Chew Yen bt Titon Gustaman-Lelyana Daisy Chandra (Indon) 15-6, 15-10. Saturday’s results: Mixed doubles q-finals: Gan Teik Chai-Fong Chew Yen bt Hendra Setiawan-Greysia Polii (Ina) 15-9, 15-12; Devin Lahardi-Yunita Tetty (Ina) bt Jeon Jun Bum-Kim Mi Young (Kor) 15-5, 15-9; Titon Gustaman-Lelyana Daisy Chandra (Ina) bt Naoki Kawamae-Yasuyoo Imabeppu (Jpn) 15-4, 15-12; Songphon Anugritayawon-Duanganon Aroonkesorn (Tha) bt Yoo Yeon Seong-Ha Jun Eun (Kor) 15-13, 15-7. S-finals: Gan Teik Chai-Fong Chew Yen bt Devin Lahardi-Yunita Tetty (Ina) 17-14, 15-3; Titon Gustaman-Lelyana Daisy Chandra (Ina) bt Songphon Anugritayawon-Fuanganon Aroonkesorn.
