| |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
KUALA LUMPUR - The badminton world's top seed Lee Chong Wei again proved why the Malaysia Open championships is his favourite hunting ground after securing his sixth men's singles crown in brilliant style Sunday.
Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana found no answer to Lee's speed and supreme confidence as the Malaysian earned a one-sided 21-13, 21-7 win in 34 minutes.
It was also the first time Lee has won back-to-back Super Series titles after having triumphed in the Korea Open in Seoul last week.
Lee said he was now looking forward to more success later this year in the World Championships in Paris in August, the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October and the Asian Games in Guangzhou this November.
"I had two tough tournaments and I didn't expect to play this well in the final. I want to maintain my form throughout the year and do well in the major events," said Lee.
"My next two tournaments are the All England and Swiss Open in March where I want to do well and looking forward to playing rival Lin Dan of China in these events."
The women's singles gold went to Wang Xin of China after her opponent Bae Youn-Joo of South Korea retired hurt with a leg injury midway through the deciding third game of the final.
Bae won the first game 21-19 but Wang Xin came back strongly to win the second game 21-17 and was leading 14-6 in the decider when the Korean conceded the match.
China also claimed the women's doubles gold as Olympic champions Du Jing/Yu Yang defeated teammates and World No 1 Ma Jin-Wang Xiaoli 21-16, 21-12 in 33 minutes.
Mixed doubles gold also went China's way as Tao Jiaming/Zhang Yawen upstaged world champions Thomas Laybourn-Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark 19-21, 21-18, 21-15 in 64 minutes.
Malaysia's second success of the day was achieved through World No 1 Koo Kien Keat/Tan Boon Heong who had to work hard for their 21-15, 17-21, 21-16 win over Xu Chen-Guo Zhendong of China in a thrilling 55-minute battle in the men's doubles.
It was Koo and Tan's second Malaysia Open title after triumphing on their debut in 2007.
- AFP /ls
|
