The four top seeds in the women’s singles all overcame tough opposition in the quarter-finals of the All-England Open Badminton Championships to reach the semis. Either Saina Nehwal (India), Inthanon Ratchanok (Thailand,) Sung Ji Hyun (South Korea) or Tine Baun (Denmark) will take the title this year. This is the last tournament before Baun retires and she is bound to be keener than ever to take home the All-England crown once more to bring her career to the perfect end.
In the quarter-final match between Sung Ji Hyun and Hirose Eriko, the former extended her winning streak against her Japanese opponent to five matches, claiming a relatively easy 21-13,21-12 win; she can now expect a tougher match when she faces Denmark’s top women’s singles player Tine Baun in her swansong event.
Baun has chosen to bow out as a professional at this tournament so she has prepared thoroughly mentally and physically, as evidenced by the fact that she hasn’t dropped a single game so far in her three matches to date. In the six matches played between Baun and Sung Ji Hyun previously, Baun has won five so if the Korean wants to win she will have to change her tactics.
The Indonesian team has shown impressive power in the mixed doubles. The top pair Ahmad/Natsir beat Polish opponents, while the second pair Rijal/Susanto came from behind to beat the No. 1 seeds Xu Chen/Ma Jin; brother and sister pair Kido/Zebadiah have been the dark horses as they have knocked out touch opponents to reach the semi-final stage. There are three Indonesian pairs in the last four; if Rijal/Susanto can beat Zhang Nan/Zhao Yun Lei in their semi-final match Indonesia is guaranteed to take the mixed doubles title and runners-up spot this year.
The All-England Open Badminton Championship 2012 has reached the semi-final stage. Want to know who will be women’s singles queen this year, if Indonesia’s Ahmad/Natsir can retain the mixed doubles title and other exciting tournament news? Keep a close eye on the official VICTOR website at www.victorsport.com
The All-England semi-finals schedule:
Starting at 12:00 PM
| WD | Yu Yang/Wang Xiao Li(CHA)[1] | 21-11,21-16 | Maeda/Suetsuna(JPN)[6] |
| MS | Lee Chong Wei(MAS)[1] | 22-20,21-8 | Saensommboonsuk(THA) |
| WS | Inthanon Ratchanok(THA)[8] | 21-15,21-19 | Saina Nehwa(IND)[2] |
| MD | Liu Xiao Long/Qiu Zi Han(CHA) | 21-12,13-21,21-17 | Setiawan/Ahsan(INA)[8] |
| WS | Tine Baun(DEN)[7] | 24-22,19-21,21-19 | Sung Ji Hyun(KOR)[5] |
| MS | Chen Long(CHA)[2] | 21-19,22-20 | Jorgensen(DEN) |
Starting at 12:30 PM
| WD | Cheng Shu/Zhao Yun Lei(CHA) | 21-18,21-7 | Jin/Tang Jin Hua(CHA)[5] |
| XD | Ahmad/Natsir((INA)[2] | 18-21,21-15,21-19 | Kido/Zebadiah((INA) |
| MD | Endo/Hayakawa(JPN)[4] | 22-20,21-15 | Jongjit/Puangpuapech(THA) |
| XD | Zhang Nan/Zhao Yun Lei(CHA)[5] | 21-17,21-16 | Rijal/Susanto(INA)[7] |
( Edit by VICTOR Badminton )
2013-03-08 |
2013-03-10 |
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