New Delhi, April 30 (IANS) World No.1 Lee Chong Wei registered a convincing 21-11, 21-15 win over Yun Hu of Hong Kong to set up a title clash with veteran Peter Gade of Denmark in the men’s singles of the inaugural India Open Super series badminton at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here Saturday.
Chong Wei, the top seed from Malaysia, sailed through in 27 minutes with Yun Hu hardly putting up any resistance.
Gade, too, carved out an impressive 21-15, 21-19, victory over South Korea’s Sung Hwan Park in the first match of the day.
The women’s final will be between Thailand’s Porntip Buranaprasertsuk and South Korean Youn Joo Bae.
Buranaprasertsuk defeated fourth-seed Yip Pui Yin of Hong Kong 21-13, 21-8 while third seed Bae scored a thrilling 23-21, 15-21, 21-12 victory over Japanese Sayaka Sato in an hour-long duel.
There were spells of brilliance as Chong Wei and Gade exhibited their craft and toyed with their opponents.
Chong Wei, playing the longest rally of the match in the first game, showed superb reflexes when he retrieved the shuttle that had all but touched the ground and then did a Roger Federer, running behind to hit the shuttle between his legs. Though he lost the rally, it thrilled a sizable number of spectators who turned up at the Siri Fort Stadium despite the Indians’ campaign ending Friday.
‘I don’t know where that came from. I was lucky,’ Chong Wei said, breaking into a laugh.
Chong Wei at 6-5 reeled off seven points to jump ahead. He then left his opponent way behind as he raced from 14-9 to easily take the first game.
Hu committed all manner of errors in the second game and surprisingly even Chong Wei struggled to keep the shuttle in the court. The Malaysian, however, had established a cushion early in the game and had little difficulty in subduing Hu.
Chong Wei, who is 11-1 head-to-head against Gade, said he was all up to become the first champion of India Open. Gade’s only victory againt Chong Wei came at the Korea open Super Series final in 2009.
‘It is the first Super Series in India and I would like to win it. He (Gade) is an experienced player and it is always tough to play against him,’ he said.
Third-seeded Gade, who had to save three match points in the opening match against Japanese Kazushi Yamada, was in sublime touch against Park.
He was in control for most of the 45 minutes of the clash and was backed by vociferous fans.
Gade dictated terms, pushing Park to the flanks, and finished the points with finesse. Park tried in vain to get a foothold as the Dane went into an early lead.
Showing supple hands at the net, Gade built on his lead and notched up five points from 13-11 and eventually pocketed the game with a brilliant drop shot from the back court.
Park, who defeated second-seeded Indonesian Taufiq Hidayat in the quarterfinals Friday, came back strongly in the second game when he took a 12-6 lead. But Gade nosed ahead by taking six points on a clip and the pressure was back on the young Korean.
Gade held on to the lead to close out the match.
‘I am getting better and better in the tournament. I have been making the semifinals and quarterfinals regularly and it feels good to be in the final here. The last I played in a final was in 2010 Korea Open,’ said the 34-year-old.
‘I played smart badminton. I set the pace and I expected to comeback in the second game, though I was at a disadvantage after the change of ends as I had to play from a difficult side. He was controlling the game, but I fought back well.’
