NST Online: Sports

Badminton / World Junior Championships: Zulfadli's final hurdle

Posted: 05 Nov 2011 11:40 AM PDT

2011/11/06
By K.M. Boopathy
boopathy@nst.com.my

ZULFADLI ZULKIFLI

ZULFADLI Zulkifli is just a match away from achieving a dream double while Nelson Heg-Teo Ee Yi advanced to their second consecutive boys' doubles final in the World Junior Championships in Taipei yesterday.

Zulfadli became the first Malaysian to win the Asian Junior boys' singles crown in Lucknow, India in July and he will attempt to end the nation's drought in the same event of the World Juniors today.

It has been a confident ride for Zulfadli so far and in the semi-finals, he defeated Kento Momota of Japan 21-18, 21-18 to reach the final in his last outing in the tournament.

Standing between him and the title is defending champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, who edged Sameer Verma of India 21-19, 21-19, who starts as the favourite in the final.

"I feel very happy to be in the final tomorrow (today). I will try my best against him," said Zulfadli.

"This is the second time I will playing him. I won the first meeting in Sweden but that was four or five years ago. But this time, he is physically stronger and taller than me."

Other Malaysians who had featured in previous finals were Yeoh Kay Bin in 1998 and Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin in 2009 but both finished runner-up to China shuttlers Chen Gan and Tian Houwei respectively.

Malaysia's strong tradition in the boys' doubles continued when Nelson-Ee Yi advanced to the final after beating Taiwan's Tien Tzu Chieh-Wang Chi Hao 21-8, 21-17. They will meet Asian Junior champions Huang Po Jui-Lin Chia Yu, who beat Indonesia's Ronald Alexander-Selvanus Geh 21-19, 21-23, 21-15, in the final today.

Po Jui-Chia Yu crushed Nelson-Ee Yi's hopes of securing the Asian Junior crown by eliminating them in the semi-finals.

However, Nelson-Ee Yi have been brilliant throughout the tournament and had beaten Poh Jui-Chia Yu in the team event earlier in the week which Malaysia won for the first time.

Nelson-Ee Yi were runners-up to compatriots Ow Yao Han-Yew Hong Kheng last year and have a big responsibility in maintaining Malaysia's dominance in the event since 2008.

Mak Hee Chun-Teo Kok Siang won the title in Pune in 2008 while Yao Han and Chooi Kah Ming were victorious in Alor Star in 2009 followed by Yao Han and Hong Kheng's success in Mexico City.

There will be no double cheer for Nelson though after he and Chow Mei Kuan lost 21-17, 20-22, 21-16 to Ronald Alexander-Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia of Indonesia in the mixed doubles semi-final.

Indonesia are assured of the mixed doubles crown as Alfian Eko Prasetya-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja defeated South Korea's Choi Sol Kyu-Chae Yoo Jung 21-13, 22-20 in the other semi-final.

RESULTS — (All S-Finals)

Boys' Singles: Viktor Axelsen (Den) bt Sameer Verma (Ind) 21-19, 21-19; Zulfadli Zulkifli (Mas) bt Kento Momota (Jpn) 21-18, 21-18.
Doubles: Huang Po Jui-Lin Chia Yu (Tai) bt Ronald Alexander-Selvanus Geh (Ina) 21-19, 21-23, 21-15; Nelson Heg-Teo Ee Yi (Mas) bt Tien Tzu Chieh-Wang Chi Hao (Tai) 21-8, 21-17.

Women's Singles: Ratchanok Inthanon (Tha) bt Nozomi Okuhara (Jpn) 21-16, 21-16; Elyzabeth Purwaningtyas (Ina) bt Carolina Marin (Spa) 23-21, 17-21, 21-18.
Doubles: Lee So Hee-Shin Seung Chan (Kor) bt Andini Suci Rizky-Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia (Ina) 21-23, 22-20, 21-5; Shella Devi Aulia-Anggia Shitta Awanda (Ina) bt Han So Yean-Kim Hyo Min (Kor) 21-13, 22-20.

Mixed Doubles: Alfian Eko Prasetya-Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja (Ina) bt Choi Sol Kyu-Chae Yoo Jung (Kor) 21-13, 22-20; Ronald Alexander-Nuraidah Tiara Rosalia (Ina) bt Nelson Heg-Chow Mei Kuan (Mas) 21-17, 20-22, 21-16.

Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

Badminton / World Junior Championships: Glorious double within sight

Posted: 05 Nov 2011 11:39 AM PDT

Nelson Heg (front) and Teo Ee Yi

ZULFA DLI Zulkifli and Nelson Heg-Teo Ee Yi sauntered into the World Junior Championships boys' singles and doubles finals respectively in Taipei yesterday.

Zulfadli is seeking to be the first Malaysian to win the world junior crown but faces a tough final against top seed Viktor Axelsen of Denmark today.

Nelson-Ee Yi will bid to keep the title in Malaysian hands as national junior shuttlers have won the last three editions.

Nelson, however, had to concede defeat in the mixed doubles when he and partner Chow Mei Kuan fell in three games to Ronald Alexander- Nuraidah Tiara of Indonesia.

Full content generated by Get Full RSS.

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Sabtu, 5 November 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan