Wang stuns world No. 1 to reach final
Sunday, 19 August 2007
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (AFP): Hong Kong's Wang Chen stunned China's world number one Zhang Ning to march into the final of the world badminton championships here Saturday.
The world number six Wang baffled the Olympic champion, China's great hope in the women's singles, with contrasting pace to win 21-11, 21-13 and reach her first ever world final.
Wang said her strategy was to play fast and furious in the first game, but slow down the pace in the second, when she knew Zhang would come out firing.
"I managed to fasten the game which made her (Zhang) look a bit slow in the first," a delighted Wang.
Wang, the Asian Games champion, faces a final showdown Sunday with China's fifth seed Zhu Lin who easily dispensed with teammate Lu Lan 21-10, 21-13.
Zhang, a veteran of the Chinese team, joins a string of stars who have fallen in this tournament, including defending women's champion and compatriot Xie Xingfang.
Men's singles and men's and women's doubles action happens later Saturday.
In mixed doubles, Indonesia's Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir held off a ferocious challenge from China's third seeds Xie Zhongbo and Zhang Yamen to book a place in Sunday's final.
The Indonesian second seeds won the first game, only for China to charge back in the second. Neither side would break away in the third, and China, at 17-20 down, saved three match points only for Indonesia to hang on for a 22-20 nail-biting win.
They play China's number ones Zheng Bo and Gao Ling who had an equally tough battle against Indonesia's sixth seeds Flandy Limpele and Vita Marissa.
The Chinese, who have won six titles since coming together since this year, fought back from one game down to edge home 17-21, 21-19, 21-19.
Widianto, who won the 2005 world title with Natsir, said they were relaxed and confident about the final despite facing the formidable Chinese.
The world number six Wang baffled the Olympic champion, China's great hope in the women's singles, with contrasting pace to win 21-11, 21-13 and reach her first ever world final.
Wang said her strategy was to play fast and furious in the first game, but slow down the pace in the second, when she knew Zhang would come out firing.
"I managed to fasten the game which made her (Zhang) look a bit slow in the first," a delighted Wang.
Wang, the Asian Games champion, faces a final showdown Sunday with China's fifth seed Zhu Lin who easily dispensed with teammate Lu Lan 21-10, 21-13.
Zhang, a veteran of the Chinese team, joins a string of stars who have fallen in this tournament, including defending women's champion and compatriot Xie Xingfang.
Men's singles and men's and women's doubles action happens later Saturday.
In mixed doubles, Indonesia's Nova Widianto and Lilyana Natsir held off a ferocious challenge from China's third seeds Xie Zhongbo and Zhang Yamen to book a place in Sunday's final.
The Indonesian second seeds won the first game, only for China to charge back in the second. Neither side would break away in the third, and China, at 17-20 down, saved three match points only for Indonesia to hang on for a 22-20 nail-biting win.
They play China's number ones Zheng Bo and Gao Ling who had an equally tough battle against Indonesia's sixth seeds Flandy Limpele and Vita Marissa.
The Chinese, who have won six titles since coming together since this year, fought back from one game down to edge home 17-21, 21-19, 21-19.
Widianto, who won the 2005 world title with Natsir, said they were relaxed and confident about the final despite facing the formidable Chinese.