Pi Hongyan News

AN almost empty stadium, a competition schedule which was completed only on the first day of the tournament and further withdrawals have reduced the World Super Series Masters -- supposed to be a glamour event on the Badminton World Federation calendar -- into a sideshow.

Top-seeded Lee Chong Wei struggled into the semifinal of the men's single event at the HongKong Badminton Open here on Friday while the women's single title was already reserved by the Chinese women.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong failed to win back-to-back Super Series titles at the French Open in Paris yesterday.

Olympic champion Lin Dan will spearhead a strong field for next month's Hong Kong Open Super Series tournament, but home favourite Wang Chen may be unable to defend her singles title.

World number one Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia failed to live up to his pre-match promise, losing to Indonesiaa s Simon Santoso in the Japan Open badminton tournament on Thursday.

SIMON Santoso continued his giant-killing run by beating fellow Indonesian and defending champion Soni Dwi Kuncoro at the Japan Open badminton tournament on Friday.

TOKYO : Women's world number one Zhou Mi of Hong Kong failed to clear the first hurdle when she crashed to Adriyanti Firdasari in the Japan Open badminton tournament on Wednesday.

TOKYO Malaysia's world number one Lee Chong Wei faces a tough first test at this week's Japan Open as he bids to recapture the title he won in 2007.

Agencies New Delhi, Sept 20: Gearing up for her return after a month-long break, ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal said she has regained full fitness and would be at the top of her game during next week's Japan Open Super Series.

Chen Jin of China plays against Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia during the men's singles semi final badminton match of the World Badminton Championships at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad yesterday.

SMOOTH SAILING: Jin Chen had a relatively easy outing against Taufik Hidayat in the semifinal on Saturday.

By Manoj Vatsyayana Hyderabad - Teen sensation Saina Nehwal became the first Indian woman to qualify for the World badminton championships quarter-finals with a tough win against Bulgarian Petya Nedelcheva on Thursday.

Led by 'Super' Lin Dan, a strong field of Chinese players stormed into the finals of the World Badminton Championships here Saturday, underlining the country's dominance of the sport.

INDONESIA'S Taufik Hidayat became the first man into the semifinals of the badminton World Championships with a 21-19, 21-19 win over Denmark's Jan Jorgensen on Friday.

Fourth-seeded Wang Yihan of China fell 21-18, 21-15 to German Juliane Schenk in the women's singles third round of the world badminton championships on Thursday.

HYDERABAD: China's Xie Xingfang is aiming for a record third women's singles title at the world badminton championships starting on Monday but will share the limelight with India's Saina Nehwal.

HYDERABAD: China's Xie Xingfang is aiming for a record third women's singles title at the world badminton championships starting on Monday but will share the limelight with India's Saina Nehwal.

Monday, August 10, 2009 HYDERABAD, India: Chinese player Lin Dan's bid to become the first shuttler to complete a men's singles hat-trick will be the talking point at the world badminton championships starting on Monday .

HYDERABAD: China's Xie Xingfang is aiming for a record third women's singles title at the world badminton championships starting on Monday but will share the limelight with India's Saina Nehwal.

England has withdrawn from the World Badminton Championships in India after a Muslim terrorist threat was made against the competition.