Free from the burden of winning the title, Bao Chunlai took an important step towards winning the US$40,000 pay check when he beat Taufik Hidayat 21-18, 26-24 on the opening day of the YONEX-SUNRISE BWF World Super Series Masters Finals 2009 in Johor Baru, Malaysia.
With World No 1 Lee Chong Wei also in Group A, the win over the Indonesian was even more meaningful as the Chinese prepares to take on Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Yu Hsin next.
Playing at an uncustomary morning match, the first match of the opening day, Taufik and Bao took some time to get into stride but it was Bao’s greater accuracy and fluid movement that proved to be the turning point. taufiks
“I will not be playing at the East Asian Games and there is no pressure on me to win the title here. All I want to do is my play best and prepare for the new season ahead,” said the 26-year-old Bao.
“And playing in this competition is an ideal preparation as many of the top players are here.”
The Masters Finals is for the top eight available players and pairs of the 12-leg Super Series rankings and offers total prize money of US$500,000.
However, several Chinese and Indonesian players have given the tournament a miss as they are committed to playing in the East Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games respectively.
“The early start was a little bit difficult as I could not find my usual rhythm but I am happy to have beaten Taufik,” added Bao.
“It was a close match and fortunately, I was able to capitalise on some of his mistakes to score this important win.”
Taufik conceded that he lost to a better player but firmly believed that the door was still open for any of the players in the group to qualify for the semi-finals.
“Anything is possible in badminton and I still have a chance to progress,” said Taufik.“I just lost to a better player.”
Meanwhile in Group B, Peter Gade beat compatriot Jan Jorgensen 21-12, 21-15.
In the men’s doubles, Malaysia’s Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong fell to a shock 21-15, 21-17 defeat to compatriots Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Tazari in a Group A match.
Koo-Tan, the raging favourites to take on Korea’s Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae, who beat England’s Nathan Robertson-Anthony Clark 21-18, 21-13, in the final, were outplayed in 24 minutes and face a must-win situation when they take on Indonesia’s Yonathan Dasuki-Rian Sukmawan on Thursday.
In Group A of the women’s singles, Porntip Buranaprasertsuk beat Charmaine Reid 21-13, 21-12 while Germany’s Juliane Schenk beat compatriot Nicole Grether 21-17, 21-14.
In the women’s doubles, Thailand’s Duang Anong Aroonkesorn-Kunchala Voravichitchaikul beat Laura Choinet-Weny Rahmawati (France) 21-19, 21-13 ina Group B match while in all-Chinese Taipei affair, Cheng Wen Hsing-Chien Yu Chin beat Chou Chia Chi-Chang Li Ying 21-12, 21-16.
In the mixed doubles, Thailand’s Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thuongthongkam beat Ko Sung Hyun-Ha Jung Eun.
Source : www.internationalbadminton.org
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