LI NING CHINA OPEN QF - More surprises from Li and Jan

Unseeded Jan Jorgensen did a remake of his fantastic path through the Denmark Open. After stunning world number one Lee Chong Wei in a three-game battle Jorgensen managed to overcome Thailand’s Boonsak Ponsana in straight games and reach the last four. Meanwhile, China unveiled yet another potential star as qualifier Li Xuerui (pictured) bounced World Champion Lu Lan to earn her place in the all-Chinese women’s singles semi-finals.

By Tarek Hafi, Badzine Correspondent. Photos: BadmintonPhoto (live from Shanghai)

Jan Jorgensen, the new sensation from Denmark, began his fantastic road with a defeat of none other than top seed and world number one Lee Chong Wei. On Friday, he followed up that performance by taking care of Thailand’s hero Boonsak Ponsana in two straight games. His next round opponent, Chen Jin, will not be an easy challenge for the Dane but it his chance to prove, by reaching his first ever Super Series final, that Danish badminton has a bright future.

Indeed, Chen will certainly not underestimate his opponent as he was more than troubled during the last Singapore Open, where his match with Jorgensen covered the full distance, almost resulting in an upset. Chen Jin also spent all of one hour and thirteen minutes defeating Sony Dwi Kuncoro, whereas the Dane only needed thirty five minutes to dispose of Boonsak.

However, Boonsak Ponsana (pictured) might not be as affected as he might otherwise be by a loss, mainly because he is still guaranteed a place in the Super Series Final as Indonesia’s Simon Santoso and Sony Dwi Kuncoro have both withdrawn from the tournament and China’s three players in the Super Series top eight cannot all qualify either because the BWF is only allowing two players from the same country.

It is at times like this, when one feels like China really has an endless army of excellent women’s singles players. It has been more than a year since newcomer Li Xuerui, won the 2008 Asian Junior Championships, and it’s even been several months since her opponent in that AJC final, Wang Shixian, began her assault on the top ranks. Still, only now is Li making her official steps into the world badminton circuit and of course, these are giant leaps. After beating eighth-seeded Wang Chen of Hong Kong and World Champion’s Lu Lan, allowing her a place in the last four, she is now set to meet one of this year sensation Wang Xin, another new Chinese girl, who came on the world scene together with Wang Shixian. Shixian, incidentally, is contesting the other semi-final, where she will attempt to make up for last week’s quarter-final defeat at the hands of eventual Hong Kong runner-up Jiang Yanjiao.

Korea’s idol Lee Yong Dae came back on top during this China Open, after a disastrous loss at the Hong Kong open in the earliest round in mixed doubles with Lee Hyo Jung, he apologized properly by reaching the semi-final stage in two events and is more than ready to clinch his second men’s doubles title in a row. Still, he is on a collision course with two nemeses as Denmark’s Boe/Mogensen, who deprived Jung/Lee of a men’s doubles title at home in January, and Zheng Bo / Ma Jin, whom Lee/Lee have never beaten, both advanced to the semi-finals.

In the mixed doubles, second seeds Zheng/Ma had it easy against qualifiers Lee/Chien of Chinese Taipei but next up they face a new pairing that includes another of last year’s Asian Junior Champions, Zhang Nan, playing with last year’s runner-up Zhao Yunlei. Zhang/Zhao took care of yet another new pairing Devin Lahardi Fitriawan / Natsir Liliyana (pictured) 21-14, 14-21, 21-14.

In men’s doubles, Jung/Lee might have almost thought they would be joined in the semi-finals by another Korean pair as Cho Gun Woo / Shin Baek Cheol came dangerously close to upsetting the top seeds. However, Koo/Tan held on to win 15-21, 21-18, 21-18 and set up a showdown with Chinese Taipei’s Chen/Lin.

At the beginning of the tournament, Jung/Lee found themselves sharing a half of the draw with the four pairs that give them the most trouble and although Fu/Cai withdrew, by the quarter-final stage, the other three still had the Koreans surrounded. Boe/Mogensen denied their compatriots Paaske/Rasmussen a shot at a second straight final while Jung/Lee were just as methodical in seeing off the last Chinese pair, beating Guo Zhendong / Xu Chen (pictured) in two.

Malaysia’s number one pair, Wong Pei Tty and Chin Eei Hui, are set to fight against the Chinese armada, as they are again the only non-Chinese representatives in the semi-finals. They will be playing China’s new combination Zhang Yawen and Qing Tian for a spot in the final. The other semi-final will see a repeat of last week’s final as Olympic Champions Du Jing / Yu Yang will be playing compatriots Ma Jin / Wang Xiaoli, who advanced by beating Korea’s Ha Jung Eun / Lee Kyung Won in the quarter-finals for a second straight week.

For complete quarter-final results of the 2009 Li Ning China Open Super Series, CLICK HERE

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