Indonesian top player Taufik Hidayat blasted out Bao Chunlai of China in
straight sets in the badminton men's singles quarterfinals here on Thursday at
the 15th Asian Games.
The 25-year-old Olympic champion is going to fight for a final berth against
second-seeded Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, who finished off Thai
top shuttler Boonsak Ponsana 20-22, 21-11 and 21-7
Although Taufik failed to overcome Bao's teammate, world numberone Lin Dan in
both the men's team group stage and semis in Doha, he met little trouble to drub
third-seeded Bao 21-16, 21-14.
"I was not confident enough," said 23-year-old Bao. "I played passively while
Taufik played a very fast game today."
Bao clinched a clear win in the decisive game on Tuesday, enabled China to
overcome defending champion South Korea in the men's team final.
In the men's singles event, however, Bao seemed not as excited as he was in
the team event.
"The atmosphere of the team event was more heated, " said Bao.
In the first men's singles quarterfinal match, Lin Dan nipped eighth-seeded
Ng Wei from Hong Kong of China 21-15, 21-13.
The top seed, nicknamed "Super Dan", is going to clash with South Korean star
Lee Hyun Il, who smashed Hashim Muhammad Hafiz of Malaysia 22-20, 21-6.
In the duel with world championships semifinalist Lee Hyun Il in the team
final, Lin could not get rid of a gritty Lee, losing the opening game 20-22,
21-11, 13-21.