Date:20/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/20/stories/2008042055941500.htm

Sport - Badminton

Asian championship: Chen Jin upsets Lin Dan

JOHOR BAHRU (Malaysia): Chen Jin of China defeated World No. 1 Lin Dan in the semifinals on Saturday in an upset at the Asian badminton championship, the last qualifying tournament before the Beijing Olympics.

Chen, who also beat compatriot Lin in the All-England Open final, quickly downed the defending champion 21-13, 21-14.

Lin once again was stopped short of his first ABC crown.

Lin’s usual attacking play was absent and Chen, seeded No. 4, won comfortably to set up a final against South Korea’s Park Sung-hwan on Sunday.

Park beat Indonesia’s Sony Dwi Cuncoro 14-21, 21-16, 21-19 in the other semifinal.

It will be an all-China affair in the women’s singles with defending champion Jiang Yanjiao taking on Wang Lin.

Jiang beat 2006 champion Wang Chen of Hong Kong 21-17, 21-16.

Wang Lin beat another Hong Kong player, Yip Pui Yin, the No. 3 seed, 21-14, 21-18 in the two semifinals.

The women’s doubles final will be between World’s No. 1 pair Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen of China against Taiwan’s Cheng Wen Hsin and Chien Yu Chin, the No. 3 seeds.

The Koreans, who won 16-21, 21-16, 21-19, will play Indonesia’s Nova Widianto and Chandra Wijaya in the final. — AP